Scolymia Button Corals: The Alien Coral
- Dec 06, 2021
- Anshika Mishra
- 251 0 0
In this article, we are going to cover one of the most expensive corals in the market, the Scolymia Button Corals.
Beautiful Coral
One thing you will see right away is that these corals come in some very striking colors and exotic patterns, complete with trade names such as the bleeding Apple or the war paint Scully. Scolymia is a very close relative of Kfalliya. For years, Acanthophyllia were exported as Scolymia.
The two corals are perhaps more similar than they are different in that they have the same shape care for requirements.
They both prefer low to medium lighting, and they do better in areas where they are not exposed to strong current. So perhaps the most important thing you can do for these corals is feed them.
Feeding
They are one of the easiest corals to feed is the slightest hint of food in the water triggers a dramatic feeding behavior where they quickly extend their tentacles and accept food. You will see these tentacles coming out in time-lapse. In real-time, you would not be able to see how the coral redistributes the water in its body from the outside rim to inflate the tentacles closer to the mouth.
Looking at them, you will marvel at how different corals are from what we typically see on a daily basis on land.
Placement
The question of the day is, if you have a Scolymia in the tank, where do you place it? A problem you might run into with these corals is that they look great by themselves, but for some reason, they don't aesthetically blend in with the rest of the tank.
So, they tend to sit at the bottom all along. Let us know in the comments, or better yet, attach a video response showing it in your tank.
Why are These Corals Expensive?
As mentioned earlier, these corals tend to be on the expensive end as far as corals go. Now, there are a couple of reasons for this:
They are popular. Anytime you get a situation where a coral is very popular, it is going to drive the prices up.
- These corals are not that rare in the wild. However, it is the high demand for them that keeps them pricey because there are plenty of corals coming from the same water that are far or less common and sell for quite a bit less.
- They really can't be propagated at this time. Proporaged corals over time. Lower prices have to become more abundant in the marketplace. That is yet another reason why propagation is a great thing.
It is possible to use a band saw and cut one in half, but you have to immediate problems because skully's do not tend to heal as well as some other large polyps stony corals. So, you might end up losing one or both halves of the coral. Also, it takes a very long time for this coral to retain its round shape. It may end up taking years.
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