Been waiting 11 years to get a healthy elegance - now I have it

[Greg Hiller]

Traded some equipment, corals, and cash to another BRS member who'd had it for 2 years. Out grew his tank. I've had it about two weeks and it seems to have adjusted very well, no signs of illness. This is my fourth try on elegance over 11 years. I think all the previous one suffered from the same problem that nearly all the elegances that have been coming into the hobby with have. About 3 months ago, I had one on hold for a shop for about 6 month in a display tank, and it seemed to look good. I finally came in to pick it up and when I looked at the back of the coral it was holding onto the skeleton by just a sliver of tissue. Oh well.

I plan to frag it in the near future to give a piece back to the original owner.

In my 400 G system:

 

[biggyclops]

Nice!

 

[Joel A]

good luck with it... they sure are beautiful.

 

[Aquadiva]

You are a brave man. I don't think I could stomach trying to frag it.

Good luck.

BTW... How big is it??

 

[Behrmon]

Beautiful, best of luck with it.

 

[afboundguy]

That thing is huge!!!

 

[brokereefer]

got the same thing in my tank and has been doing well for a long time got mine with only 2 heads now there are like 6 mouth on it and getting big fast

 

[Sherri]

I have had mine for 18 months and it is healthy and happy. Congrats Greg -- it looks awesome. I love mine and cannot wait to give it more room!

 

[mikede]

WOW, that is awesome!

 

[Gina McReeferson]

She's a beauty Greg, continued success with her.

 

[cakemanPA]

Very nice Greg! I am hoping that the one that I have grows up to look like that one

 

[Greg Hiller]

>You are a brave man. I don't think I could stomach trying to frag it.<

Unfortunately, that's been the case with several people I know in the club. They're not willing to try, their tank eventually has a problem, and the entire colony is lost. I think if it's healthy there's not likely to be an issue with fragging it. I'll probably wait a few more weeks before I try.

 

[saltwaterB]

I was going to say you are quite brave for fragging one.
But I was also going to say, no need to wait around anymore, the Aussie ones do great in captivity. I brought in 8 of them in October and have not lost one at all. The only ones I would ever buy again would be from Australia, they are bulletproof.

 

[Doherty]

Good luck with it Greg!

 

[bigdog]

very nice coral

 

[JeremyR]

Ditto on the aussie elegance... they stay alive. Just keep them away from the indonesian ones.

 

[Macboy]

Hey Greg, nice addition to the tank...can you tell me why the elegance is so hard to keep. I was looking at one at Jay's and almost bought it.

 

[Greg Hiller]

The problem is some type of transmissable pathogenic organism, likely microscopic (bacteria? protozoa? virus?). Can transfer from tank to tank if they are plumbed together. Julian Sprung used to say that the 'syndrome' was treatable by antibotics if caught early enough. I tried to treat one years ago with no luck.

 

[jbishop]

Awesome Greg