USAfishbox.com Donor Program -Please Read

USAfishbox.com Donor Program

Introduction
The donor program is open to ALL USAfishbox.com members that provide frags or cultures of corals, nems or live foods for propagation (growing) within their home aquarium, or in the case of cultures suitable environment. This program is made possible by the USAfishbox.com forum members and the admin thereof whom without them we would not even have a place to come together let alone have this program. The goals of this program are simple; it is to encourage education, responsible reef keeping, and sound husbandry through aqua culturing.

Explanation
At times a member may find that he or she has a coral, nem, or other that grows particularly well in their tanks, these items form the basis of this program. The concept is that these corals will do equally well in other members aquariums as long as they provide the necessary care and meet the conditions for which the item to thrive providing optimal growing conditions. The original donator then makes frags or cultures and distributes them to other members wanting to try and raise the item. Then the persons receiving the corals, nems, or cultures and nurture them so that they also grow. Then once the coral, nem or culture reach an adequate size the person then takes a frag or culture (without harm to the mother coral colony or culture) it is then divided and a new frag is place into the program. This process is then repeated. The person who posts the original frag is noted as the original donator people receiving the frags (or cultures) are noted as sponsors. If you wish to get in on the waiting list for something simply respond to the topic stating you want to be put in line and as a frag becomes available it will be offered in order of listing (top first bottom last). The donor program mod, original donator, or admin will then update the original post to to reflect this information by putting you in the sponsor waiting category for that coral or culture. Once the frag is available and you have it you will go into the sponsors –returned section, this indicates that you received a frag but it has not yet grown sufficiently for you to return a frag. Once the coral is large enough and you return a frag you will be moved to the sponsor returned 1+ frag list. The obligation is that you return 2 or more frags or cultures to ensure enough stock to cover loses (this is a learning program after all). Also encouraged is a progress report on the growth of the frag or culture (this way if help is needed then advise can be given) Once the member returns at least 2 frags they can then freely do whatever they wish with their donor donor coral or culture. If you receive a frag or culture that dies report it to the original donor so they can update the info on the original post and at which time that sponsor can request going back onto the list to try again going in line as a new sponsor waiting. No sponsor may have more than 5 frags or cultures this is to ensure there are enough to go around to everyone. If all of the sponsor frags die then it will be noted in the original post.

Eligibility

ALL USAfishbox members are eligible to participate
Must be able to provide care for the frag or culture.
Must not have more than 5 incomplete donor frags
Must be able to provide correct conditions for it to grow
Must report on the growth of the frag or culture

Standards
Are in place to make sure everyone participating has an equal chance at growth a Minimum frag, pollyp culture size of 1” for frags (or AT LEAST) the size of a dime showing good growth and is healthy. A nem frag of NO less than 3” will be permitted (reasons for this are due to varying flow and placement in tanks as well as nem movement making smaller ones harder to feed meaty foods to promote healthy growth because of mouth size). All should be healthy with no visible deterioration. Packaged securely using double bags if necessary or bringing your own container with watertight lid at time of pick up.

Anemones (bubble tip, long tentacle, sebase, etc)
1 nem at least 3” in diameter (this is to ensure best possible survival, ease of feeding, and not losing it due to power heads, filters, or plumbing)

Corallimorphs
ALL (mushrooms, ricordea, etc)
1 polyp per frag with polyp being at least ½” having more than one polyp is a nice gesture but 1 will suffice
Zoanthidae
ALL (zoanthids, yellow polyps, button polyps, etc)
5+ polyps with unlimited size (this will give sponsors a nice size without taking to much from the mother colony)

Soft corals
Encrusting (star polyps, pipe organ, etc)
1” x 1” with unlimited number of polyps (polyp size varies so number of polyps is because of this)
Branching (Kenya tree, colt, finger leather, etc)
2” tall with unlimited number of polyps
Columnar (xenia, toadstool, etc)
1” x 1” at largest point and at least 2” tall ( largest part whether it be the cap or base will be so to make sure it is adequate size while the height will ensure the farg is growing and healthy)

Large Polyp Stoney (LPS)
Hemispherical (acan, gonipora, plerogyra, etc)
2” x 2” with unlimited amount of polyps OR 4 polyps with an unlimited size (small polyp frags must be 2” x 2” while frags with larger pollyps (such as acan) can be 4 polyp frags
Branching (hammer, frogspawn, candy cane, etc)
1+ full head (minimum of 1 full head is required but you can donate 2 or more heads if you like to be generous to the sponsor)
Columnar (branching galaxia, branching tubastrea, etc.)
2” tall piece with unlimited number of polyps.
Ridge or plate (fox coral, plate coral, open brain, etc)
2” x 2” piece with unlimited number of polyps

Small Polyp Stoney (sps)
Branching and columnar (acropora, montipora, hydnophora, etc)
1” tall with unlimited number of polyps (can also have branches as lon as the main stalk is at least 1” in height)
Plating and tabling (acropora, montipora, agaricia, etc)
1” x 3” at bare minimum 1” x 12” at maximum (I know strand sizes but considering these are plating type a little wider for a stable base would be preferred IMHO)
Encrusting (montipora, hydnophora, porites, etc.)
A 1” x 1” piece with number of polyps and unlimited height

Starter Cultures
This section can also be used post freshwater plants and cultures if you have some you want to donate.
Micro plankton (rotifers, artemia, small “pods”, ciliates, etc.) (Also including other live fish foods like mysis, brine, etc in this category))
10 fluid ounces or 10+ live adult individuals (enough to unsure a good start culture with spare in case of a culture crash)

Micro algae (nannochloropsis, tetraselmis, pavlova, etc)
10 fluid ounces (enough to unsure a good start culture with spare in case of a culture crash)

Macro algae (chaetomorpha, caulerpa, gracilia, etc)
1 quart sized bag (bag does NOT need to be stuffed full but enough to fill it apropriately)

Plants (shaving brush, mangroves, etc)
Unlimited size and amount but must have leaves and roots sufficient for growing and planting

Inverts (snails, starfish, large pods, etc. Does not include anemones as they are in their own category for our donor program.)
5+ live adult individuals (by having 5+ individuals it creates a better chance of having at least 1 male and 1 female in the group)