How to make Sun Corals Open?

[Tennyson]

So I just got a huge colony of Sun Coral, atleast 40 heads, and I think its still adjusting, but I want to feed it some O.N food but its polyps are not fully opening.

I only have phytoplex by kent marine and cyclopeeze. could I squirt some of that over the heads to make it open? Will it open up during the day also?

Thanks!

 

[pammy]

My sun coral opens shortly after I feed my fish around 5 at night while it's still light out. Stays open for the rest of the night after that. I feed mine mysis or brine soaked in Selecon. Eats it up pretty fast!

 

[Tennyson]

I think that would work, but yours is probably so accustomed to opening at that time. Mine is new and looks like its not used to large feedings. I just want it to open up to its full extent. Could it still be adjusting? I acclimated it yesturday the 16th.
Thanks

 

[Tennyson]

This is the most it opened during the night. I turned the lights on for a second to take this picture.

 

[GoingPostal]

I would try feeding the ones with tentacles out, they will grab food even if not fully open and it should convince the others to open. It just takes a while for them to start opening well.

 

[pammy]

The fact that it's opening at all, when you just put it in your tank yesterday, is a really good sign! I agree with the above post....feed the polyps that are open. Beautiful piece!!

 

[Tennyson]

Thanks! But isn't there some sort of additive or food that you all use to make them open half an hour later reguardless of whether the lights are on or off? Something that makes them open instead of lights out?

Thanks

 

[pammy]

I just feed my fish and the sun coral usually opens within 15 minutes or so. I do soak the fish food (frozen mysis, brine, etc) in Garlic Extreme, so I don't know if the scent of garlic in the tank helps entice the sun coral to open or not. I never feed the sun coral when the lights are out, because I want the coral to stay in the habit of opening when I feed the fish so I can enjoy it for a couple of hours.
Pam

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12350045#post12350045 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tennyson
Thanks! But isn't there some sort of additive or food that you all use to make them open half an hour later reguardless of whether the lights are on or off? Something that makes them open instead of lights out?

Thanks

 

[Tennyson]

Yeah, thats what I want to do, I think I'll squirt some squished cyclopeeze juice and baby brine shrimp over them with juices of otehr goodies and see if it'll come out.

Are these ok with my 96 watt lighting? Its in the middle of the tank and I think I could be blasting it with my light.

 

[pammy]

I'm don't think you don't have too much light for the sun coral. I have a 150W Metal Halide and 4 24w T5's over mine, and it's doing really well. My Sun Coral is at the bottom of my tank but I have higher intensity lights than yours, so you should be fine with yours in the middle.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12350538#post12350538 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tennyson
Yeah, thats what I want to do, I think I'll squirt some squished cyclopeeze juice and baby brine shrimp over them with juices of otehr goodies and see if it'll come out.

Are these ok with my 96 watt lighting? Its in the middle of the tank and I think I could be blasting it with my light.

 

[Frozn]

My suncoral open alot, and react alot. Give it time. They are open enough to eat as they are, once they get the food they'll only open more. When i clean the glass, blow the rocks or feed the tank my will start to open right up. But they get the biggest after lights out.

 

[Lotus99]

Feeding the tank at the same time every day will help it learn when to open up. I feed about an hour before lights out, at the same time each day. The coral used to open just after feeding time, and I'd feed it after the lights went out. Now, it opens around feeding time, because it knows food is coming.

 

[Gdevine]

Low light (like a cave environment) and low flow is a must. Second these Sun Cups, especially your red Sun Cups, must eat almost evey night (and sorry to say but the ones in your picture are some of the more difficult to keep as opposed to the yellow sun cups). But that's not say you can't make it work.

Target feed every night at the same time, lights on or off, and they will 1) open on a feeder response and 2) will do so if you are consistent on the timing and 3) again feed almost every night (I do and they love Cyclops!) and you will have happy and very healthy Sun Cups!

 

[Tennyson]

What makes my red morph of sun coral so hard to take care of?

Thanks

 

[Tennyson]

I have not been getting much success in making them open. I made a concentrated formula of mysid, cyclo juice and phytoplankton and squirted it around it and only most of the heads opened after 20 minutes. But the biggest of the heads have not opened fully and I really want to feed them.

The heads that aren't opening are the ones in my picture that aren't opened completely, they still haven't extended more than that.

I think it could still be adjusting, its been three days since I got it. Could it still be adjusting? Why would that side be the only side that hasn't adjusted?

Also, I see mucus all over the heads that I fed alot, is that from feeding, or is it shedding?

I'll try to feed again.

And Gdevine, thanks for the info, I already knew that by getting this coral, I was going to have to make a commitment to feeding them as often as possible, and I'm prepared for that. Thanks though!

 

[Gdevine]

Depending where they are located you can put a the upper part of a cut in half liter soda bottle and feed that way. If not then make sure all flow is off and no one like shrimp can steal their food. Be consistent and you will get results. They are probably still acclimating.

 

[Gdevine]

Also, check out Mark's website on proper care of Sun Cup Corals. It's good stuff:

http://www.melevsreef.com/suncoral.html

 

[Tennyson]

Thanks, I think they are still acclimating, so I'll just wait. Thanks for the link.

 

[Gdevine]

Just one more point of interest: different sun cups have different feeding mechanics, i.e., their polyps and extension are different. My yellow sun cups can extent 300 percent when feeding whereas a red sun cup as in your picture the polyps extend fractions of an inch from their skeleton.

Keep what your doing and give them time. Nothing, and believe me I know, is more rewarding then seeing sun cups thrive

 

[Tim Botsk]

I have three...2 x yellow and 1 x orange..I put mine in a small container Filled with tank water and defrost some Spirulina then swirl it around the container with a spoon..leave it for about 10min then just keep coming back every so often to swirl the food around then after they have had a feed i simple drop them back in the tank...and i do it at different times of the day so it trains them to come out more often then only at night...