The Puffer Forum

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Pufferpunk wrote:The 1st coral I ever had to frag out of necessity, because of disease, was a leather. I got lucky--they're the easiest to frag. The poor thing was rotting from the bottom up:


I still remember my reaction, when the guy at my LFS said, "Just take a razor blade & cut the rotting part out"!
Well, I did & now that coral is HUGE (about the size of 2 dinner plates). Since then, I've even cut up entire large leathers into 1" square pieces to make these:


The most $$$ coral I fragged was this Jcigars Orange Sherbet chalice, worth $100/inch:


I have to laugh, as I went back into my "Sick Corals" file, at how many "dying" leathers I have stored there:

Leathers certainly are odd/moody corals I like them though. I really like the toadstool (especially after seeing the one in that thread on here, members name escapes me at the moment). Since then I had been looking online at the choices of toadstools and such. Came across photos like the one that looks like yours in the photo, green leather frags, and started looking for them for sale. Found one as WYSIWYG that looks great and at a good price, I think. Ordered it, a couple other LPS frags, and ricordea. The ricordea were on sale ($30 for 5) and I really like those. I also hate to just order one coral, especially doing it online, with the shipping and all so found a couple more I like. Now that I have the test kits and my supplements came in as well, I feel more comfortable.

Curious, I'm assuming you have/had leather in with other corals like LPS and SPS. I've came across a bit about their toxins they release (seems it affects SPS the most) when I was searching for causes for my hammer's decline. Have you ever seen this to be an issue or have any preventative measures for this situation?

Glad to know the leathers are easy to frag. I definitely figured I'd be fragging leathers at some point since everything I've read mentions how fast/large they grow.

Guess I need to start getting supplies for fragging, not for growth for some time I'm sure, but for situations like with your leather and such. Just need to look more into what tools are best to use and needed.

Gosh, hard to believe such a tiny piece of coral goes for so much! Most expensive in my tank right now would be the wellso, in terms of what I've paid and what I could assume frags would go for. Can't imagine fragging it for some time though. I really need to see about find a reef club or something. Especially when I do need to start fragging because of growth, I'm not sure if my LFS would take in frags, would have to ask.

Edit: Thanks for the links!

In the first, the poster from Bluefield that mentioned setting one up, would seriously be perfect. Bluefield is like 10 miles or so from the city I live in, go there often for certain stores and such. Wonder how I'd be able to find out if there was ever one put together...

Will be looking for the other mentioned on Facebook as well..

I'm assuming you have/had leather in with other corals like LPS and SPS. I've came across a bit about their toxins they release (seems it affects SPS the most) when I was searching for causes for my hammer's decline. Have you ever seen this to be an issue or have any preventative measures for this situation?

Absolutely! I have about 10 bags or Puringen in my sump.

Somewhere in this thread, I posted a link to a fragging kit from Marine Depot.

I always have babies of my Tyree bright green toadstool leather, along with Devil's hand & also that yellow finger leather.

Pufferpunk wrote:

I'm assuming you have/had leather in with other corals like LPS and SPS. I've came across a bit about their toxins they release (seems it affects SPS the most) when I was searching for causes for my hammer's decline. Have you ever seen this to be an issue or have any preventative measures for this situation?

Absolutely! I have about 10 bags or Puringen in my sump.

Somewhere in this thread, I posted a link to a fragging kit from Marine Depot.

I always have babies of my Tyree bright green toadstool leather, along with Devil's hand & also that yellow finger leather.

I figured I'd need to do something, though carbon is what came to mind. I can't remember if I mentioned earlier in this thread or not, but I placed some carbon in a media bag and in a small HOB filter when the hammer started to decline just in case I guess. Don't know how effective that was exactly but didn't notice any different.

Since I don't have a sump and really don't want to leave a HOB filter on my tank, any other ways I could incorporate something like Puringen, carbon, etc maybe into my skimmer or something somehow?

I hate not having a sump when it comes to equipment and stuff like this.

I do remember seeing that kit, need to go back and look at it more closely.

I also remember you mentioning that you sale/ship corals, or can when the weather warms up. So how does that work..like in terms of know what you have for sale, prices, and just setting up a purchase/order.

I really liked the green on that toadstool, didn't think to ask if you would have something like that for sale or I would have waited. I've already paid but delayed the shipping until next Wednesday so that I'd be off from work the day the shipment arrives.

I like the yellow and Devils hand as well, I just wonder about putting so many leather in my tank (toxins for one) but mainly for room. I figured it'd be best in terms of placement, where I have three rock structures, to keep the similar corals together to hopefully avoid any issues. The leather I have now is on the center rock structure ( I need to get an updated FTS on here, will try to get one tonight/tomorrow) and I had planned to place the toadstool on that same structure, other side and to the back. I worry about its growth, since I know they can get large, and it shading out other corals.

I found that one reef club on Facebook, just need to learn more about them, that one will be a good bit of distance from me I think but maybe not too bad.

