Feeding Polyps

[justinl]

I recently noticed that all of my Yellow Polyps are shriveling up. I also have what appear to be white button polyps (they are white with a purple base and look like button polyps) which are falling off of the rock onto the sand where they continue to live. The Yellow Polyps that were on the same rock have all but disappeared.
My brown button polyps are doing great as well as my daisy polyps and green stars.
I have 245 Watts in a 30 gallon tank (2 actinics, 1 50/50, and a 10000k).
All readings are normal. There are no fish in the tank. I have one emerald crab and one scarlet reef hermit (which were added after I noticed this happening) and a red legged hermit with a cleaner shrimp. I also have 3 anemones which are doing well.
Do I need to feed them? I was under the impression that with good lighting and water they would live off the algae inside them.

 

[jagster]

Yes, you have to feed them. Most corals not only need adequate light and good water quality, they also require food - and actually quite a bit. If you get the chance, buy or borrow the book Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman. He is much more thorough, but to summarize, he contends most people make the same mistake - not adequately feeding corals, assuming they only need light. He recommends feeding often. There is the fine line of too much feeding causing water quality problems. But if you have adequate filtration, and enough scavengers (hermits, snails, starfish, cukes, etc) it can be done. I've been feeding my 120 gal reef twice/day for the past 3 months. I've had no water quality problems (i.e. nitrates = 0)and my corals are showing good growth. I alternate between homemade food (see the book), Marine Snow, Kent Microvert, phytoplankton and zooplankton. Good Luck!!

 

[jagster]

Yes, you have to feed them. Most corals not only need adequate light and good water quality, they also require food - and actually quite a bit. If you get the chance, buy or borrow the book Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman. He is much more thorough, but to summarize, he contends most people make the same mistake - not adequately feeding corals, assuming they only need light. He recommends feeding often. There is the fine line of too much feeding causing water quality problems. But if you have adequate filtration, and enough scavengers (hermits, snails, starfish, cukes, etc) it can be done. I've been feeding my 120 gal reef twice/day for the past 3 months. I've had no water quality problems (i.e. nitrates = 0)and my corals are showing good growth. I alternate between homemade food (see the book), Marine Snow, Kent Microvert, phytoplankton and zooplankton. Good Luck!!

 

[bluewater]

What do they eat?

 

[jagster]

Oops I posted twice!! Corals can absorb/ingest many different types of foods. As I noted I use five different foods and vary the diet. The foods I use are phytoplankton, zooplankton, Kent Microvert, Marine Snow and a home made recipe.

 

[ebeckels]

i just use phytoplankton...works great

 

[q]

If it feeds zooplaynkton you can use brine and mysis shrimp. You can even soak them in something to add vitamins before feeding.