Feeding corals and invertabraes and clams.
- Thread starter btrs
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eric b 125
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It all depends on what corals, inverts, and clams.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTRS http:///t/395595/feeding-corals-and-invertabraes-and-clams#post_3522369
How do you feed corals and invertabraes and clams?
Most soft corals that beginners like, and fan worms, clams, oysters and such feed on the stuff in the water as filter feeders. You purchase some liquid coral food (use sparingly, because what feeds the corals also feed the algae if you overdo it) You can also release the food just behind the coral, or invert, and let the water flow take it over the coral...don't squirt food directly on the coral or invert, it will think it's under attack and close up, they only feed when they are open.
Anyway you dump a cap full in the water, depending on the size tank (skimmer off) and let the critters draw it from the water..it takes as a rule a full day for them to feed. A skimmer will draw it out of the water, removing organic matter is what it's job is, and keeping it running just wastes your food. so I always turned off my skimmer for the day. I fed my corals about once a week max.
Some inverts like the anemone, needs some small chunks of food such a raw shrimp...some corals as well. Just put the chunk of food over the mouth, and the critter will close around it and feed.
Originally Posted by BTRS http:///t/395595/feeding-corals-and-invertabraes-and-clams#post_3522369
How do you feed corals and invertabraes and clams?
Most soft corals that beginners like, and fan worms, clams, oysters and such feed on the stuff in the water as filter feeders. You purchase some liquid coral food (use sparingly, because what feeds the corals also feed the algae if you overdo it) You can also release the food just behind the coral, or invert, and let the water flow take it over the coral...don't squirt food directly on the coral or invert, it will think it's under attack and close up, they only feed when they are open.
Anyway you dump a cap full in the water, depending on the size tank (skimmer off) and let the critters draw it from the water..it takes as a rule a full day for them to feed. A skimmer will draw it out of the water, removing organic matter is what it's job is, and keeping it running just wastes your food. so I always turned off my skimmer for the day. I fed my corals about once a week max.
Some inverts like the anemone, needs some small chunks of food such a raw shrimp...some corals as well. Just put the chunk of food over the mouth, and the critter will close around it and feed.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTRS http:///t/395595/feeding-corals-and-invertabraes-and-clams#post_3522390
Invertabraes feed on meat? Can you feed them live brine shrimp or seaweed or something? I also once saw someone feeding a coral krill. Is that okay.? What do corals eat in the wild?
LOL...Anemones (invert) will eat your fish, and what they don't eat, they sting to death. They are popular because they are so very beautiful. What they do is called opportunist feeding. They just sit there attached to a rock, and wait for the food to come to them. Little beefy morsels that float by is how they eat in the wild. The wave is the life of the ocean, and your SW tank. The current brings food for everyone. krill is another tiny tidbit...whales just swim through the water and feed on it.
Brine shrimp is like candy... Not very nutritious, unless you are growing your own food and the yoke sac is still attached. You can also soak it in something to make it good and nutritious (PM Saxman) Mysis shrimp, ghost shrimp, sliders and small chunks of raw SW fish, or shrimp they sell in grocery stores...is much better for your Meat eating critters. You can even purchase squid and octopus to chop up, and make some tasty fish food for your critters.
The algae eaters such as tangs would be very happy with the "something" Nori sheets...it's just algae on a sheet. They would eat seaweed as well. Not all fish eat the same thing. Some will eat your snails and crabs, some will eat the algae and some will sift the sand for food and keep it looking white. We get the fish not only for how they look, but their natural roll in ocean life. We also avoid those that will disrupt the fish tank...you can't keep a non-reef safe fish with your corals... EXAMPLES: A lawnmower blenny eats algae, a peppermint shrimp will eat aptasia (a pest anemone that stings)...cleaner shrimp will pick parasites out of the fish's gills. Every fish, and critter in the ocean from the giant whale, to the tiny rotifer, has a role to play.
Originally Posted by BTRS http:///t/395595/feeding-corals-and-invertabraes-and-clams#post_3522390
Invertabraes feed on meat? Can you feed them live brine shrimp or seaweed or something? I also once saw someone feeding a coral krill. Is that okay.? What do corals eat in the wild?
