LOTUS50GOD
Active member
Is this coral hard to keep.
I feed zooplankton 24x7.
I feed zooplankton 24x7.
Chili Coral
- Thread starter LOTUS50GOD
- Start date
Animal Mother
New member
That's the reputation it has, yeah.
Take a look at this thread . Very few have no troubles whatsoever, for the most they die within 1.5 years, others (like me) have troubles even after 2.5 years, I just don't understand them.
I have 4 different kinds of chili coral, they all do not like light, closing after it is on. I feed heavily, several times a day, and have to keep nitrates and phosphates under control in chili's tank (PO4 <0.5 ppm, and NO3 < 80 ppm), control red slime, dinoflagellates, flat worms, and use carbon, if something was wrong. Aiptasia is a problem.
Flow - disputable, I had them in both: high and medium-low flow.
What I noticed, enriched fish food (crushed flakes, Formula Two, soaked in Prime Reef and strained) helps. In addition to variety of dried micro crustaceans. Could be vitamins, or just a component, absent in dried crustaceans. But not a phytoplankton: I ried, with no reaction whatsoever, ESV dried phytoplankton, Shellfish Diet, Nannochoropsis (frozen paste), Premium Reef Blend (DT's, bottled), Brightwell Chroma-something (8-30 micron size, bottled), Kent's Chromaplex and MicroVert.
Each and everyone of them had - after the first month or so - the period of dormancy for a several months. But my tanks are not perfect. Then they opened as nothing happened and started to feed.
Having fast growing coral in close proximity may help: one of mine opened, after sun coral babies settled on it. Hormonal influence?
Still, all kinds behave slightly different, open in different time, keep open for different amount of time, have different shape and pattern of grow at the base. Two resent being hanged upside down.
In short, after tubastrea, gorgonians are most gratifying, next will be dendronephthya (some of them looks very good), if bought soon after arrival attached and not damaged, chili will be last in this line.
If I was starting now, I would buy something more good looking and having better response on the care.
Ah, the zooplankton should be preferably smaller, then ZooPlex or Cyclop-eeze, here is Cyclop-eeze, 800 microns:
while smaller ZoPlan is less traumatic:
HTH
I have 4 different kinds of chili coral, they all do not like light, closing after it is on. I feed heavily, several times a day, and have to keep nitrates and phosphates under control in chili's tank (PO4 <0.5 ppm, and NO3 < 80 ppm), control red slime, dinoflagellates, flat worms, and use carbon, if something was wrong. Aiptasia is a problem.
Flow - disputable, I had them in both: high and medium-low flow.
What I noticed, enriched fish food (crushed flakes, Formula Two, soaked in Prime Reef and strained) helps. In addition to variety of dried micro crustaceans. Could be vitamins, or just a component, absent in dried crustaceans. But not a phytoplankton: I ried, with no reaction whatsoever, ESV dried phytoplankton, Shellfish Diet, Nannochoropsis (frozen paste), Premium Reef Blend (DT's, bottled), Brightwell Chroma-something (8-30 micron size, bottled), Kent's Chromaplex and MicroVert.
Each and everyone of them had - after the first month or so - the period of dormancy for a several months. But my tanks are not perfect. Then they opened as nothing happened and started to feed.
Having fast growing coral in close proximity may help: one of mine opened, after sun coral babies settled on it. Hormonal influence?
Still, all kinds behave slightly different, open in different time, keep open for different amount of time, have different shape and pattern of grow at the base. Two resent being hanged upside down.
In short, after tubastrea, gorgonians are most gratifying, next will be dendronephthya (some of them looks very good), if bought soon after arrival attached and not damaged, chili will be last in this line.
If I was starting now, I would buy something more good looking and having better response on the care.
Ah, the zooplankton should be preferably smaller, then ZooPlex or Cyclop-eeze, here is Cyclop-eeze, 800 microns:
while smaller ZoPlan is less traumatic:
HTH
LOTUS50GOD
Active member
thanks for th write up... I think I am going to hold up on the purchase. The LFS had a chili... and it wasnt looking soo good..
Im sure they will find some other sucker to buy it that knows nothing of keeping NP corals.
Im sure they will find some other sucker to buy it that knows nothing of keeping NP corals.
friedoysterskin
New member
I find them easy, don't know the secret though.
friedoysterskin:
Share your method of keeping with others, please. As much details, as possible, illustrated.
I know that you already posted this information on other subforums, but this is a dedicated place for non-photosynthetic corals keepers for finding information, they need. What are you doing, how, your observations, advice, ways to try next time.
Thanks.
Share your method of keeping with others, please. As much details, as possible, illustrated.
I know that you already posted this information on other subforums, but this is a dedicated place for non-photosynthetic corals keepers for finding information, they need. What are you doing, how, your observations, advice, ways to try next time.
Thanks.
friedoysterskin
New member
Sure, i will post as much info as i can but might take a few days, my test kit expired.
lil_cheeks
New member
i have heard both sides too. Some say its very hard and should stay in the ocean and others tell me its not bad at all as long as you feed it.....
I'm at 2.5 side: who's chili is doing well, post details. how to do that, not just "my coral is doing well" or "chilis are easy". Not helpful, you know...It's not only food: I 'm feeding mine as a Christmas goose near Christmas, but this is not good enough. In Ultimate Reef's thread some feed significantly less and have no troubles. Go figure
OA_Chimera
New member
I bought one of these several months ago and it seems to be doing ok so far. I was told they need to be fed very heavily, but I have a cannister filter acting as a refugium on my tank, and that seems to give it enough food.