I keep a very mixed reef with lots of leathers, zoas, LPS & a few SPS. I prefer Purigen to carbon, because you have to replace the carbon every month & you can regenerate Purigen over & over, by soaking in bleach. No, you can't put it in your skimmer but you could use a canister.

I think at this point, without a sump you're gonna have to keep that HOB active. I do have a HOB sump/fuge/skimmer FS.

I'm not like a store or anything, I just frag out of my tank. I even shut down my frag tank over a year ago.

Pufferpunk wrote:I keep a very mixed reef with lots of leathers, zoas, LPS & a few SPS. I prefer Purigen to carbon, because you have to replace the carbon every month & you can regenerate Purigen over & over, by soaking in bleach. No, you can't put it in your skimmer but you could use a canister.

I think at this point, without a sump you're gonna have to keep that HOB active. I do have a HOB sump/fuge/skimmer FS.

I'm not like a store or anything, I just frag out of my tank. I even shut down my frag tank over a year ago.

I had came across mention of Purigen but didn't know much about it. Sounds like it'd be a better choice with being about to use it over and over.

Something that is HOB is going to work better for my tank I think, just because of space. Guess I probably need to look into a larger HOB filter though. The one I've used off and on (clearing up after adding sand and just to have something while waiting on my skimmer) is made for maybe 20 gallons at most, it was just something I had sitting around. It worked out well for clearing the tank after adding the sand and such but I'm thinking it wouldn't be as effective for running something like Purigen, not sure though.

After some more time learning about this hobby a sump would definitely be nice to have and I'd like to attempt one at some point (either in this tank or maybe if/when I upgrade or something). I just wanted to wait until I knew more about when I'd be moving before I did anything of the sort.

I'm sure something like a HOB sump/fuge/skimmer would be real nice to have and would have but I don't think I'd be able to incorporate something like that onto my tank without moving it out from the wall. Right now theres only 3 inches, at most, between the back of the tank and wall. The side that is open holds my skimmer and the other side isn't much more than an inch from my wall.

I've thought about a refugium as HOB for now, in terms of what benefits it would provide, just don't think I'd be able to manage it without moving the tank out...

Ah okay. I didn't really think store exactly, just was under the impression, for whatever reason, that you had more corals/tanks (therefore more frags) than you do.

If you have a list or something of the corals that you keep and/or most often frag to sale and could maybe PM it or something that'd be great. Obviously no hurry or rush, as I plan to wait a bit before getting more (we'll see, considering how well that worked out last time I said that) but that way I'd know what you have when the time comes and would contact you about it then. If not, I'll have to remember to ask next time I want to add some more and/or come across a particular coral I want.

I have a 50g with no sump, just an AC 110 for a fuge & a Backpac skimmer.

Pufferpunk wrote:I have a 50g with no sump, just an AC 110 for a fuge & a Backpac skimmer.

I wasn't really worried about a sump/fuge to begin with because of the size of my tank.

Though now it just seems it'd be nice to have to hide equipment. Both the extra water volume and fuge would help in terms of water quality, especially with a puffer and with the corals.

I feel better now that my nitrates are down a good bit farther than what it was but still want them as close to 0 as possible, especially with the corals. Seems like its better because they don't really seem to be rising in between water changes.

Might need to see what I can do about a HOB fuge though, can't hurt.

Yes, corals prefer close to 0. Hence the reason we don't overstock reef tanks or keep high waste-producers with them. Or we can do lots of WC.

Pufferpunk wrote:Yes, corals prefer close to 0. Hence the reason we don't overstock reef tanks or keep high waste-producers with them. Or we can do lots of WC.

That and they may eat the reef

But yeah, I know they do. I also know that SPS need that even more so and have no intention of trying SPS.

I will keep up with weekly water changes, as I am now if thats needed. I think though that once I get them close to 0 that they won't climb quickly. Even so, weekly water changes I can handle, though less would be easier of course. I mean they haven't noticeably rose between these changes I'm doing to bring them down so far.

If it really does become a problem at any point I would definitely do something along the lines of a sump/fuge if I hadn't already to help with any issues of that sort...or maybe even be upgraded by that point.

I definitely knew the puffer was high bioload coming into this (also didn't intend to keep corals but we see how thats worked out) but don't believe I'm overstocked in any sense, I definitely wouldn't try to overstock any tank. Besides liking the looks/coloring of the toby puffers they are also smaller than the GSPs and I figure this will help in terms of bioload as well. Still would like a GSP at some point but not in any rush.

Speaking of the puffer, shes actually awake swimming around now (4am). She seems to get up about this time every morning for some reason, all the other fish sleep; blenny in the rocks, wrasses in the sand, clowns together in their spot... She does go back to sleep though after some time and now sleeps completely vertical up against one spot on a rock.

Another question, I believe I know the answer to, but solandri puffers can not be sexed (at least by any visual cues) right?

I did a search and thats what I gather but I didn't exactly get many results from that search.

