<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11622724#post11622724 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrSpiffy
If you use freeze-dried, soak them first, so they don't float at the top.
A few things to consider:
1. Certain corals feed on very small particulate matter such as phytoplankton (DT's if you will) and small "dust type" particles like baby bryne or cyclop-eeze. If it floats in the water column where the tentacles of the corals polyps will grab it when it floats by. Stonies eat this way as do some softies as well.
2. Certain corals can handel larger pieces of food. For example, Sun Cups can be fed larger pieces of Mysis and literally eat the entire shrimp! These type of corals need to have each polyp feed individually if this is how you are feeding them.
Here's what I do: I defrost a small piece of frozen baby bryne in a shot glass type of cup. Baby bryne falls into the "dust type" of particulate food. I then add a very small amount of freeze dried cyclop-eeze to the mix. Then I add a cap of DT's and a cap of Ecosystems Reef Solution. I let it sit in the frig for about an hour and let all the particulate food matter soak up the DT and Reef Solution. I then add some tank water to the mix (about two syringe amounts). I then use a target feeder and draw up about 3 table spoons of the mix. I then target feed each polyp with the food and the response they provide is tremendous! (The soluton looks like a cloud surrounding the coral). They literally grab the particulates and phytoplankton that's all around them and then close up to ingest it all. In about 10 minutes they are open again and ready for a second helping
I do this until the mix is gone. Takes all of 30 minutes with about 4 to 5 feedings and we're done. The Sun Cups will stay open througout the night still filtering the food that's in the water column.
Probably the reason that your polyps aren't opening ... yet that is ... is because they are not "trained" yet. Keep it up, build their strength back, and they will open up 20 minutes before feeding time if you are consistent with your feedings.
Feed your corals! Whether they are zooxanthellae or azooxanthellae, all corals will benefit from the phytoplankton including fanua and filter feeders.
Lot's written on this subject and I can get you the issue of Coral magazine where they write on this subject with extense.