LOL...Anemones (invert) will eat your fish, and what they don't eat, they sting to death. They are popular because they are so very beautiful. What they do is called opportunist feeding. They just sit there attached to a rock, and wait for the food to come to them. Little beefy morsels that float by is how they eat in the wild. The wave is the life of the ocean, and your SW tank. The current brings food for everyone. krill is another tiny tidbit...whales just swim through the water and feed on it.
Brine shrimp is like candy... Not very nutritious, unless you are growing your own food and the yoke sac is still attached. You can also soak it in something to make it good and nutritious (PM Saxman) Mysis shrimp, ghost shrimp, sliders and small chunks of raw SW fish, or shrimp they sell in grocery stores...is much better for your Meat eating critters. You can even purchase squid and octopus to chop up, and make some tasty fish food for your critters.
The algae eaters such as tangs would be very happy with the "something" Nori sheets...it's just algae on a sheet. They would eat seaweed as well. Not all fish eat the same thing. Some will eat your snails and crabs, some will eat the algae and some will sift the sand for food and keep it looking white. We get the fish not only for how they look, but their natural roll in ocean life. We also avoid those that will disrupt the fish tank...you can't keep a non-reef safe fish with your corals... EXAMPLES: A lawnmower blenny eats algae, a peppermint shrimp will eat aptasia (a pest anemone that stings)...cleaner shrimp will pick parasites out of the fish's gills. Every fish, and critter in the ocean from the giant whale, to the tiny rotifer, has a role to play.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTRS http:///t/395595/feeding-corals-and-invertabraes-and-clams#post_3522414
Whats pm saxman? How do you know what each fish species eats? I would like to feed my fish only natrul, no pellets or flakes. Is this a wise choice?
LOL...sorry, sometimes I forget you are so new to the site.
Saxman is one of the members...I consider him one of the professors because he knows so much...we have quite a few of them here. PM = private message. You go to the "search forums, articles, reviews and more!" at the top of this page, and type in "SAXMAN" click on his name, you can select PM and shoot him a message with your question, he will answer when he logs on...he hasn't been around yet today that I know of.
Natural food is no doubt better for your fish, but it's time consuming. I never liked pellets or flakes, I always fed my fish frozen foods. I have seahorses now, and all they eat are frozen Mysis shrimp. I do seed the tank with amphipods (little sea bugs) the horses like to hunt them down for snacks.
As for what each species eats...do yourself a favor and get this book.
Here is a page so you can see the info (theses folks should pay me for all the free advertising I do for them.) I do not advise to feed them 3Xs a day...fish graze on the live rock, and eat the little sea-bugs off of them, the book assumes you have a sterile tank with nothing to eat but what you feed them. That's my best guess as to why feed them 3xs a day. Once a day is plenty.
Some folks only feed twice a week, but that stunts their growth. They are afraid of algae problems...with the regular water changes, and the right CUC (Clean up crew) algae is not a problem.
Originally Posted by BTRS http:///t/395595/feeding-corals-and-invertabraes-and-clams#post_3522414
Whats pm saxman? How do you know what each fish species eats? I would like to feed my fish only natrul, no pellets or flakes. Is this a wise choice?
LOL...sorry, sometimes I forget you are so new to the site.
Saxman is one of the members...I consider him one of the professors because he knows so much...we have quite a few of them here. PM = private message. You go to the "search forums, articles, reviews and more!" at the top of this page, and type in "SAXMAN" click on his name, you can select PM and shoot him a message with your question, he will answer when he logs on...he hasn't been around yet today that I know of.
Natural food is no doubt better for your fish, but it's time consuming. I never liked pellets or flakes, I always fed my fish frozen foods. I have seahorses now, and all they eat are frozen Mysis shrimp. I do seed the tank with amphipods (little sea bugs) the horses like to hunt them down for snacks.
As for what each species eats...do yourself a favor and get this book.
Here is a page so you can see the info (theses folks should pay me for all the free advertising I do for them.) I do not advise to feed them 3Xs a day...fish graze on the live rock, and eat the little sea-bugs off of them, the book assumes you have a sterile tank with nothing to eat but what you feed them. That's my best guess as to why feed them 3xs a day. Once a day is plenty.
Some folks only feed twice a week, but that stunts their growth. They are afraid of algae problems...with the regular water changes, and the right CUC (Clean up crew) algae is not a problem.