Feeding Trachyphyllia?

[cr500_af]

I purchased a nice trachy at Marine Fish during the sale.... it seems to be doing fine, but I have noticed a change in its eating habits.

At their advice, I've been feeding it a small piece of silverside. (I usually split one when I feed my RBTA, about 75% for the nem and the small piece for the brain). This is 2-3 times per week.

I have noticed the last couple of times, it has not only not eaten it, but it actively moves the food off of its body and "dumps" it off the side. During my daily pellet feeding, I try to make sure at least one or two get on it so it can eat them; it moves them away also.

So my questions are:
Were the feeding instructions I got adequate?
Is it possible that it is filter feeding enough to keep it happy? When I feed frozen, I usually squirt a little at each coral, but it's impossible to say how much, if any, it's taking in.
What would be the signs of it being in trouble? If I need to take action, any recommendations?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[jesspete]

Is it helpful if I say dunno? I feed mine maybe once a week. They're soooo slow, I have to put a two liter over it for it to have a chance.

 

[cr500_af]

I'm going to start putting a plastic basket over it, but truthfully nothing steals food off of it, except once in a while the flame angel with nab a pellet. I always stay at the tank until it's in the mouth just to make sure.

 

[cr500_af]

Also maybe relevant, it keeps its mouth slightly open maybe half the time. Pic of problem child:

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[tgray3]

I have a plate that does this, I've had him about 18 months. There are weeks that it will eat anything it can get its tentacles on and for long stretches he will actively reject anything i try to feed him. As long as he inflates and shows no tissue necrosis or bleaching i leave him be.

 

[cr500_af]

Thanks Tom. That makes me feel better!

 

[elfloyd]

See... you posted, and received a response! Now that wasn't so bad!

 

[cr500_af]

elFloyd;350588 wrote: See... you posted, and received a response! Now that wasn't so bad!

Yeah, but only after...

I was mostly referring to the ongoing debate about dipping and QTing corals, and a couple of weeks ago I posted a thread asking about how to do exactly that and got no info.

I'm only kidding about taking it personally, of course... but I'm still amazed at how a reef-help question gets no attention but threads about cellphones, cars and peeing contests go for pages and pages. :shout:

 

[dough]

I've got three in my tank one over 4 years old. I've never have fed them directly. They tend to feed at night after lights out so I dump Reef Chili or other foods in after lights out every once in awhile. I would suspect yours is only going to eat when hungry and that is why it's not accepting the food. You may want to try only once a week or only several times a month after lights out. If you have plenty of fish and feed the fish I would suspect the trachy will be okay even w/o hand feeding.

According to my reference books small pieces of shrimp is recommended but feeding
not mandatory.

Hope that helps. Trachys are one of my favorite corals.

 

[dannybradley]

A silverside seems a bit complex to be feeding to something as simple as a trachyphyllia. I always used mysis and small krill with great results.

I should also note, I've have great success without feeding also.

 

[cr500_af]

Thanks Doug and Danny... that's great info. The only reference book I have suggests target feeding, but there was no mention of WHAT to feed. I'll try switching to a baster with whatever the frozen food du jour is in it. Since I kill all the flow during feeding that should get some food in it. I'll also reduce the frequency of feeding.

Thanks again.

 

[dough]

Yep, I would reduce the feeds or probably just feed the "Frozen Food du jour" and not even target feed the trachy. My book say mysis or shrimp.

What's neat is about an hour after lights out, take a flash out and look at the trachy. You should see the circle of oral tenticles extended out. I think it's a pretty awesome sight.

Also, I don't know your lighting set-up but mine are now are under higher "T5" PAR since my reset and at times they seem to really expand during the day. Much more now then when I had them under lower light conditions. Habitat for these corals are shallow sand or mudflats, so they will take a variety of lighting conditions.

 

[dough]

Of course my single clown fish now host in them since I took out my mushrooms.

 

[cr500_af]

Danny, FWIW this coral is on the sand in a 90g (24" deep) under 4x54w T5 lighting. I plan to move to a 6-bulb fixture but that will be a little later.