New Orange Sun Coral

[birds fan]

Need some help. I just purchase an orange sun coral and have a few questions for the experts. First, the coral appears to have no tentacles. It will extend iteself but its arms appear to be about 1/32", if that. Nothing like you see in pictures. Is this indicative of a new/infant coral? If so how do I feed it then? Secondly, I'm interested in what most of you feed the coral. Since mine appears to not have arms, I've been basting with Kent's ChromaPlex and Kent's ZooPlex when it extends itself.
Thanks in advance.

 

[bronco300]

they could just need some nice feedings to stretch out those tenticles of theirs....i personally feed cyclopeeze...its nutritional and small for them to grab....mine loveeeee it...and now my 3 suns will come out even when i stick my hand in the tank...

 

[zeke92]

get some good phytoplankton or somethin, after there thre a while they will stretch out more. my kenya frags took almost a week to completely stretch out.

 

[turtlegirl933]

Make shore you feed it EVERY DAY.

 

[bronco300]

my personal experience they do not need fed every day, it'll help them get used to everything...but i feed max couple times a week usually...i'm sure it'll grow much better more frequent, but from what i've done they do great on a couple times a week too....so feed and give it time and you'll be goin in no time

 

[birds fan]

Do I need to change what I'm feeding it at this point?

 

[peef]

Sun Coral will need more than phyto and cyclo, they will need some meaty food at some point. They can be sustained by it but will need more at some point. Feeding should take place at a minimum, two times a week. The reason the tents are not out is just that its getting used to the tank and all. Feed something like mysis shrimp and turn off your powerhead and then baste it with the mysis. It will come out eventually and eat alot. My sun started at about 15 heads and is now up to 65+ heads and still going. Good luck and post up a pic for us!

 

[salt monger]

I Feed Mine 3-4 Times A Week, I Mix It Up And Feed It The Same Variety Of Food I Feed The Rest Of My Corals And Fish, Chopped Mussle, Misis Shrimp, Brine Shrimp, Plankton, Cyclopeze, And A Squirt Of Dt's Phyto Plankton Every Now And Then.... And They're Growing Great,

 

[peef]

I agree with salt monger, this is actually exactly what I do. I just kept it simple on my explanation. You can buy the "carnivore complete diet" frozen foot at your LFS that has all of those mixed together.

 

[birds fan]

Here's a shot from last night. As you can see, no tents but it does appear to be expanding. Should I be concerned? What should I feed it without its tents expanded?

 

[peef]

That is fine. You don't need to be worried. It may take a week or so to fully come out. I would just try your best to feed it mysis or something like cytopleeze. Just remember not to lose too much over your tank so you don't get trates and algae building up.

 

[perfectdark]

2 times a week is pleanty for the sun coral. Remember the more you feed it the faster it will grow. So smaller quantities more frequently or larger quantities less frequently. Any combination in between the 2 will dictate how fast this coral will grow. Its basically a pavlovian effect, what it gets used to it will respond to. As far as giving it its nutritional value for health issues, twice a week as said above is sufficient visually making sure each polyp readily accepts food for a minute or 2.

 

[peef]

Couldn't say it any better than PD

 

[paintballer768]

Originally Posted by Birds Fan
Here's a shot from last night. As you can see, no tents but it does appear to be expanding. Should I be concerned? What should I feed it without its tents expanded?
Yours looks better than mine. I just got mine about a hour ago. I put it in a good spot, and turned the actinics on and its starting to slowly open up, and hopefully the damn cleaner shrimp will stop checking it out soon. They get partially opened and then they close again. Mine has some vines/roots growing around it that appear to be dead the skeleton long since grown around it, and theres some dead skeleton near the base. Maybe about 30 or so heads on it.
I have cyclops that Im trying to spot feed, is this ok? Brine supplements to come once it opens fully. (Really really sorry for the hijack but Id rather not pollute with another thread

).

 

[birds fan]

Originally Posted by paintballer768
Yours looks better than mine. I just got mine about a hour ago. I put it in a good spot, and turned the actinics on and its starting to slowly open up, and hopefully the damn cleaner shrimp will stop checking it out soon. They get partially opened and then they close again. Mine has some vines/roots growing around it that appear to be dead the skeleton long since grown around it, and theres some dead skeleton near the base. Maybe about 30 or so heads on it.
I have cyclops that Im trying to spot feed, is this ok? Brine supplements to come once it opens fully. (Really really sorry for the hijack but Id rather not pollute with another thread

).

I tried brine tonight with some success. It appears to be opening more each day.

 

[paintballer768]

Originally Posted by Birds Fan
I tried brine tonight with some success. It appears to be opening more each day.
Thats good to know. Mine opened to the point where you could see that it was sticking out of the "cup," but not little tentacles were sticking out. Hopefully it will open more tonight. Did yours come with some dead tissue near the base of it too?

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by Birds Fan
I tried brine tonight with some success. It appears to be opening more each day.
Just be aware that brine shrimp hold little to no nutritional value to your inhabitants fish or coral. While commonly used to tempt fish to eat, long term it will not be sufficient for them. Cyclops, mysis, and zoo plank are much better alternatives for your sun coral.

 

[paintballer768]

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Just be aware that brine shrimp hold little to no nutritional value to your inhabitants fish or coral. While commonly used to tempt fish to eat, long term it will not be sufficient for them. Cyclops, mysis, and zoo plank are much better alternatives for your sun coral.
Ive heard that plenty of times. Next opportunity I get Im going to get some mysis. Shouldnt be too expensive either

 

[birds fan]

Tried mysis with some success. Guess it's still acclimating. I only received it Friday, 12/14 and I read it may take a week to fully open. Anybody else read this?

 

[paintballer768]

Originally Posted by Birds Fan
Tried mysis with some success. Guess it's still acclimating. I only received it Friday, 12/14 and I read it may take a week to fully open. Anybody else read this?
Yea I have. Every night its opening up some more. Once it starts to be opening fully then time to train it to come out at a more convenient time for me. Here it is day 2.