Reg. Sun corals or Dendrophyllia pros & cons.

[carlos413]

I am looking to buy a regular sun coral frag or a Dendrophyllia. I was told they look alike but not the same coral. Anyway can I get some feed back on them? Pros cons whatever. Iam kinda leaning twards the dendros. Thank you.

 

[jackri]

Dendros are larger but they do look very similar.
They don't require strong lighting but each mouth needs to be spot fed quite often. If you have shrimp or brave fish this can be quite a pain.

 

[thai]

Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3125616
Dendros are larger but they do look very similar.
They don't require strong lighting but each mouth needs to be spot fed quite often. If you have shrimp or brave fish this can be quite a pain.
its been annoying feeding them with cbs running around on them. I suggest keeping them if you are dedicated to them and spot feed every head twice a week.

 

[jackri]

+1
My shrimp kept taking their food and then my tangs would come and pull the mysis out of their mouths as well. I have 3 small small tiny heads left of my nice sun coral as I pretty much gave up on it 1.5 years later.
Now on the flip side -- I really tried feeding this coral, moved him to the sump, my frag tank but the extremely hard part other than things stealing food from it... was it only opened up several hours after the lights went out and I was long in bed making it a royal pain.
I love the coral but if I try them again it might be a dendro and one known for staying open with the lights on.

 

[carlos413]

Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3125621
+1
My shrimp kept taking their food and then my tangs would come and pull the mysis out of their mouths as well. I have 3 small small tiny heads left of my nice sun coral as I pretty much gave up on it 1.5 years later.
Now on the flip side -- I really tried feeding this coral, moved him to the sump, my frag tank but the extremely hard part other than things stealing food from it... was it only opened up several hours after the lights went out and I was long in bed making it a royal pain.
I love the coral but if I try them again it might be a dendro and one known for staying open with the lights on.
Tx I like that they stay open when lights on. Do they need to be trained?

 

[jackri]

They can learn feeding times... but mine always went later and later and never with the lights on... was frustrating.

 

[aquaknight]

Yea, that is part of the frustration. Once the sun corals start to 'go south' there's little chance of recovery since they simply don't have the energy to open to feed.

 

[uneverno]

I have the same problem. Not so much w/ fish, but my cleaner shrimp is all over it when I feed.
I got a small molly/guppy breeder box, and put the coral in there when I feed it. Unlike most other corals, it doesn't seem to mind being moved.

 

[petjunkie]

Sun coral are a little harder to feed, usually more heads and smaller mouths. Cheaper though. Dendros are larger. Mine stays open pretty well but I feed during the day and they have minimal lighting over them, just a low watt led fixture.

 

[pleasants9]

I have a puffer in with my suncoral and he has no problem stealing the food, i solved the problem with a 2 liter soda bottle. I feed the coral once a week by hand making sure every polyp has something in it and shooing the puffer away then once every mouth has something in it i simply place the cut off top of the bottle over the suncoral and leave it over the coral overnight. next morning all the food is digesting internally and the puffer could never get to the food. (as you can assume I have no shrimp in my tank...haha..unless they are food for the puffer)