Need Info on Sun and Plate Corals
- Thread starter euphoria
- Start date
spline9
Member
Basically, for the Sun Coral;
Low flow. Lighting doesnt matter. Actually, its typically found in the wild in caves upside-down.
I feed mine Brine/mysis shrimp soaked in CoralPlankton and Selcon. Its a carnivorous coral so use meaty foods.
I remove the coral and place it in a seperate container (filled with tank water) to keep from fouling the tank. Some people create a "Feeding hat" to keep from other tankmates from stealing its food. This is is made from the top of a 2liter bottle. In the cap a tube is run to the top of the tank where food can be dropped in. The "hat" is simply put over the coral during feeding.
Also, it can be trained to open up at a particular time if you stick to a feeding schedule. I believe the polyps share nutrients between each other but I try to make sure most of them get fed in case this is untrue.
For more info, do a search on google for "centralpets orange cup". Click on the first result.
Low flow. Lighting doesnt matter. Actually, its typically found in the wild in caves upside-down.
I feed mine Brine/mysis shrimp soaked in CoralPlankton and Selcon. Its a carnivorous coral so use meaty foods.
I remove the coral and place it in a seperate container (filled with tank water) to keep from fouling the tank. Some people create a "Feeding hat" to keep from other tankmates from stealing its food. This is is made from the top of a 2liter bottle. In the cap a tube is run to the top of the tank where food can be dropped in. The "hat" is simply put over the coral during feeding.
Also, it can be trained to open up at a particular time if you stick to a feeding schedule. I believe the polyps share nutrients between each other but I try to make sure most of them get fed in case this is untrue.
For more info, do a search on google for "centralpets orange cup". Click on the first result.
euphoria
Active Member
I put mine in a shady area near one of my sponges.
You gave great info that I didn't know about, but I got a few questions for you.
I read that they open up when you're not around, and this was kind of confusing to me, because I don't know how to tell whether it's opened up or not when I look at it.
As far as feeding, how often in a week or in a month do you do your feeding?
You gave great info that I didn't know about, but I got a few questions for you.
I read that they open up when you're not around, and this was kind of confusing to me, because I don't know how to tell whether it's opened up or not when I look at it.
As far as feeding, how often in a week or in a month do you do your feeding?
hookedonreefs
Member
Sun polyps (sun corals, tubestrea) are best fed once a day. Each polyp should be fed individually. I also don't know if there's anyu factualy information about polyps sharing nutrients, but best results have come from feeding each polyp individually.
As for knowing when it's open or not, the polyps will be completely extended like a bunch of fingers wide open waiting for something to hit them. When the poylps are closed, it looks like a tube where the edge of the tube is recessed into the rest of the tube. They have very distinctly different appearances. Like spline9 said, if you feed them on a strict schedule they will be "trained" to open their poylps at the same time every day, waiting for food.
As for knowing when it's open or not, the polyps will be completely extended like a bunch of fingers wide open waiting for something to hit them. When the poylps are closed, it looks like a tube where the edge of the tube is recessed into the rest of the tube. They have very distinctly different appearances. Like spline9 said, if you feed them on a strict schedule they will be "trained" to open their poylps at the same time every day, waiting for food.
spline9
Member
Yeah, I never realized it would get that big, either...
I try to feed it every other day. Ive heard of people feeding it every day to once a week. I figure every other day is a good ritual to keep with room to slack in case I miss a day or two.
When I feed it, I take it out of the tank and place it in a small disposable tupperware container (filled with tank water) and feed it in there. It helps get more food to the coral. When I'm done I just put the coral back and dump the water. This keeps the tank from getting fouled from uneated food. It sounds like a pain, but its not all that much work since the coral is in an easy to reach place.
I dont think it bothers the coral taking it out. I read elsewhere that other people were doing this succesfully and that they have been found to be out of the water during low-tide out in the wild.
Hope this helps. I gotta split for work. Now if we can only get you some info for your plate coral... Heh.
I try to feed it every other day. Ive heard of people feeding it every day to once a week. I figure every other day is a good ritual to keep with room to slack in case I miss a day or two.
When I feed it, I take it out of the tank and place it in a small disposable tupperware container (filled with tank water) and feed it in there. It helps get more food to the coral. When I'm done I just put the coral back and dump the water. This keeps the tank from getting fouled from uneated food. It sounds like a pain, but its not all that much work since the coral is in an easy to reach place.
I dont think it bothers the coral taking it out. I read elsewhere that other people were doing this succesfully and that they have been found to be out of the water during low-tide out in the wild.
Hope this helps. I gotta split for work. Now if we can only get you some info for your plate coral... Heh.
euphoria
Active Member
I'd think taking it out and putting it back in over and over would stress it out, but I guess it works. I rather do that, than the tube feeding method.
I found some info on the plate coral. I had one, an orange one, that I lost a month ago, for unknown reasons. I hope this one survives.
Thanks
I found some info on the plate coral. I had one, an orange one, that I lost a month ago, for unknown reasons. I hope this one survives.
Thanks
tgfrench
New Member
I put my sun in a small bowl for the first week and fed it every morning when the actinics come on. I just floated the bowl while I fed it to keep the other varmits away and allow time for it to soak up the food. It opens now every time the actinics come on. Its yet to get as pretty as the last pics posted but I'm hopefull. I've only had it 2 weeks now.
I read that the polyps do share nutrients at first but will later split into completely separate polyps. Thus the feed each rule. I am feeding in the mornings before work and am pleased with its response. The lfs had 2 when I bought mine, the one still at the store is looking poorly as of this weekend. Such a shame.
terry
I read that the polyps do share nutrients at first but will later split into completely separate polyps. Thus the feed each rule. I am feeding in the mornings before work and am pleased with its response. The lfs had 2 when I bought mine, the one still at the store is looking poorly as of this weekend. Such a shame.
terry
euphoria
Active Member
Well my plate is doing great. It's always swollen, the small short tentacles always out.
The sun coral I'm having trouble w/. It never opens up for me to feed it, and I think it's starting to look bad. I took it back to another LFS for a trade or partial credit, and the guy told me that they don't ever carry suns cuz they are such a pain to maintain and feed. So I had to bring it back to my tank.
The sun coral I'm having trouble w/. It never opens up for me to feed it, and I think it's starting to look bad. I took it back to another LFS for a trade or partial credit, and the guy told me that they don't ever carry suns cuz they are such a pain to maintain and feed. So I had to bring it back to my tank.
C
caryn_ia
Guest
Euphoria- there was a thread about 2 months ago about my sun coral. That has a lot of info if you want to research more. Mine has still yet to open like the fourth pic posted. Mine stays tightly closed, until I feed him, and then still he only opens to about the length in the second pic. He's doing alright, getting more and more 'puffy' since I made a new batch of 'fish soup'. He really like it. So be patient, I have read where some take months to open. Just keep feeding him meaty foods, and he'll come around.
euphoria
Active Member
I have tried feeding him. I put a plastic dome shaped thing on top of it, w/ a hole in the plastic, to put the food through. The dome shaped cover keeps the food from spreading out and from other fish eating it. But the food just sits there and nothing happens. It's kind of frustrating.
C
caryn_ia
Guest
I agree, it is frustrating. That's what mine did for a month and a half. But I still went thru the motions, hoping that he would figure out what I was doing, and he Finally caught on. Keep at it, give him a routine.