First SPS Experience
 

I figured we could all talk about our first SPS coral experience here be it a good or bad one.


Here is mine. Well after originally thinking I would never do a reef aquarium, only fish, I moved into reef aquariums. Later SPS became an idea in my head so upon arriving at the local fish store I asked about SPS corals and the guy said "Who would want those, they are all brown?" Yes a store owner said this. Well months later and after changing store locations with a tank that was used for live rock them mangroves and another time, this tank was used for his large order of wild SPS corals. All running $60. Well I bought one a just a few days later, RTN. Rapid Tissue Necrosis, white band disease specifically, strips of flesh tear away from the inside and dont start from the tips. Well I was mad and before I knew it the whole tank he had had this happen so he got what he deserved for selling crappy corals. And he lost a lot. He is just always trying to make a buck. So now I really only by frags. Well that is my story, just when you start with SPS corals, start slow, buy ONE.

A few years ago I had purchased a couple of SPS frags from a local coral farmer. One was a bird's nest and the other a pavona frag. I trimmed back my forest of xenia, at the time, to make room for them. The frags grew pretty good for a few months before the bird's nest died. The pavona, a great beginner SPS, proved to be very hardy and continued to grow as I learned to provide better care and conditions for keeping higher demand corals.

I agree that people that are new to SPS should start slow, and with frags instead of colonies to limit or reduce the chance of loss. Failure should be a learning experience on the road to success in this hobby. Keeping and growing SPS corals is very rewarding and requires a higher level of patience and commitment than I realized when first starting out.

So far I only have one Acro frag. It is still alive and will soon VERY SOON have better light. Hopefully then it will start to grow out.

SPS is much more demanding....