Blastomussa-COTM March '09

Blastomussa

LPS Coral
Origin: Indo pacific[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] - Islands of the Indopacific including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.[/FONT]
Common names: Blastomussa
Scientific name: Blastomussa
My particular blasto (shown above) has no definite ID so, a scientific name is impossible. There are more common species available in the trade, such as, blastomussa merleti, blastomussa wellsi. They come in a vast array of colors, so, this thread will speak in a general sense. Here is an example of color variety.
blastomussa - Google Image Search
Temperment: Mine has exhibited low to no aggressiveness. Even under fire from the zoanthids pictured above. It has since been moved.
Water quality: As with most of our inhabitants preferrably these parameters listed. Keep Ca and alk at recommended levels for skeletal growth.
Reef parameters and recommended/desired levels.
Salinity/specific gravity-1.025ppm or 35ppt
temp.-78-82
PH-8.1-8.3
Ammonia/NH3-0
Nitrite/NO2-0
Nitrate/NO3-0
Phosphate/PO4-0
Magnesium/Mg-1400-1500ppm
Alk/dKH/KH-7-14.
Calcium/Ca-380-500ppm
Hardiness: Medium. Advanced novice-->Experienced. Mine has faired well through a couple of bad times. An overall water quality should be kept and will ensure hardiness when thosebad times hit. I cannot attest to how this coral will do under elevated nitrate levels. And/or nitrate levels that are higher than desired @ 20-50 ppm. Mine has recently been stung by my galaxea and is recovering nicely.
Current: Low/moderate. The flesh is soft and can be torn easily.
Feeding requirements: Zooxanthellae(see lighting). These are photosynthetic eaters. Although, they have mouths and will accept meaty foods. Mine get supplemental feedings maybe 5 times a year. Besides all of the other random scraps it may get lucky enough to catch.
Lighting: Mod to high lighting. Although I would imagine that it can do OK with lower lighting because of its origin.
Frag difficulty:Moderately Difficult. I have never fragged mine. By looking at it. The coral can be closed and the skeleton can be cut to individual polyps. A dremel would be a good cutting tool.
Personal observations: It has been a slow/steady grow to win the race. If I walk by the tank and see it closed, I do a quick checklist and make sure it wasn't just a hermit crab. Through my lighting woes the last couple of months it has changed coloration slightly. I have had this coral over a year and would be pretty bummed if anything happened to it.



Got blasto???????????????? Lets see 'em.

 

Got a pic?

 

Copy/paste the IMG thumbnail.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/faq.php

 

What does a wellsi go for in Rome?

 

My new one.;D