Anyone keeping long tentacle plates long term?

[Jimbo327]

I just bought a long tentacle plate, and wondering if anyone have had one long term like several years. And do they ever propagate like fungia or diaseris?

This will be my 2nd long tentacle plate because the 1st one didn't make it past 2 weeks in my tank (tentacles never came out fully). This 2nd one is much larger and looks healthier than the 1st one, so I'm going to try it again.

Hope to hear from anyone that have success with long tentacle plate corals, and learn what is the key to keeping them alive long term. Do you have to target feed it?

Photo after just putting it into tank, so tentacles are still retracted.

 

[JojosReef]

LT plates have long been on my list. Hopefully you find out some secrets to their success!

 

[bluemon]

Plate coral have always died on me long term.
My lessons learnt (although from failure and not success, and talking to people who were successful with them) is that you DONT want these on finer sand like you have.

the sand inevitably scratches and rips open the flesh near the base and infects them.

I’ve seen people glue them onto frag plugs and having them lifted up from the sand to prevent this, and they’re the ones I’ve seen have the most success.

this goes against everything I thought about fungids but it works the best.

that or placing them on coarser substrate that doesn’t blow around to scratch the flesh, like coral chunks.

 

[JojosReef]

In a similar way, I keep a wall of zoas around my plates like a garden which keeps the sand from blowing all over them and the flow moderate.

 

[Jimbo327]

Plate coral have always died on me long term.
My lessons learnt (although from failure and not success, and talking to people who were successful with them) is that you DONT want these on finer sand like you have.

the sand inevitably scratches and rips open the flesh near the base and infects them.

I’ve seen people glue them onto frag plugs and having them lifted up from the sand to prevent this, and they’re the ones I’ve seen have the most success.

this goes against everything I thought about fungids but it works the best.

that or placing them on coarser substrate that doesn’t blow around to scratch the flesh, like coral chunks.

What kind of plate did you have? Fungia, diaseris or long tentacle? My fungia and diaseris plates have been growing well, and getting bigger. I’ve struck out on long tentacle though.

I have heard something similar about plates on sand, I think it was not actually the sand itself, but the bristle worms that like to hide underneath the plates.

 

[bluemon]

It was what people call funghia but I think most funghias in the trade are cycloseris.

That’s what I had.

I think the long tentacled ones with purple tips are heliofunghia?

 

[Jimbo327]

Maybe I can place a large flat frag disc under the LT plate (AKA heliofungia). Or I can use some of my E-marco cement leftover to make something for it to sit on and elevate off the sand. Let me think about it.

Here it is this morning with the tentacles out a bit more. It's got a cool green base. Wish the tips of the tentacles were colored.

 

[Discotu]

Aren't some plates mobile? I thought I read somewhere that you dont want to glue them down. Not sure if that holds true with LT plates? Fwiw my diaseris is on my sand bed, low flow, low light and have never target fed.

 

[mchain275]

I've had this one for about five years. Happiest in low flow sitting on sand, never spot fed. It does seem to move a modest amount on its own from time to time.

 

[JojosReef]

@Discotu @mchain275 both amazing plated!

 

[JojosReef]

This is my heliofunghia:

 

[JojosReef]

This is my heliofunghia:
View attachment 127471

better:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1SGtHgmYUNJtKFV69

 

[Jimbo327]

Aren't some plates mobile? I thought I read somewhere that you dont want to glue them down. Not sure if that holds true with LT plates? Fwiw my diaseris is on my sand bed, low flow, low light and have never target fed.
View attachment 127442

I've never had a problem with fungia and diaseris type on the sand either. I usually buy tiny plates, some are the size of a pencil eraser. I have to glue them to the frag plug so they don't blow away or flip over by the snail. And I have had much better luck keeping them alive when they are glued to the plug and left on the sand.

 

[Jimbo327]

I've had this one for about five years. Happiest in low flow sitting on sand, never spot fed. It does seem to move a modest amount on its own from time to time.

View attachment 127458

5 years? Wow, that gives me a lot of hope of my LT plate. So no direct feed either. And directly on sand. Hmm. That's good to hear.

And what a gorgeous plate, and looks very happy. Love the green tentacles and cool pattern on the base. I read that their tentacles are aggressive and reach to sting, so I plan to keep it in the corner away from other corals.

 

[drexel]

Heliofungia need soft (oolite) sand or rubble to sit on. A flat piece of rock without sharp edges that sits on the sand is another spot/area that works well. They're usually found in pretty turbid water or shallow lagoons. These guys will move themselves around, so as long as there's room, they should be fine.

 

[Jimbo327]

Now I'm on the lookout for a LT plate (mushroom coral) pipefish. I've never seen one available before and don't know anyone who has. Anyone seen one of these? It is so cool!

I'm thinking this will never be available in the trade. So maybe I'm going to try just a standard pipefish...