[dinor2]

Do kenya tree corals close up as they're about to split? Or is this cause for alarm? It's been thriving since I got it three months ago, it just started closing up with all the lights on and looks like there's a few parts that are trying to peel away...

[jimw369]

Google "Kenya Tree Coral". Lots of info there!

[dinor2]

Originally Posted by jimw369

Google "Kenya Tree Coral". Lots of info there!

Well, I guess I'm not a good googler, I couldn't find any info on behavior of the kenya trees, other than the basics. It's still closed up some this morning, watching it closely and I can't see anything different yet, I did add some kent dkh buffer yesterday after the water change but, it was starting to close early before the water change and buffer added... I'll post my water results here soon, but I'm hoping this is a 'fragging' behavior.

[dinor2]

Ok, pretty sure it's in the process of splitting. It looks like it even may split right down the middle of the main stalk, the stalk is about 3-4 inches thick... will let you all know what happens and post pics. Here's a pic of what it looked like about a week ago.

[jimw369]

Google...try

Capnella
Kenya Tree Coral
Nepthea Coral
Cauliflower Coral

[dinor2]

Thanks, I'll try those different names.

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by dinor2

Ok, pretty sure it's in the process of splitting. It looks like it even may split right down the middle of the main stalk, the stalk is about 3-4 inches thick... will let you all know what happens and post pics. Here's a pic of what it looked like about a week ago.

Hey! Dinor! I was just flipping thru the thread and that coral looks more like colt coral to me. All I see are polyps sticking out from the main stems. Kenyas literally have like little pine cones or pineapple looking things on the ends of their branches. Sorry for the crude description. No matter really...still a nice coral

[dinor2]

Originally Posted by jimw369

Hey! Dinor! I was just flipping thru the thread and that coral looks more like colt coral to me. All I see are polyps sticking out from the main stems. Kenyas literally have like little pine cones or pineapple looking things on the ends of their branches. Sorry for the crude description. No matter really...still a nice coral

Interesting, but cool! I loved a huge colt coral I saw posted on another thread here; they guy said it was about to 'explode' right after he put it in his tank but the next day, it looked awesome! I remember specifically showing the pics to my dh and telling him "That's a coral I'll have to get!" I was told at the lfs I go to that it was a kenya but, that guy isn't there anymore, and I actually shared info with him on reef tanks he wasn't aware of so... the owners are who I deal with when I go in there now, awesome place.

Anyways, thanks for the nice comment on my coral! It's not looking so good now though, all closed up, I really hope it's about to split, it has places on the branches as times that looks like it's being squeezed, the top part will droop and is thin and the bottom is all puffed part is puffed up, like someone's taken invisible string and is squeezing it on the branch... But this is my very first soft coral, I hope I'm taking good care of it, it's my favorite!

I'll post a pic soon of what it looks like now (been the same yesterday and today so far).

Oh, here are my water params for this morning.

Salinity 1.024
temp 76
ph 8.0 (a little low but consistant)
alk 2.0 (up a little from 1.6)
mag 1300 (back down to normal from 1320)
calc 520 (still a little too high)
dkh haven't tested yet, will post with pics

I added dkh kent buffer Sunday after the water change to help with the dkh (which has been at 7) and the ph. I added one more dose this morning and will test again tomorrow afternoon. I will be setting up a kalk drip in a few weeks (getting one for my birthday) to help keep the dkh and ph stable and hopefully, that should help keep those params stable and where they should be.

My plan sound good?... I know some people don't like using kalk drips but, for my tank, it may be what works. OH, also adding a 20gal sump in a few weeks, going to have 2 baffles with a small refugium as well.

[dinor2]

Ok, dkh is 8. Here are some pics of what it's been like this morning and yesterday, I'll keep an eye on it and take another pic if it does that squeeze thing on a branch.



isn't completely closed, have you all seen colts do this before they split?

[Fragmadness]

Kenya for sure not a colt. Mine does that also off and on an dnothing to do with spliting in my expereince but it does look like it is going to spilt in half

[dinor2]

Originally Posted by Fragmadness

Kenya for sure not a colt. Mine does that also off and on an dnothing to do with spliting in my expereince but it does look like it is going to spilt in half

Out of curiousity, can I ask why you think it will split in half? That seems like a big split but it wouldn't suprise me though, I am not sure if it is seeable in the pics but, it has a 'vertical crease' down the center of the main stalk, that's what had me thinking the same thing, just wasn't expecting it to split that much!

It has stayed closed today again, hoping to see a change in it tomorrow as my water params are improving, don't you think?

Thanks you all!

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by Fragmadness

Kenya for sure not a colt. Mine does that also off and on an dnothing to do with spliting in my expereince but it does look like it is going to spilt in half

Why do you say Kenya for sure? I have pics of both in my tank they are noT at all similar.

[jimw369]

im looking at what i thought was a kenya tree...haha..now i dont know what i got. lol gonna get rid of it anyway.

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by jimw369

Why do you say Kenya for sure? I have pics of both in my tank they are noT at all similar.

