Dendro closed for 3+ days

[eros]

It's been at least 3 days since my Dendo's have opened up. I have one large polyp and 2 babies and none are opening. They don't look to be in poor health, the flesh is intact around the skeleton, but I'm starting to worry. I tried feeding tonight by putting some food on top but I got no response from the coral. I recently did a 3 days lights out (actinic only) that ended yesterday but since these corals are non-photosynthetic I don't think that's the problem. Besides that they are usually more open during the night than the day. These are my fiance's coral and since her clam just recently died it is extremely important that these don't suffer the same fate. Her interest in the tank is directly proportional to my reefing budget. :worried:

 

[bubbly]

how often do you feed them?

I notice that mine will "close up" if I don't feed them in a while but usually they stay open.

Ideally you would be feeding them every day, even if you just drop pellets in or something.

 

[eros]

I feed them a few times a week.

 

[bubbly]

okay, what do you feed them? I found that they get great extension from frozen cyclopeeze.

How are the levels in the tank generally? Do you have other "indicator corals" that help you monitor water quality? What killed the clam?

 

[eros]

The clam was small and I don't dose phyto so I think it starved. I didn't know they needed additional feedings at the time. I also think it might have been lighting. I had it on the sand bed under my 175w halides but I'm running Iwasaki 15k, I thought they would be bright enough. I have a Duncan that is right next to the Dendro that is growing and always open. I usually feed them at the same time, I actually feed the Dendro more often. I have lots of corals including SPS like Millepora, Birdsnest, Acros, Brain corals, Acans, Star polyps, Xenia, everything looks good. The only coral I was having a problem with is a Lobo that got bleached from my lighting. I feed the Dendro Mysis most of the time or my homemade food mix that has tons of different stuff in it including Cyclops, Rotifers, Reef Plankton, Mysis, Spirulina Brine, chopped oysters, ect.

I snapped a pic of it right now.

 

[Dave Harms]

Dendro's don't need light at all. Just good water quality and feedings. If anything they might want to be in shadows, but I have heard that this isn't true.

 

[eros]

I'm happy to report that the large head was open when I got home from work this morning. I fed it some mysis to keep it happy. After it was done eating it opened back up. The smaller polyps are still not open. Hopefully they will be open in the next day or 2. I might have overreacted for thinking something was wrong but I have lost corals before from under reacting, as they say better safe than sorry. Thanks for all the help guys. This site is great, I always have a place to come to for knowledge and advice I can trust. :thumbsup: