I have known this for some time now but wanted to test my hypothesis. I have checked out some peoples tanks where theyre keeping goniopora successfully, or at least reasonably so.
Let me state that this is in particular relation to the green goniopora species.
First, let us consider the natural history of this species. Green goniopora is frequently found in laggon areas and deltas. These are areas with high water turbidity. These areas are high in dissolved nutrients and organics. The waters in such areas are usually not very clear, visibility in such areas is several meters.
Long ago, in the aquarium hobby (viz. 30yrs ago), many more aquarists had greater success with this species. This is because, at this time, tanks were significantly "dirtier" with nitrates being about 30-60ppm and nitrites at 1-2ppm. Although these days, such values would result in severe and chronic heart disease in many aquarists in the states.
Such values are similar to those in the gonioporas original wild habitat. In nature, such river mouths have nitrate levels of up to 120ppm.
Green goniopora is also used to having widely fluctuating specific gravity and salinity. In indonesian habitats, i would imagine that being towards the end of the year during the north west monsoon season causing lower sg while the dry season brings higher sg. Also, during the day, and week, the amount of water flowing in and out of the river mouth changes sg and dissolved organic levels.
Unfortunately, this means that most american reefers cannot maintain goniopora in a normal community tank. It seems that american reefers strive to get almost undetectable nitrates. My tanks run at 10-15ppm and i consider that miraculously low.
Case study 1:
Dimensions (lxwxh,cm): 180, 60,60
Lighting: 2x250w MH, 4actintic tubes
This is my own tank. I have two real colonies of green goni in this tank. One's 8" skeleton, the other 4". The 8" one regularly throws out babies of about a cm in length (skeleton) close to the mother. One of these colonies grew into the 4" one mentioned. Others traded or sold when they reached 2". Water changes fortnightly, 100l of water changed.
Obviously, this is a reasonably successful setup. It has moderate filtration and relatively turbulent water. Both gonis are placed on a coral gravel sunstrate as in nature and are maintained in 15ppm nitrate water. No supplementary coral feedings conducted, calcium levels at 300ppm. Heavy fish population, and therefore high nitrates. Fish fed daily. These colonies have been in the tank for up to 3years and has only been growing.
Case study 2:
200cm x 60cm x 45cm
3MH bulbs
This tank has two colonies also, both wild caught. One has had significant die off, only 40% of the coral polyps are left. The other is happy and healthy. Die off caused by coral falling from LR. Nitrates in this (also heavily stocked) tank are at 30ppm. Water changes conducted once a month. Unknown quantity changed. No supplementary feeding, but no growth had occured. Again, all gonis now on crushed coral bed, one was on LR but fell off. Note that the goni thats fully 'open' is in an area of very slack flow.
Case study 3:
Wholesalers tank. 60 green gonioporas for sale. Nitrates at 25ppm. Gonis all going very well. No retracted polyps at all. All resting on a glass shelf. Water flow blew polyps in one direction. about 4-6" per second flow.
Conclusion: for success in captivity, gonis seem to want high nitrates, to be in moderate to high flow (but not too high), to have some water flow on a sand bed, and to be left undisturbed (no feedings, no moving etc).
Lesson here? in the states and almost sterile tanks, stay away from green goniopora. Violet, Red and Yellow gonioporas do much better as they are from deeper sand beds away from sources of nutrients.
Please give me feedback on this article. If it was reasonably good, i will do one on elegence corals (catalaphyllia jardinei).
Let me state that this is in particular relation to the green goniopora species.
First, let us consider the natural history of this species. Green goniopora is frequently found in laggon areas and deltas. These are areas with high water turbidity. These areas are high in dissolved nutrients and organics. The waters in such areas are usually not very clear, visibility in such areas is several meters.
Long ago, in the aquarium hobby (viz. 30yrs ago), many more aquarists had greater success with this species. This is because, at this time, tanks were significantly "dirtier" with nitrates being about 30-60ppm and nitrites at 1-2ppm. Although these days, such values would result in severe and chronic heart disease in many aquarists in the states.
Such values are similar to those in the gonioporas original wild habitat. In nature, such river mouths have nitrate levels of up to 120ppm.
Green goniopora is also used to having widely fluctuating specific gravity and salinity. In indonesian habitats, i would imagine that being towards the end of the year during the north west monsoon season causing lower sg while the dry season brings higher sg. Also, during the day, and week, the amount of water flowing in and out of the river mouth changes sg and dissolved organic levels.
Unfortunately, this means that most american reefers cannot maintain goniopora in a normal community tank. It seems that american reefers strive to get almost undetectable nitrates. My tanks run at 10-15ppm and i consider that miraculously low.
Case study 1:
Dimensions (lxwxh,cm): 180, 60,60
Lighting: 2x250w MH, 4actintic tubes
This is my own tank. I have two real colonies of green goni in this tank. One's 8" skeleton, the other 4". The 8" one regularly throws out babies of about a cm in length (skeleton) close to the mother. One of these colonies grew into the 4" one mentioned. Others traded or sold when they reached 2". Water changes fortnightly, 100l of water changed.
Obviously, this is a reasonably successful setup. It has moderate filtration and relatively turbulent water. Both gonis are placed on a coral gravel sunstrate as in nature and are maintained in 15ppm nitrate water. No supplementary coral feedings conducted, calcium levels at 300ppm. Heavy fish population, and therefore high nitrates. Fish fed daily. These colonies have been in the tank for up to 3years and has only been growing.
Case study 2:
200cm x 60cm x 45cm
3MH bulbs
This tank has two colonies also, both wild caught. One has had significant die off, only 40% of the coral polyps are left. The other is happy and healthy. Die off caused by coral falling from LR. Nitrates in this (also heavily stocked) tank are at 30ppm. Water changes conducted once a month. Unknown quantity changed. No supplementary feeding, but no growth had occured. Again, all gonis now on crushed coral bed, one was on LR but fell off. Note that the goni thats fully 'open' is in an area of very slack flow.
Case study 3:
Wholesalers tank. 60 green gonioporas for sale. Nitrates at 25ppm. Gonis all going very well. No retracted polyps at all. All resting on a glass shelf. Water flow blew polyps in one direction. about 4-6" per second flow.
Conclusion: for success in captivity, gonis seem to want high nitrates, to be in moderate to high flow (but not too high), to have some water flow on a sand bed, and to be left undisturbed (no feedings, no moving etc).
Lesson here? in the states and almost sterile tanks, stay away from green goniopora. Violet, Red and Yellow gonioporas do much better as they are from deeper sand beds away from sources of nutrients.
Please give me feedback on this article. If it was reasonably good, i will do one on elegence corals (catalaphyllia jardinei).
