sun coral question....
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They aren't photosynthetic so if they got no light they would be perfectly fine. They need to be target feed at least 2 times a week.
You could cut a 2 liter coke bottle in half to surround so there is no competition for the mysis from fish, shrimp, and flow. That is how i fed mine a few years back, I kept it alive and healthy for about 6 months but the water changes I was doing was rediculous to keep the 'trates down and I ended up getting rid of the piece.
use a small syringe with mysis/brine and just squirt a little in each polyp.. they'll close up immediately and be ready to eat again in 7-8 minutes...
To get them to open during the day -
train them by using the same dropper noted above to squirt a cloud of cyclops around them.. they'll sense the cyclops and open up(within 5-10 minutes) When they open, feed them using the method above....
do it every day, same time, for a week and they'll just start to open at that time, ready for their food...
Phyto will do them no good. They need meaty food. They will only eat when open, so you have to feed them at night (or when they are open). They are best fed with all flow removed so they can grab the food without it being washed away. Of course, you end up chasing your fish/crabs/shrimp away from them in doing this.
Welcome to the world of sun corals! They're beautiful & you pay for it in a bit of time for feeding
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If the tenticles were out id use forceps and feed each head a piece of mysis, if the tenticles aren't out id put a pellet on each head. Just me though, like feeding my corals
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I disagree a bit. Spilling light onto a sun coral may cause harm. It can promote algae growth on the polyps and bodies. Also, I find it hard to believe that the polyps themselves dont have some photo receptors (that tell them to NOT open during the day). I feel that blasting them with unnatural light will impair them. Otherwise, wouldnt they be found all over the reef in nature too? Rather than just in the dark caverns and underpasses?
My understanding of why they aren't found on areas of the reef that get a lot of light is they do not spread or grow as quickly as many other light loving corals. It is correct that the light can make algae grow on the coral (we have a little on ours as ours is up on the frag rack and doing quite well there).
We have found the best way of getting them to open is to thaw a cube in a small glass with a little tank water. As the cube begins to thaw we pour just a tiny bit in the area of the sun coral and then return a few minutes later and they will be open and can be fed normally. Once open we target feed with a small syringe. We also have Dendros and Duncans and normally feed the same way.
We have found the best way of getting them to open is to thaw a cube in a small glass with a little tank water. As the cube begins to thaw we pour just a tiny bit in the area of the sun coral and then return a few minutes later and they will be open and can be fed normally. Once open we target feed with a small syringe. We also have Dendros and Duncans and normally feed the same way.
Rbredding;619834 wrote: use a small syringe with mysis/brine and just squirt a little in each polyp.. they'll close up immediately and be ready to eat again in 7-8 minutes...
To get them to open during the day -
train them by using the same dropper noted above to squirt a cloud of cyclops around them.. they'll sense the cyclops and open up(within 5-10 minutes) When they open, feed them using the method above....
do it every day, same time, for a week and they'll just start to open at that time, ready for their food...
:unsure:
...and for the record.. EVERY respectable source that discusses sun polyps says to keep them out of direct light..
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Hmmmm, I dont know. Anyone who has had a reproducing sun coral knows that once they start, you find sun coral polyps everywhere. I find it kinda hard to believe that they would settle there otherwise. Besides, the cryptic areas are just as densely by sponges, tunicates, non photosynthetics, etc. But, I am speculating.
If it were me, I would strive to not have it in light. Just my preference.
Thanks for all the tips everyone. It seems I should move it to a shaded place just in case.
I will pick up a smaller syringe as soon as I can. Does anyone have any good places to find small syringes? I assume some type of pharmacy?
Also, I have this stuff called Instant Baby Brine shrimp. Would this work in the same way that cyclopes works to help get them to open, and then use the small syringe for mysis?
I will pick up a smaller syringe as soon as I can. Does anyone have any good places to find small syringes? I assume some type of pharmacy?
Also, I have this stuff called Instant Baby Brine shrimp. Would this work in the same way that cyclopes works to help get them to open, and then use the small syringe for mysis?