The only major problem ive had so far is keeping algae and aiptasia off of the thing. Oddly enough it doesnt seem to bothered by them. It only opens at night when the lights are off, but when it does it looks perfectly healthy.
Im still a little anxious about this guy as my 46 gallon tank is really too small for him according to most of what ive read. He has also not been opening as much now that i have upgraded my lighting.
The only major problem ive had so far is keeping algae and aiptasia off of the thing. Oddly enough it doesnt seem to bothered by them. It only opens at night when the lights are off, but when it does it looks perfectly healthy.
Im still a little anxious about this guy as my 46 gallon tank is really too small for him according to most of what ive read. He has also not been opening as much now that i have upgraded my lighting.
OA_Chimera
New member
Ill try to get some pics of the aquarium shortly.
A cannister filter is basically a self inclosed sump, usally used to store carbon or other filter media. This is the brand that i use. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752400
I originally used it as the primary filter for my tank, but after realizing that it had turned itself into a refugium bysucking a large amount of sand into the bottom of it, Ive stopped cleaning it a just let it the organisms in it breed to feed my corals.
On very rare occasion I feed my corals a mix of either marine cuisine frozen blocks or cyclopeeze.
The primary filtration on the system now is a hang on skimmer (ill try and post the brand and type later).
I also recently switched the lights from a jury-rigged T5 setup to a four bulb tek t5 light. Since switching to these lights, the chili has been less and less inclined to open, likely due to the fact that im having trouble keeping algae and other pests off of it.
I still have not seen any tissue regression yet, so I assume the chili is still in good health.
A cannister filter is basically a self inclosed sump, usally used to store carbon or other filter media. This is the brand that i use. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752400
I originally used it as the primary filter for my tank, but after realizing that it had turned itself into a refugium bysucking a large amount of sand into the bottom of it, Ive stopped cleaning it a just let it the organisms in it breed to feed my corals.
On very rare occasion I feed my corals a mix of either marine cuisine frozen blocks or cyclopeeze.
The primary filtration on the system now is a hang on skimmer (ill try and post the brand and type later).
I also recently switched the lights from a jury-rigged T5 setup to a four bulb tek t5 light. Since switching to these lights, the chili has been less and less inclined to open, likely due to the fact that im having trouble keeping algae and other pests off of it.
I still have not seen any tissue regression yet, so I assume the chili is still in good health.
Thank you, OA_Chimera!
Did you removed mechanical filtration media (sponge or pad), chemical media and carbon, and replaced them by sand and rubble rock, or just left all inside?
I tried all this (Fluval 404, mostly biomedia and rubble rock, but internal prefilter sponges were cleaned regularly), then maybe the choice of organisms for a tank that matters. I'll wait for tank pictures.
Did you removed mechanical filtration media (sponge or pad), chemical media and carbon, and replaced them by sand and rubble rock, or just left all inside?
I tried all this (Fluval 404, mostly biomedia and rubble rock, but internal prefilter sponges were cleaned regularly), then maybe the choice of organisms for a tank that matters. I'll wait for tank pictures.
micromount
New member
chili coral
chili coral
I picked up mine app. 5 years ago. I put it in a cave in my 40 gallon tank . Only spot feed it maybe once a week. About a year ago it was getting too large for the cave. I had to move it. It had one small 'finger' coming off the side about 1-1.25" long. I sliced it off and attached it to a piece of live rock in my 12 gal. nano. Doing fine.I spot feed it about twice a week.
chili coral
I picked up mine app. 5 years ago. I put it in a cave in my 40 gallon tank . Only spot feed it maybe once a week. About a year ago it was getting too large for the cave. I had to move it. It had one small 'finger' coming off the side about 1-1.25" long. I sliced it off and attached it to a piece of live rock in my 12 gal. nano. Doing fine.I spot feed it about twice a week.
I have a proposition for everyone: why don't make the provided information usable for the others? Apart from the fact, that the chili coral can do well in some tanks, with additional feedings and without them.
Providing description and photo of the tank setup, coral in progress, its positioning, other life forms in tank, including example of typical microlife, amount and frequency of feeding, filtration, capable to handle such bioload and so on.
I somehow feeling, that I'm standing in the front of stone wall and trying to pry out the most guarded secrets of the universe
If sharing is not acceptable practice and I'm insisting on totally inappropriate behavior, just say so and I'll stop this
Providing description and photo of the tank setup, coral in progress, its positioning, other life forms in tank, including example of typical microlife, amount and frequency of feeding, filtration, capable to handle such bioload and so on.
I somehow feeling, that I'm standing in the front of stone wall and trying to pry out the most guarded secrets of the universe
If sharing is not acceptable practice and I'm insisting on totally inappropriate behavior, just say so and I'll stop this
the budman
New member
i would like to have a chili coral, i love hot peppers and have never heard of this coral. how do i find one and i would like to know the secrets too.
Bud
Bud
Apart from Chil coral keepers thread of Ultimate reef, there was tip on Nano Reef forum, that it does good in planted tank, so I moved one of mine, closed for a couple of months, to refugium type of the tank - planted, with rock piles for mysids and other pods, moderate flow, frequently fed by fine food, with very good water parameters. Chili still without changes for a month or so, alas.
Beware, just in case, that (at least mine) are nocturnal, contracted during the day in lit tanks, open significant part of the day in a dark tank in a dark part of basement.
Beware, just in case, that (at least mine) are nocturnal, contracted during the day in lit tanks, open significant part of the day in a dark tank in a dark part of basement.
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