What’s the survival rate of new coral additions?

[Wescalland]

For me, most (95% plus) live at least 1-3 months. But if you were to go out a year, I would say it’s more like a 60% success rate- anyone else with this experience?

In my current tank I lost 4-5 acan colonies (at least 1k$) I had for about 5 months doing great until a faulty alk reagent I had... I have had other corals fall and get stung and not recover, others look great for 6 months or so then slowly wither away.... I still have a lot I started with but I think it’s easy to forget or explain away some of the pieces that die (like do my acan losses not count? Of course they do they died!) maybe we don’t want to feel bad or admit to ourselves we are loosing corals ($) ?

 

[Hemmdog]

The older the tank the higher the survival rate.

 

[ScottR]

The older the tank the higher the survival rate.

This is so true. Especially with acros. Lou Ekus explained at MACNA that coral polyps (I’m guessing smaller polyps) have a bad mechanism for consuming phosphates. So bacteria will eat the phosphates and then the polyps consume the bacteria. In a new tank, the biodiversity isn’t usually that great. Especially with all dry starts.

Nice to see you around Chris! Do you miss blue lights yet?

 

[ScottR]

For me, most (95% plus) live at least 1-3 months. But if you were to go out a year, I would say it’s more like a 60% success rate- anyone else with this experience?

In my current tank I lost 4-5 acan colonies (at least 1k$) I had for about 5 months doing great until a faulty alk reagent I had... I have had other corals fall and get stung and not recover, others look great for 6 months or so then slowly wither away.... I still have a lot I started with but I think it’s easy to forget or explain away some of the pieces that die (like do my acan losses not count? Of course they do they died!) maybe we don’t want to feel bad or admit to ourselves we are loosing corals ($) ?

If I were to lose even 10% of my current corals, I’d blame myself for sure. But if it’s a new addition and doesn’t make it, probably not much I could’ve done to save it.

 

[ReefRondo]

Without other people involved in my system I now have 100% success. A few people have really messed with my frag tank through lack of knowledge or just accidents.

 

[ScottR]

This is a new mille I added about 2 weeks ago. Slowly it’s losing PE and starting to turn white. At this point, I should be cutting off the parts where it’s turning white (assuming this is STN). I should probably put it in a new location and perhaps try an iodine dip if it’s truly bacterial.

 

[Gup]

I will never buy expensive coral again. I lost five pieces in a crash just a couple months ago. From now on, I buy the Easiest, beginner frags

 

[zukihara]

 

[Rogueaquariums]

All my corals live unless i kill them due to stupidity lol. Peroxide dosing killed a bunch. Vodka dosing killed a bunch. Putting a frogspawn directly in front of the pump output.... so id say if i provide the proper conditions for the coral im at 100%. But i have not lost any coral that i knew what the cause was. Well actually 1 acropora frag died and i didn't really know why so 95%

Most of my corals have lived and I agree unless it was by my own stupidity. Aquacultured corals imo fair better than wild colonies

 

[UkiahTheTurtle]

only ever lost 1 coral

 

[Conrad Noto]

When you add a new coral into your tank, does it make it or not? What’s your success rate? I’m at maybe 90%. I’ve noticed that aquacultured corals fare way better and almost never perish. Maricultured corals aren’t as lucky. Fwiw, I primarily keep SPS, mainly acros.

Trick question. I found over the years it depends. Frags to frag tank was about 95% successful. Now I have a crazy hippo tang and angels. Although they rarely eat anything, they peck any new addition, play basketball with frags and like to move rock. I lose 40-60% in first three weeks, but what lives beyond that tends to flourish. Frags which get knocked under rock, hard to move 400+lbs rock to look for a frag. Larger stuff ( bottom of tank) like elegance, plate etc do better 80-90% survival. Softies vary, colt corals don't get touched and grow like weeds. I removed them and regret it.

 

[Opus]

When you add a new coral into your tank, does it make it or not? What’s your success rate? I’m at maybe 90%. I’ve noticed that aquacultured corals fare way better and almost never perish. Maricultured corals aren’t as lucky. Fwiw, I primarily keep SPS, mainly acros.

I've often wondered this and actually asked it a couple of years ago and some people got offended by my prediction. As many live sales that go on here and facebook I'm guessing overall it is below 50%. Now that also has to take into consideration your time frame for what you call "success rate". My 50% guess it putting it at the 1 year mark.

 

[paul barker]

my LPS great don't lose anything my sps 50/50 one day I came home and I could tell something was up started test could not find anything wrong so I did a small water change and still nothing I ask my LFS he look and couldn't figure it out so we took some to the store and I keep some to see what would happen it was tissue necrosis still can't figure it out half came back

 

[FishTruck]

50/50 for me after 6 months from purchase. Probably, 1 in 4 become true long term survivors capable of being fragged - over my 10 years so far. Hoping that with some increased experience I can do better in the next 10 years.

Losses from aiptasia stings, me not changing my DI can soon enough, Alk instability, ill advised playing with LED settings or some of them just slowly brown out and fade away.