Coral stays open all day

[Hewster]

I am new to reef tanks and just trying to figure some things out. My tank is still cycling with live rock and live sand (ammonia has been just barely .25ppm the last 2 days).

My live rock was aquacultured by Tampa Bay Live rock and came with corals on it. Many of them, more specifically my coral cups, stay open with their tentacles out pretty much all day. Is this a good sign? I know if they never open up it is a bad sign but I am not sure if it is unusual to see them open pretty much anytime I see them. I haven't been feeding during the cycle, per the instructions of Tampa Bay Live rock. Could it be starving?

 

[mcgyvr]

In general corals will be open when there is light and closed when there is not.. but yes they will also show their tentacles when feeding and many do that at night time..

Do you have the tank lights on during the day? You should..
In general corals get all the food they need from just having the lights on as the algae inside them is photosynthetic and they use the light to feed the corals.

Oh and BTW.. you don't have a cycle with TBS stuff.. Its already cycled... The .25 is likely a false reading common with API test kits..
A big part of the reason you use TBS is because its true live rock shipped wet which keeps all the bacteria fully alive thus there is no cycle..

The corals likely aren't starving.. but you should turn the lights on a regular schedule now..

 

[mluntz]

Are you keeping lights on during the day. Most corals are photosynthetic and will be ok under the lights. Doesn't sound like anything to worry about.

 

[Hewster]

I am just following the tbs instructions. They ship in 2 waves and want the first 7-10 days to cycle before sending the rest.

Yes, I have the lights on 7 hours a day right now, again, part of their cycling instructions (they actually say to only do 5 hours)

 

[Ron Reefman]

Some (maybe most) of the corals that come with the LR (from the ocean) are likely not photosynthetic and therefore may have polyps out a lot looking for food.

 

[mcgyvr]

I am just following the tbs instructions. They ship in 2 waves and want the first 7-10 days to cycle before sending the rest.

Yes, I have the lights on 7 hours a day right now, again, part of their cycling instructions (they actually say to only do 5 hours)

You are fine then..
Nothing you need to do special for the corals..

 

[Hewster]

Awesome thanks everyone

 

[Bobbitworm13]

the cup corals are nonphotosynthetic, they dont use light to make food. i would feed them a bit of brine shrimp every once in a while.