fox problems

[Sk8r]

I have a beaten-up fox coral I got because, well, it was the first fox I've seen in ages around here. And still the only. But it's not doing as well as I'd like.
Tank: 52 mh 250 10000, good flow, sea swirl 1/2 inch, Urchin skimmer.
Alk 9.3
Cal 400
Mg. 1280
Sal 1.025
Temp: 80.5.

Piece is about 8" long in an S-curve: middle of curve is a dead spot about 1/2 inch long. One end had broken spine, but has healed and looks good. The speciman is cut across the bottom, which gives bristleworms an entry into the fan-shape, and they do exist there in the dead spot and probably elsewhere.

With care, it's healed its broken end, and it plumps up pretty nicely during the day, but it isn't quite glowing with health, and it occasionally contracts at lights-out and slimes a bit, which makes me think I have a way to go in helping this creature back to health.

How and what do I feed it, what params would it like better (it's on the bottom in a sheltered but lighted nook, about 20 inches from the mh straight down) and how in general do I care for it?

 

[Amphiprion]

I have never noticed a strong feeding behavior in Nemenzophyllia. They tend to get most of their nutrition through absorption. I suppose you could try at night with some pieces of some meaty foods, such as mysis, silversides, etc. Also keep it in relatively indirect light and lower water flow.

 

[Sk8r]

Thanks! That's pretty well what I'm doing...and it is improving from when I got it, so I guess i'll just keep doing what I'm doing. I have more nutrient in my tank than what was intended as an sps tank ought to have, but then I've ended up with more lps than not, as is---so I suppose it's getting something to sustain it. When I look back on it, it was stupid of me to put an iffy specimen into my display: I think I dodged the bullet on that one, and won't be so dim again, but in the meanwhile I sure hope I can bring this one back to what it might have been.

 

[Rothie]

Mine eats a lot.I feed it a combination of Mysis,brine,and Cyclopeze.

 

[Sk8r]

Thanks---I must confess I'm not up to speed on this one. It's perking up a bit today, however, and the cyclopeeze before the halides come on may be the way to go.

 

[ACBlinky]

I feed most of my LPS, but my fox has never taken food so I gave up trying. In about six months it grew from a few small lobes into a monster the size of a small cabbage. I fragged it in half, and it's starting to get big again. IME these guys are pretty forgiving and grow quickly once they're settled in. I agree with the low light/low flow recommendation. It sounds like yours is on the mend, just keep up with what you're doing and you'll be amazed at how it looks in a few months

 

[Rothie]

I've had other fox corals that never showed any interest in food,but the one I have now eats like pig.