sea mat help!

[secondtry]

I have a piece of rock which used to be full of sea mats and buttons. It is gradually dying and I can't seem to stop it. I've put it closer to the light and in more current, but it did not help. I've heard you can feed them, but feed them what and how? These are supposed to be very easy! Help anyone?

 

[petey]

my mats are lower on the lghting scale and not much current. also are you adding essentials elements? stron, mont, iodine etc?? also do you have any crabs that maybe picking on them or angels?

 

[nm reef]

Post info on water chemistry....ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/ph/temp/calcium/alkalinity...also info on lighting/filtration/circulation/additives used...and give us some idea what else you have in the system(corals/fish/crabs/snails)...as for feeding I use dt's phytoplankton 2-3 times a week and on occassion I direct feed brine/mysis soaked in zoe.......

 

[secondtry]

How do you feed them? Do they have a mouth? I have an emerald crab that picks at them. Will he eat them do you know? Thanks again!

 

[petey]

you may have your answer. if the crab is picking and the water flow is high, depending on where he is picking her may be dislodging them and then the current swooshes them away! just a thought. also need parameters and feeding does help.

 

[secondtry]

My parameters are good. Do you feed them with an eye dropper or what. I have never fed mine. Let me know please. Thanks!

 

[reefnjeff]

thats what is happening to my sea matt, the emerald crab is not eating them, he is just pulling single polyps off the main colony, I noticed most the time the crab don't look he just grabs and pulls whatever he gets his little claws on, have you looked on the sand bed and in cracks of rocks, I have found many single polyps.

 

[nm reef]

This is how I feed my polyps(and other corals)...I mix a small amout of tank water with a couple caps full of dt's phytoplankton& a few drops of zoe...I add the food that I'm feeding that day(frozen brine/mysis/shrimp/scallope/blood worms/silversides...etc)(I change the menu each time I feed)...let it all thaw and mix...then I use a turkey baster to spray small amounts on each target...........like a feast at the zoo(well reef!!!)

 

[mlm]

I use a small eye dropper to feed them with brine Hikari Mega Marine frozen food. I thaw the food and suck some into the dropper and then feed each polyp by putting the dropper right in front of the mouth and then "squeezing" the food in. Since I have started this I have seen new polyps appearing every week.