coral of the week { Merulina}

[shred5]

week #11 coral of the week {merulina}. This coral is pictured on page 117 of the book Corals a quick reference guide by Julian Sprung. There are two species that are normally kept in the hobby m. ampliata and m. scabricula.

Every week I will post a new coral and I want you to post everything you know about this particular coral. Everything from common names, how hardy they are, water temp, water flow, lighting, water parameters, fraging, spawning, related corals, scientific names, feeding, best ways to ship, etc. Post your pictures for identification. Please tell us about your system so others can duplicate your success. Also email me for request on which corals you would like to see in this section.

Dave

 

[SueT]

I have a piece of the merulina scabricula in my 180 gal. I got this coral Sept. 28th in a lfs. I saw it right after they had gotten it in. It was a brilliant flourescent green. I had never had this or seen merulina before and wanted to wait and read up and see what it would do in the lfs's tanks. I waited about 2-3 weeks and the color had somewhat faded but the color has come back and it has all of a sudden taken off in growth. This coral is very, very delicate in that it will break so easily. It has a beautiful shape and I really find this coral growing on me. {so to speak} This coral is in between 2 of the 3 250w 65k iwasaki's and 2 160w 6' vho actinics. It's awesome under the actinics only.

check out my website:
http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html
http://www.marshreef.org/members

 

[shred5]

I think a lot of people who have this coral donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t realize they have it. When I was in Minneapolis for the Dr. Ron Shimek seminar, Niven pointed it out to me in several tanks on the tour. I took some pictures but I could not find it in any of the pictures. So here are some links to help people identify it and give some info.
I think some people think it is hydnophora which it resembles.


http://www.animalatlas.com/encyclo/reef/sm_stony/merulina.htm

http://www.globaldialog.com/~jrice/coral_page/merulina.htm

http://www.coralreefecosystems.com/images/ruffled_coral.jpg

dave



[Edited by shred5 on 02-08-2001 at 09:35 AM]

 

[SueT]

Dave, I think you're right. The first time I saw mine in the lfs, I wasn't sure of the species and asked what it was. Then like I said I went home and read up on them and got it a couple of weeks later. It has so grown on me and now I love it. Also I have not seen any come in to any of the lfs's here in Houston since. Wish I had a pic of mine for you.

check out my sps tank:
http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html
http://www.marshreef.org/members

 

[Goby1Knoby]

Hi Dave & Sue.

Yup, I have M.Scabricula in my tank and think it is a beautifull coral with its delicate ruffled plating growth.

Got it in Jan.2000

In the last 5 months it has exploded into growth and coloured up beautifully. ( Due to a stabilised DKH, on connecting new Calc.Reactor.)

I keep mine in a 6 foot tank under 3 250w BLV M/H's 10000k.
& 1 140W Flour. 4 foot HO Actinic Tube.

About midway up tank in a moderate current.

At night on inspection it extends moderately long sweeper tentacles.

Have never observed it taking food directly. As Sue says it is extremely delicate and easily broken.

Hence it is easy to frag and I have done so a few times with success, mounting the broken frag in epoxy onto LR.

Colour is a flourescent light grren with a cream coloured leading growth edge. ( Suspect a pink tinge would come about with stronger illumination as I have previously read ).

I have found it to be quite hardy and relatively easy to keep.

Pic below.

Purple hue is due to incorrect camera setting, NOT just Actinics on, camera setting on Auto, as have only just bought camera and will need about a year to read all instructions to get settings correct )

Picture taken with full lighting on and does not do justice to the real green colour of this fantastic coral.

Thanks


Brian.

[Edited by Goby1Knoby on 02-10-2001 at 06:34 AM]

 

[shred5]

Brian that is an awsum peice. To bad you dont live just a little closer to me I would really like a frag of that. I can see how that can be confused with a montipora confusa. The peice you have looks like it might be Merulina scabricula. Most of the Merulina speicies I see in the states are m. ampliata.

Dave

 

[Fredfish]

Brian. Very nice piece!!

I got a frag at a coral frag workshop 2 years ago. Until this april, it had been under NO fluorescents. It survived quite nicely under the NOs and grew at a glacial pace.

I love the strong fluorescent green color of this coral.

Fred.

 

[Goby1Knoby]

Hi

Thanks. Real pity re: frags.

I have 2 frags in main tank at present along with a few Acro frags with no place to put them.

Problem is there aint really anyone here to trade / give them to.


If youre ever over this way !!!!


Cheers

Brian.

 

[bcobra]

I have two pieces one in my 40gal the other in my 120.The one in the 40 is cream colored with a hint of green on some of the ridges it is a rather flat piece. The one that's in the 120 has more of a look of the previous photos.I have had the cream piece for about 5 months it has shown very good growth it is mid way up and sits about 10 inches away from the single 250watt 65k. The green piece in the 120 I have had for a couple of months now very little growth as of yet. It is mid way up also and sits under a 250 65k also. Both pieces send out sweepers at night. Will try to post a pic. of the green piece.Photo is second picture in 120 up date
album.

http://community.webshots.com/user/bcobra44

bcobra

[Edited by bcobra on 02-12-2001 at 11:47 PM]