Goniopora can eat larger foods

[Lynnmw1208]

So the other day I was feeding my fish as normal with NLS pellets when one fell right into one of my goniopora's polyps. Well it grabbed that piece of food and ate it! I couldn't believe my eyes! Then today I was feeding rod's food and it caught a couple larger pieces and started to eat it! Someone on one of the forums said these corals cannot eat larger than cyclops and other small foods, but mine just proved that wrong! I have high hopes for this one! I'll have to try and catch a picture of this next time! It is so odd how the polyp wraps itself around the food like a glove!

 

[astroreevo]

wow, what size is your goniopora? Waiting for your pic :wave:

 

[Lynnmw1208]

As requested, some pictures. It's actually the largest coral in my tank atm. I thought my duncan was big, but after a month of having this guy he really extends nicely! enjoy the pics!

 

[Lynnmw1208]

Eating Rod's food

Eating Rod's food

I tried spot feeding it with Rod's food today and here's a picture of it eating it. This food gives the best feeding response by far.

 

[jc-reef]

Very nice looking piece!! Congrats! Yours has rather long tenticle polyps, whereas mine are maybe 1/4 as long as yours and I have NEVER seen mine eat anything...even after gently target feeding it. It has been in my tank for about a year and has almost doubled in size, so I guess it is getting what it needs.

 

[organism]

Very nice, I didn't know they'd feed with larger foods, great post!

 

[astroreevo]

I tried spot feeding it with Rod's food today and here's a picture of it eating it. This food gives the best feeding response by far.

nice pic :thumbsup:
I have a 1 years old red goniopora, and it doesn't seem active to catch food like yours

 

[Lynnmw1208]

Thanks for the compliments everyone! I was surprised to see it eating larger foods myself! Hopefully this is a good sign! I have it in lightly moderate flow and it's on the bottom of a rock and it appears very happy.

 

[John Kelly]

Your Goni appears to be in good health to begin with. Many of them aren't; therefore, they have difficulty capturing, holding onto, and consuming food.

Keep feeding it at least once every 3 days and spot feed all around the coral. The species with larger polyps/ larger mouths, like yours, can consume larger foods, but they do it slowly, which gives fish and/or hermit crabs (and other competitors) a chance to steal it. It's best to keep the food small and sort of liquid.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

Your Goni appears to be in good health to begin with. Many of them aren't; therefore, they have difficulty capturing, holding onto, and consuming food.

Keep feeding it at least once every 3 days and spot feed all around the coral. The species with larger polyps/ larger mouths, like yours, can consume larger foods, but they do it slowly, which gives fish and/or hermit crabs (and other competitors) a chance to steal it. It's best to keep the food small and sort of liquid.

Very good info thanks! I haven't seen anyone trying to take food from this guy. I think they're afraid of it to be honest lol. I will keep an eye on it. I have been spot feeding it 3 times a week already so I guess I'm off to a good start