Eric's "famous" coral food recipe

[JonL]

I've tried feeding pieces of your recipe formula that was freezer biten and rather squishy to my fungid coral it closed up for the day is that a negiative response or is it just full??

 

[mredman]

recipe

recipe

Eric,

I use the recipe most similar to the one you discussed in your coral book. I avoid the "voodoo" ingredients like nutraceuticals and commercial phytoplankton products. I believe the shrimp has enough carotenoids to satisfy the corals without adding additional pigments.

My fish and corals are healthy - many thanks for your formula!

Mike Redman
Houston

 

[cecilturtle]

Eric,

In your recipe you mention phytoplankton and DT's and later in the thread you speak of running a skimmer but feeding more often...do you turn this tank's skimmer off when feeding and if so, for how long? I have had mixed results from several hours to a day but was wondering what is optimal.

Also, in regards to Cyclop-eze, what I am finding at my LFS looks similar to a frozen popsicle. If this is ok, would it still consititute a portion of the dried or frozen category?

 

[DouglasTiede]

very helpful page, thank you!

 

[michaelg]

I see eric never answered the above so I will give it a shot. I never bother turning my skimmer off to tell you the truth- doubt eric does either (due to location). I grow my own phytoplankton so losing some to the skimmer really isn't of a concern and I feed a lot of it daily.
WRT cyclopeeze- I would add it as an extra. If you have the popsicle stuff locally it should be frozen. They do have dried stuff as well, but I have never used it. Our club did a group buy on cyclopeeze and mysis shrimp (shipping here was cheap as we aren't too far away). I would add it as an extra- though actually leave it seperate and mix it in when thawing. Just easier that way, as I know how my of the stuff I want to add each time.

 

[mredman]

I was able to buy some frozen cyclop-eeze locally. I use it in addition to a modified "Borneman" formula. The scolymia almost invert themselves with their tentacles when I spot feed with a turkey baster, the yellow finger gorgonian has full polyp extension and the acroporas fully extend polyps as well. I also give a shot to my four large feather dusters. Finally, I use the formula/cyclop-eeze to feed my hungry carnation dendronepthya. This coral is now more than 6 months old in my tank and has produced more than 10 offspring, some which are now more than one inch high. Other factors that may be helping the carnation coral is that it is located in a partly shaded area about 50 inches below the lighting (I have a deep tank). I also maintain the tank at 76 degrees, which may be a factor.

Mike

 

[cecilturtle]

Thanks guys....

 

[elefink]

What are those vitamin suppliments in the recipe?

 

[fjdevelopment]

Is pollack a good fish for this recipe?

 

[PoggiPJ]

the carnation coral is located about 50 inches below the lighting

Ok Mike,
That caught my attention. I have a hard time feeding and my tank is only 30" deep. How the heck are you target feeding that deep? Have you crafted some sort of feeding tube?

 

[eyedoc]

I just started using Prime Reef to feed fish.
It has a long list of ingredients.
Would this be good for feeding corals?
It sure would be easier, although much more expensive.
Here are the ingredients:

Ingredients: Marine shrimp, marine clams, squid, zoo-plankton's (E. pacific and E. superba), spinach, seaweed, fish oil, mussel, lobster, fish roe, scallop, vitamins (choline chloride, ascorbic acid including stabilized vitamin C, vitamin E supplement, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, menadione sodium bisulfate complex, vitamin A acetate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, beta-carotene supplement, biotin), amino acids (dl-methionine, taurine, lysine), and trace elements (manganese sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, sodium selenite).

 

[EricHugo]

If you liquify it, it should be fine. Prime Reef is a big gel-chunked cube and unless you make it into much smaller pieces, it will be of relatively low use for all but corals with quite large mouths.

 

[StephenA]

stupid ?, do you peel the shrimp before grinding them up?

 

[eyedoc]

The prime reef cube dissolves in water to different sized particles ranging from dust to 1-2 mm in size.

 

[EricHugo]

Stephen - yes, I do.

Eyedoc - One of the reasons I make up the food is because I'm not assured of the quality of the frozen foods, and they are very expensive for what they are.

 

[Macroman]

Re: Eric's "famous" coral food recipe

Fresh seafood:

oysters - blend well and may have Vibriostatic properties


What are Vibriostatic properties and how do they relate to the marine aquarium?

Websters only fueled the fire.

 

[EdKruzel]

It's a virus believed to cause bleaching in many coral species, so says the rumor :mixed:

Eric,
Happy New Year my friend. This thread has gotten so long I can't remember if you comment on an expiration for the food you make.

Being I only have the 37cube running at this time, my last batch was quite large and is over 6mths old right now.
It's been frozen the entire time (take what I need and return to the freezer) however I'm thinking about throwing it out and making a smaller fresh batch.

What are your thoughts?

Take care,
Ed

 

[EricHugo]

Hapy new year to you, too, stranger! I'd say its probably fine - how much freezer burn is there?

 

[EdKruzel]

Eric,
I'm trying not to be a stranger, but with the change over to Homeland Security and my classes I can hardly find time to breathe.
There is very little freezer burn, its just on one edge where I cut it with a wet kitchen knife.
I had been cutting from another area since.

Hope to see you in Chicago.

Take care,
Ed

 

[eyedoc]

How exactly do you feed this home made food mix?
Do you just pour it in the tank and let the water flow distribute it all around?
How much do you feed?