Feeding Sun Coral

[Pingu]

Looking for some advice. Purchased my sun coral around 2 weeks ago but needed a little coaxing out to feed it. Now I got him feeding he won't stop!

Reminds me of

http://www.brockport.edu/~theatre/FeedMe.jpg

Similar..

http://www.reeftalk.co.uk/gallery/files/1/4/6/CIMG1239.JPG

My question is this, the above photo was taken after I had just spent ages feeding it 4 cubes of frozen mixed, it eats 90% of it with the rest escaping but the coral still looks as if it wants more. Can you over feed these things? Also I struggle to hit every polyp with food is it essential I get something in every one?

Size is 15cm x 10cm give or take some. I feed every night and every time I feel as if I should be feeding the thing more.

Anyone know?

http://www.reeftalk.co.uk/gallery/files/1/4/6/CIMG1241.JPG

Chris

[Snowsurfer]

Mine spits it back out if i over feed.

[Pingu]

Mine spits it back out if i over feed.

How much you feeding and how often? What is the size of your sun coral?

Just trying to get a measure.

Pingu

[zimreef]

I'd go along with Matt - mine also occasionally ejects stuff back out and I assumed that was because it had been overfed.

I feed my sun corals a cube of mysis/brine per day on average and combined they must be around the size of your sun coral. I would say they are OK as long as they are growing and budding off new polyps/regenerating lost tissue as they are usually not in the best of health when bought.

Hard to say exactly how much but my gut feel is that 4 cubes is too much.

John

[Snowsurfer]

I feed my sun coral twice a week sometimes only once, each time it has 2 cubes of mysis and id say its doing pretty well.

http://www.mattjarrett.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/Tank59.jpg

http://www.mattjarrett.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/Tank60.jpg

http://www.mattjarrett.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/From%20the%20begining/Tank53.jpg

[Prometheus]

i myself have just aquaired a sun coral :rolleyes: but it has taken me a week to get it to open :eek:.

but for the last couple of nights i have been giving it 1 cube of mysis and i will continue this for about a week then move it from my sump where it is away from the vulture cleaner shrimps to my main display :D, where i hope to feed 1 cube twice a week.

think if it is fed more than this you could possibly chukin to much nutriance into the system, especialy if you have a small system like me :o

[evilervin]

Hi Chris,

Matt and John, have hit the nail on the head here, by saying that it will spit it out if "full". The regurgitation(sp?) doesnt always happen straight away, it can take upto hour before going "sod it i'm stuffed", and splitting some food out. Oviously if this happens and goes unchecked, you run the risk of increased NO3, PO4 and dissolved organics.

Do you think it wants more, because its extended? If so dont worry about it, mine use to be out 80% of the time.

For the size of coral in question then IMO 4 cubes in one sitting is to much, but you could fed this amount in 2 sittings (ie morning and evening) as long as you've got pletty of LR, heavy skiming, good clean up crew, etc, etc..... but if i was you, Id cut it by half at least, and monitor water quality.

If it helps I have an 87 (approx) polyped T. micranthia (black sun coral, needs lots more food then other species) and feed it 1 cube of krill, 1 cube HUFA Brineshrimp, 1 cube squid, 1 cube mysis and 1/8 tsp cyclopleeze, all soaked in vits and amino acids, daily, 1/2 in the morning 1/2 in the evening, sometimes i varry this to, 1/2 early evening (18:00) and 1/2 around 23:00.

At this point i should add that the coral is in a species only tank (no fish), with a skimmer rated for 3.5x tank volume, bare bottom, 15% water change every 10-14 days, approx 28x turnover, approx 0.75kg LR per gal and PO4 remover run 24/7...... this is due to change shortly (new tank, add sump etc...)

Should you feed every polyp? IMO most definatly, each polyp is considered(sp?) to be a seperate animal.


HTH

Gog

[Pingu]

Excellent responses thanks to all.

This evening I have cut down its feeding to 1 cube per night, will have to work on targetting each polyp although I am semi successful I do think I am not methodical with it.

Nitrates currently stand around 5 and phophates 0 but there is no point in causing this to rise.

Glad I asked.

Chris

[zimreef]

Should you feed every polyp? IMO most definatly, each polyp is considered(sp?) to be a seperate animal.

Interested in that Evilervin. I know each polyp has its own mouth & presumably digestive tract etc, but it is a colonial animal. Do you know if nutrients are "shared" at all between animals through the tissue that joins them together?

Cheers

John

[evilervin]

Hi John,

Interested in that Evilervin. I know each polyp has its own mouth & presumably digestive tract etc, but it is a colonial animal. Do you know if nutrients are "shared" at all between animals through the tissue that joins them together?

The general consensus, is that, even when joined by the coenosarc, the polyps dont share nutrients from food thats ingested. What they do share though is the "back-up engery supply" of phosphorous and nitrogen stored with in the colonies shared pourous(sp?) skeleton.

Sorry for the not very helpfully answer, IE why they dont share "food", but my heads fried from a crappy day at work.

Incidentally; this is an area i hope to explain in greater detail with in the next draft of the "article" (which is seamingly taking for ever to do!)

Gog

[zimreef]

my heads fried from a crappy day at work.

You and me both bud :D !

Look forward to your next draft!

John