Black Sun Coral!

[Lebowski_]

So I bought an Orange Sunny, and two Black Sunny frags the other day. The Orange is starting to open up during feedings, but the black isnt opening at all. What could the problem be?

Ive got pics if they are required.

 

[Chelsey]

Black sun corals are generally difficult to keep, they don't usually do too well in captivity, at least IME. Hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[Lebowski_]

Couldnt agree more!

I have a feeling they will die...what are early signs of bleaching with these guys? They seem alright to me, at this point.

 

[Freed]

It may take a very long time for the feeding tentacles to come out but don't give up, they will. They are very dark green if you look closely. And so are the polyps. Not black. Give it at least a week with daily squirts of juice from the food you intend to feed it. They will open up eventually.

 

[Lebowski_]

Thanks a lot Freed, that gave me a lot of confidence with these guys! The Orange ones still havent completely extended, but they seem to get closer with every feeding. Are they the same way, just an expedited version?

BTW, I just read that these guys will not eat if there are Nitrates present in the water. Is this true? Mine are somewhere under 10, but above 0. Could this be part of the problem?

My tank is filled with Macro, and I will be adding a Berlin Hang On skimmer this week (10g tank), but I'd hate to lose them because of this problem. It seems impossible to keep them that low with so much feeding.

 

[Freed]

They'll eat no matter the nitrates. Just feed each and every polyp and they will be fine.

 

[Lebowski_]

Cheers Freed!

 

[Javeo]

I found the black ones as easy to keep as the orange, easier actually since my black sun stayed open most of the time. There are no signs of "bleaching" as they dont have zooxanthellea to lose! They just slowly waste away and die.
I gave them away though as both require too much feeding and I was having cyano. problems. make sure you feed at least every other day! Lots of mysis

 

[Lebowski_]

Heres what they looked like when I bought them, will get more pics of them tonight while feeding:

 

[Freed]

You can have just as much success with the black as you can the orange. Feed, Feed, Feed

 

[Lebowski_]

The subscribe feature really comes in handy on here!

And they will eat with the lights on right? I want to keep the lights on until about 11, but I suaully feed around 8.

 

[Freed]

Yes, you can "train" them to come out within minutes if you feed around the same time each time you feed.

 

[Lebowski_]

K, thats what Im aiming for. Thanks Freed!

 

[Lebowski_]

Got the Orange one eating tonight! Not fully extended but oh well:

Black ones havent opened at all yet...a bit worried, but Ive only had them 4 days, so I guess I should give it atleast a week. Feeding daily.

 

[Lebowski_]

Black ones still havent opened

 

[Javeo]

Move it into a shadier spot, more flow and try using cyclopeeze.

 

[Freed]

Trust me, they'll open. Squirt the juice/water from the mysis at them every day and they will start to come out and play. You can even hold a tiny mysis on each individual closed polyp and they will pull it in albeit slowly. Takes quite a while so be patient.

 

[Lebowski_]

Ok, I will admit they arent in shade, but my lights are only NO Flourescents. If I drizzle them with phyto, will they eat some even tho they dont open? I think one of the problems is that they stick out off the rock, so its hard to get the mysis to stick right on the polyp.

 

[Freed]

The only way they'll eat if they are not open is if a piece lands directly on the opening of the polyp and the current doesn't carry it away and it can grab hold of it. You can try holding the food right smack dab at the opening so it is touching the retracted polyp.

 

[Lebowski_]

Will try that tonight