Edit: Just wanted to add that the last head on the hammer looks fine from what I was able to see. Still not sure about dipping it or not..hmm

have no intention of trying SPS.

There are many easy, "forgiving" SPS you could keep like Monti cap:


Even the Spongetis (sp? green above the plating Monti) could be easily kept in your tank.

Also Moti danae:
Superman


Sunset


I don't have any Superman (got choked out by zoas) but I have the Sunset. There's also rainbow (choked by crazy-growing zoas), that is very beautiful: http://www.vividaquariums.com/10Expand. ... 02-5101-10.

Pavona coral is easy, too: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pcatid=476

Pufferpunk wrote:

have no intention of trying SPS.

There are many easy, "forgiving" SPS you could keep like Monti cap:


Even the Spongetis (sp? green above the plating Monti) could be easily kept in your tank.

Also Moti danae:
Superman


Sunset


I don't have any Superman (got choked out by zoas) but I have the Sunset. There's also rainbow (choked by crazy-growing zoas), that is very beautiful: http://www.vividaquariums.com/10Expand. ... 02-5101-10.

Pavona coral is easy, too: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pcatid=476

The plating Monti Cap is one I've seen numerous times in many pictures of reef tanks and it is one I like, a lot because of the way it does grow, different I guess.

I know my parameters would need to be in check better (lower nitrates) and I'd like to have more experience overall. Especially with the testing/dosing of mag, cal, and alk that would certainly be needed.

A lot of the SPS looks very nice and there seems to be more brightly colored pieces in SPS. I've seen some pink, don't know what SPS is was, but I absolutely love pink and definitely would love some pink in the tank, other brighter colors as well.

Edit:Since I've got a little free time right now, at work, I'm browsing through some SPS just because. Anyway, first pink I've came across.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pcatid=458
Love the pink.
And this
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pcatid=495

I know nothing about either as I haven't researched SPS. I definitely will thought before/if I were thinking about adding any.

Some of the reasons I planned to shy away from SPS are because they are more sensitive to water quality/parameters and I was worried my lighting may not have been sufficient. Now, with the LEDS, I've got the par readings and should be about to keep SPS mid tank with no problems from the lighting. I'd say by biggest reason from shying away from SPS is because I knew I was putting a puffer in my tank. For whatever reason, I had been thinking the puffer would be more likely to go after SPS. Because of those reasons I hadn't even looked much into SPS but may go ahead and start to read up on SPS, at least on the easier pieces for now. I know I've seen some SPS I've liked the looks of when browsing the different sites I have for making purchases.

Also, the vitamin C came in today. I'll have to go back and look at those dosing instructions now, I skimmed it over but hadn't figured out what to be dosing based on my tank size, etc.

The ones I showed you are not as sensitive as the "colored" sticks. I still have trouble growing those, for the most part. Not that I don't have any--I do have a few that are doing quite well but most I have just given up on keeping... Same with the open brains. Spent thousands on them. My last one is dying now. Done...

Pufferpunk wrote:The ones I showed you are not as sensitive as the "colored" sticks. I still have trouble growing those, for the most part. Not that I don't have any--I do have a few that are doing quite well but most I have just given up on keeping... Same with the open brains. Spent thousands on them. My last one is dying now. Done...

Ah, okay.

When/if I decided to try any SPS I'd definitely start with something simpler, like monti cap, before something along the lines of the links I posted, depending on how the monti cap was doing and all.

Thats the sort of thing I'm afraid of, having spent a ton of money on any particular coral (guess that could be added to the list for keeping SPS) or types of coral and not be able to keep them for whatever reasons. I'm upset just over the hammer, a lot too though because it was one coral that I wanted from the start.

I couldn't imagine having that much money in corals, especially those that didn't make it. After actually buying corals on several occasions I've seen just how fast it can add up, shipping doesn't help, but I've spent at least $500 I'd say.

I remembering you mentioning that about the open brains. What is it thats happening to them? Like a slow decline or something?

I love the open brains, and the ones I have, and I'd hate to see them die.

I really like these as well:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pcatid=460
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pcatid=451

I've seen color variations of the scolys I like better, one I believe is called 'bleeding apple'. Would like that one, it is quite pricey though. Also, I've read on several occasions that the scolys don't do too well in tanks, lasting like a year or so at most.

Edit: In terms of the Monti Cap I do like these colors pretty well
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... catid=2564
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... catid=1469
Green isn't bad either
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... catid=2498

I'm going to need a bigger tank

I've asked a few people I've met who have amazing corals, and none dose with vit.C. It is best to not mess with too much. I've learned this from someone with tons of experience. Sometimes with good intentions, you can end up causing massive death, by trying things that are "recommended". Let your tank get settled. Don't get more corals. Try to find them from established tanks. I have great success with SPS. The only corals I've learned that like "dirtier" water is pulsating Xenia's, which I've got. They are still pulsing, just a bit weaker. I still have 0 nitrates, even though I'm feeding daily. Monti caps are easy, and a good suggestion I have one in a purple color and one red.

Give it time