Capnella imbricata (Kenya Tree Coral)

Source: liveaquaria.com

QUICK STATS

• Care Level: Easy
  
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
  
• Lighting: Moderate to High
  
• Waterflow: Medium to Strong
  
• Placement: All
  
• Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
  
• Color Form: Black, Green, Tan
  
• Origin: Indo-Pacific
  
• Family: Nephtheidae
  
• Insert Date: 14 December 2009

The Kenya Tree Coral, also referred to as a Cauliflower Soft Coral, Nephthea, or Nephthya, is similar to the members of both the Litophytonand Nephthea genera. It lives in a wide range of the Indo-Pacific. It has a thick trunk, like a tree, and many branches giving it an arboreal appearance.
It is not normally considered a threat to hard corals, but may itself be disturbed by their presence. The Kenya Tree Coral relies less on the symbiotic algae within it, and depends more on obtaining outside food. Microplankton, marine snow, and dissolved materials should make up the bulk of its diet.

Moved to a different location because we thought he might have problems with the flow of the water. But doesnt seem much different now, still goes and lie down from time to time.


Also made a short movie

Yesterday during cleaning we had a little accident with the Kenya tree. We tried to turn it to clean all sides, but it seemed to have attached itself to the neighboring rock. Unfortunatly we tried a bit to hard, and pulled it off from the rock. It's a bit scarred now and hanging down, it will probably recover itself, but it looks a bit sad now. We will see how it goes, hope for the best.

The Kenya tree seems to have recovered very well, nothing to see of the little accident. After last weekends cleaning I decided to take some new pictures and a new movie.

Not much to report, growing good and no damage from the removal some time ago.

Poor Kenya tree had another incident. During the cleaning it got stuck in the hose. Doesnt seem to be any damage though.

Not much going on

Not much to report, just a picture

The Kenya tree is also doing fine, he is going to be hard to get out though. It has attached itself to the rock behind it. So I’m afraid that we have to be very careful when getting it out, not to damage it.

The Kenya tree will move up a little bit. I want to put it on one of the tables to make sure it has a little bit more light. I think it will do good.

The Kenya Tree is also doing fine, most of it is attached to the big rock it seems, so he will be difficult to remove…we will see how it goes, not the first time he would be damaged if he gets damaged.

Seemed it had attached itself very well to the big rock. Could remove it without damaging the Kenya Tree. Hardest part was to remove the Sea Pearls next to it and make sure no spores survived without pooring boiling water over the Kenya Tree.
Think I will try to remove the small rock when we put everything back in, just going to check what this could result in/do to the Kenya tree itself

The Kenya tree has had a big blow from it all, and looks pretty sad now. Going to leave it be for a while and hope it recovers.

The Kenya tree is still looking a bit sad, but he has a little more body now it seems. I’m going to cut the original rock loose today or tomorrow, it was hanging more loosely every day so to keep it from falling on the Tube Worm I put it on the rock, but it looks rather sad this way.

I cut loose the small rock which the Kenya Tree originally came with. It was starting to shift and looked like it stretched up the Kenya Tree. Hopefully this helps with the recovery, at least now he can get peace. The small rock is still in the aquarium, since it still had a piece of the Kenya Tree on it. I hope another one grows from this part…who knows.

The Kenya tree is still looking rather sad. But we are not going to remove it. Still hope it will recover, and if not then its food for the other life in the aquarium.

The Kenya tree seems to be recovering, slowly it is moved towards the light again and some small extensions can be seen again. Going to keep a close watch on its progress.

The Kenya tree is still doing nice, although some weird invisible bubble has appeared on it. Like it has inflated itself or something. No idea what it is…hope to find out.

On one of the forums I'm on I got a reply from someone saying that this could be because it was multiplying or dividing itself. Best was to twist it off myself to keep it from attaching somewhere else, because when it would detach it would float across the aquarium and land somewhere I might not want it.

Hij gaat afzetten - vermeerderen, ofwel zichzelf stekken.
Als je niet wil dat de "stek" zich gaat hechten op een plek waar je hem liever niet wil hebben, en meestal is dat zo want hij zweeft straks de hele bak door, dan kun je hem er gewoon vanaf draaien en ergens planten waar je hem hebben wil.

The Kenya Tree is still recovering very slowly.

Still expending, no sign of it releasing a part that would float. New branches are appearing, but don't think it will release them. Also it's not swollen anymore.