Sun Coral

[kaybee]

Originally Posted by peef
Because suncoral are non-photosynthetic they do not benifit from light but they can be hurt by it. Long term exposure to direct high power lights will eventually cause it to bleach out...
Tubastraea lack zooxanthellae and shouldn't be able to 'bleach out' due to light. Anyone have any experience of this happening? What is "direct high power lights" defined as?

 

[peef]

True they don't have the zooxanthelia but the can "bleach" it is not the same as if your photosynthetic corals bleach but basically consider it the same as a sunburn. The colors will fade out and the coral will die after awhile. 150w MH lights would hurt a suncoral. I do agree with algae causing some problems but for the most part algae won't do a thing to suncoral. At least the everyday ordinary algae we all have at all times. In severe cases sure it could but that would be the least of your worries if you had that much algae growth IMO. My sun is under partial shading and gets shade from the xenia that is above it. Mine will open anytime I put food in during the day and stay open...but always open every night.

 

[bronco300]

sun looks good blaz!

 

[blazin2k6]

Thanks Bronco300. I appreciate the comment!

 

[blazin2k6]

Can someone please tell me why my Sun Coral has looked like this for 3 days ? I mean when the lights are on it is completely closed in like usual but at night when the lights are off and usually its tentacles are open and spread out , it looks like this now instead. Can someone tell me what is maybe causing it or if its dying ? Thanks.

 

[bronco300]

well it still looks fine minus not full extension(although it looks like they are extending far)..so it is extending which is good...have you tried hold mysis right next to it to kinda entice it to come out for a few minutes?

 

[blazin2k6]

Yeah i put mysis and brine shrimp right on top of the mouths but they still dont come out. Only a tiny bit. I think maybe my shrimp are aggravating them maybe ? I dont know. But hopefully they will be ok.

 

[bronco300]

its definitely possible...have you tried putting a cup over it and put so mysis or cyclopeeze on the tops and leave it for a while to see if they can come out without anything climbing on it to get the food?