Cup Coral (Common Name)
Family:
Caryophylliidae / Faviidae
Size: Up to ½ inch maximum size per polup sometimes in small colonies (Personal Observation)
Known Depth Ranges: 1-125 Feet (Personal Observation) Prefer darker areas. No Zooxanthellae
Known Temperature Range: 52-93 F (Known temp range where collected)
Known Current Range: 0-3 knots (Personal Observation)
Known Silt Tolerance: tolerant (From site conditions)
Known Salinity Range: 1.019-1.027 (From tank Conditions)
Transplant Documentation:
50% Success with RBDG transplants in Aquarium setting. Not a species that is normally transplanted.
Propagation Documentation:
Because they are individual corallites, the only way to divide is perfectly in the middle so that two mouths can form. We accomplished this by using a razor blade driven by a small hammer to divide as shown above. Then, you must glue the two side pieces onto a temporary mount using gel super glue (we use coral glue brand). After that, it takes 12 weeks in good tank conditions for the coral to re-grow to it’s original round shape. Do not feed the first week, feed after regularly. Once it has regrown, you can set into a RBDG concrete plug. Don’t try other methods as this species will not re-attach itself to the hard substrate so the cementing in is required.
Other Notes:
This species was done in our research labs mostly out of curiosity to find out if individual corallites could be divided. Not a reef building species so there is not much incentive to propogate this species.
Grows faster when calcium levels are increase in water (tank conditions)
Grows faster when well feed
First Transplanting in Sept. 1999…Research Permit from Florida Marine Fisheries.
4 Transplants by RBDG
50% Deaths to Transplants
50% Deaths to Mother Corals
Last Transplant Sept. 1999