Well, Im wrong. That is a Kenya. I dont know what it is I got in my tank. Guess its back to reefing 101.

[jimw369]

LOL...Hey Dinor! Heres that Colt that was going to explode. Been fragged 3 times (what friggen mess of slime) and finally gave up doing it again. Its about 8" across at the base and when fully extended goes to the top of the tank.

[dinor2]

Wow! Didn't realize that was yours Jim! It looks amazing! If you feel like fragging it every again, can i get one from you if I pay the shipping? I REALLY like that coral! It's a lot like the kenya I have but, different for sure, very nice coral!

Mine is still not happy yet.... should I start to worry? All my params check out ok, and I went ahead and ordered some Kent phytoplankton (i think that's the bottle anyways) to start feeding it once in a while along with the other corals I have in there.... should I have fed it that plankton earlier, is that why it might be mad? I'd hate to lose this coral, it's my favorite! (besides your colt, Jim!)

Thanks for the nice pic btw.

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by dinor2

Wow! Didn't realize that was yours Jim! It looks amazing! If you feel like fragging it every again, can i get one from you if I pay the shipping? I REALLY like that coral! It's a lot like the kenya I have but, different for sure, very nice coral!

Mine is still not happy yet.... should I start to worry? All my params check out ok, and I went ahead and ordered some Kent phytoplankton (i think that's the bottle anyways) to start feeding it once in a while along with the other corals I have in there.... should I have fed it that plankton earlier, is that why it might be mad? I'd hate to lose this coral, it's my favorite! (besides your colt, Jim!)

Thanks for the nice pic btw.

AS it was explained to me almost a year ago by Krazy (a mod we had here) Just give it some time. They are very hardy and if your water params are anyways near good you should be fine. These types of corals just get cranky every once in a while.

When I frag it you can have a "stalk" cause thats how I do it now lol. Ive got some insulated shipping boxes left over from some stuff so that cost nothing. Just to ship. Maybe in a couple months if you still want some.

[dinor2]

That'd be AWESOME! That is my favorite coral still, my poor kenya will be jealous... Thanks so much! Just let me know when it's ready and I can mail you a check or money order.

Btw, kenya is looking a bit happier this morning. It's not fully open yet, usually it waits an hour or so after the daylights come on before opening but, it's still getting that squeezed look on a few branches, still thinking it may be about to split somewhere, just not sure where! I'm almost hoping it splits right down the middle, two good size kenyas!

[coralfan]

just my $.02
i dont think kenya trees split in half. they just pinch off a piece and drop little branches onto the ground.

[dinor2]

Well, it acts like it's trying to pinch off a few little pieces but hasn't done it all the way yet. Hey Jim! Is your offer still good for a colt frag? I'm building a sump this week which means my ginormous skimmer pump will be OUT of my tank and I think a colt would go great in it's place! (I added a video of my tank on my 'pics of 7 month old tank' thread, you can see the spot I'm talking about there). Can't wait to get that huge thing out of my tank!

[starfishlover]

MINE KIND OF SHRIVELED AND LOOKED VERY PATHETIC FOR A WEEK OR SO . tHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD 9 MILLION BABY TREES

[dinor2]

Wow, it's been a while since I posted this thread! I'll post a current picture of my kenya, not a lot of change but thought I'd mention some very interesting developments!

1. It started to 'climb' up the side of the rock it was on! Couldn't figure out why until I remembered that my bulbs were a little more than 6 months old and were the current brand (cheap imho) so threw some good UVL brand bulbs in there (4 out of six are now new) and it stopped climbing and opened a little more, seems it was climbing to get more light!

2. Still has a huge crease down the middle of it, hasn't split or broken off any pieces, yet....

3. I believe I'm experiences a sort of tank crash which I am livid about because it all points to my skimmer failing as to when things started going south in my tank! The faulty pump is being replaced now but it's coming from California and so may be a week before I get my skimmer up and running again. I LOVE my Deltec mce600 but when that pump failed on me, I guess I didn't realize how WELL that skimmer was working until I didn't have it working anymore! Still doing reg water changes and maintenance but, lost a fish and seems like that was the downward spiral, lost two more and a few inverts, my frogspawn is very unhappy today as well.
Interesting though, is my KENYA seems to be happy still! It's the ONLY THING happy in my tank now! Now, I listed my tank params on the beginners thread I posted but, man these things are HARDY! It's even fairing better than my yellow polyps!

Anyways, I'll get a pic up soon, just thought I'd post what I've learned about the kenya, amazing coral! I think every tank should have one!

[jimw369]

You are blamong it on your skimmer but you posted params that are all in check in another thread. If your params are good why the skimmers fault?

[dinor2]

Not sure it's entirely the skimmers' fault, but I do think it was the last straw for it; I had forgotten that the calcium got too high but, someone (can't remember who) says 520 isn't too high?

I'm going to do water testing now to see exactly what's going on. Will post on the other thread.

Here's what the kenya looks like today, hardy little thing!