Feeding corals pellet food

[musicman980]

Is it safe to feed corals pellet food, specifically Spectrum Pellets? I have an almost full container of them and I don't keep fish anymore just corals and a cleaner shrimp and I don't want to just throw them out.

Spectrum pellets also have "copper proteinate" in them, could this have a negative effect? Or is just a trace element that all living things under the sea need?

 

[ColaAddict]

I would think it's fine, they do get some of the fish food that you throw into your tank when you feed the fish. You probably don't want them to eat the same food all the time though.

 

[BANDIT ANGEL]

Is it safe to feed corals pellet food, specifically Spectrum Pellets? I have an almost full container of them and I don't keep fish anymore just corals and a cleaner shrimp and I don't want to just throw them out.

Spectrum pellets also have "copper proteinate" in them, could this have a negative effect? Or is just a trace element that all living things under the sea need?

I don't feed corals pellets on purpose but they do eat HIKARI and spectrum pellets ofter when I feed the fish. It seems okay for them to eat pellets in small numbers but they may have digestive failures due to the large amount of starch in commercial fish food.

 

[musicman980]

Ok, it just seems like the perfect coral food because it has a variety of food like krill, herring, squid, fruits and veggies... So why feed any coral just krill or just silversides or something when these pellets have a combination of everything?

 

[musicman980]

Interesting bandit, I never thought about ill effects on a corals digestive track...

 

[M88A2]

I've fed my acans, frogspawn, hammer, blasto, and candy cane pellets. seems to be ok. haven't seen and ill effects

 

[musicman980]

Sweet deal I guess I'l try it! Thanks guys

 

[mtaswt]

i guess you could just grind them up and broadcast them throughout the tank?

 

[organism]

i guess you could just grind them up and broadcast them throughout the tank?

Nope, just turn off the flow and drop the pellets onto the coral, then wait until they're done eating and turn it back on again. Grinding them up into the tank is just going to foul up your water quality, but either way keep in mind you don't need to feed corals at all.

 

[mallorieGgator]

I feed my acans spectrum. I feed the little pellets soaked in water to soften them a bit. Then I turkey baste them into the acans feeder tentacles. I have accidentally fed one head a ton of pellets bc I squeezed the baster and the pellets were stuck in the end. It ended up getting probably 20 pellets. It didn't die but I wouldn't recommend feeding that many pellets at once. maybe just 3 or 4 to each head depending on what you are feeding.

 

[sjwitt]

I feed my acans spectrum. I feed the little pellets soaked in water to soften them a bit. Then I turkey baste them into the acans feeder tentacles. I have accidentally fed one head a ton of pellets bc I squeezed the baster and the pellets were stuck in the end. It ended up getting probably 20 pellets. It didn't die but I wouldn't recommend feeding that many pellets at once. maybe just 3 or 4 to each head depending on what you are feeding.

I do the same thing, soak them first to soften then 'broadcast feed' to the tank. I use a syringe though rather than a turkey baster. I think it's one of those used to dose liquid medicine for kids (never used for that purpose of course).

 

[L98-Z]

I feed my duncans and acans pellet food.

 

[SushiGirl]

...but either way keep in mind you don't need to feed corals at all.

You do know that corals eat in the ocean, right? And not just small particulate matter.

 

[MechEng99]

I rescue corals (corals that are near death) with pellet food as it seems to help their recovery faster. They seem to process it better than homemade food initially (and once they get healthier they seem to like the homemade foods.)

I have noticed though that my corals prefer Formula Two to Spectrum. Not sure why that is, but they open up more to eat Formula Two and heal faster with it. I'm sure Spectrum is fine to feed them (I do) though.

 

[organism]

You do know that corals eat in the ocean, right? And not just small particulate matter.

Yes, and you do know that in the ocean they have clean water all the time, right? It still doesn't mean they need anything other than light in a reef tank. Way too many newer hobbyists are convinced their photosynthetic corals need food, they don't, with good conditions and water quality they'll grow just as fast in a lot of systems, and with the poor water quality from not feeding properly a lot of corals end up growing slower, not at all, or even just receding and dying.

imo feeding is something that should come later in the hobby, after people understand that water chemistry affects growth more than feeding and plan accordingly. All of the greenhouses I know of don't bother feeding, and their corals grow faster than any I've seen

 

[organism]

I rescue corals (corals that are near death) with pellet food as it seems to help their recovery faster. They seem to process it better than homemade food initially (and once they get healthier they seem to like the homemade foods.)

+1, I've got a rescue chalice that's loving the pellet food

 

[rivoth]

It still doesn't mean they need anything other than light in a reef tank. Way too many newer hobbyists are convinced their photosynthetic corals need food

Newer hobbyists should be convinced that corals need feeding because every scientific study of corals show that coral photosynthesis only provides energy, not proteins for growth. Now it's a pretty rare tank that doesn't have some food available. Particulalry large systems like commercial greenhouses. But don't mistake the fact that you don't intentionaly feed your corals as proof that they don't need to eat.

The point about not feeding to the point of fouling up the water quality is a very good one.

 

[organism]

Newer hobbyists should be convinced that corals need feeding because every scientific study of corals show that coral photosynthesis only provides energy, not proteins for growth.

I think you should take that nugget of wisdom to all of the TOTM winners that don't feed their photosynthetic corals, which at last glance was most of them. I ran a good sized farm for years with 1/4" a week growth on most corals, guess they didn't read those "corals need to eat to grow" studies either...

Now it's a pretty rare tank that doesn't have some food available. Particulalry large systems like commercial greenhouses. But don't mistake the fact that you don't intentionaly feed your corals as proof that they don't need to eat.

In reality, it's a pretty rare commercial greenhouse or propagation enterprise that wants to foul their already expensive amount of water by putting food in it. Which places specifically are you referring to? I'm guessing none, and that it's more of an abstract idea you have in mind.

Corals do not need to be fed to grow, and that's the last thing new hobbyists should be doing since their focus should be on stable water chemistry and throwing food in the tank is the direct opposite of that goal. It's a myth that just helps LFS sell new people more pointless stuff. Feeding corals can be beneficial for more advanced hobbyists once they understand the concept better, but I have never seen it have a net gain for any newer hobbyist.

 

[ct_vol]

+1, I've got a rescue chalice that's loving the pellet food

Can I get a frag?




Good to see an old friend on here... I took about a year hiatus after relocating to IL... Hope all is well with the family out on the west coast...


Back on topic... I feed most of my LPS when I have the opportunity... For when I don't, photosynthesis does the trick... Feeding is not a substitute for light or good water parameters, but should be done in order to provide an additional tool for success... The biggest newbie mistake I see is feeding too much without the filtration necessary to support the feedings and the water quality deteriorates... So keep that in mind when you're feeding as well... More is not always better... :mixed:

 

[organism]

Can I get a frag?

Good to see an old friend on here... I took about a year hiatus after relocating to IL... Hope all is well with the family out on the west coast...

Holy blast from the past! I'd be tempted to send the whole colony to you if it wasn't actively dying out on me, every day it loses a bit more flesh and I can't figure out why It's a purple rim watermelon too, or was, now it looks like a frosted turd.

Things are good out here, I hope the move's treating you well! Get a tank going yet?