How to nurse this Candy Cane?

[Wrench]

I just picked up this Caulastrea from my LFS. Normally I don't buy corals from them but for the price I figured it would be worth the time to try and nurture this guy back to health. I don't think it's in real bad shape but a few of the heads look like they're going downhill. There is one dead head on the colony and another that's real close.. It was only $40 and has 24 live heads so I think it's worth a shot. Basically I'm looking for some tips on babying this guy to get him nice and healthy again.

 

[nmprisons]

feed it some mysid and cyclops and make sure it isn't in tons of light.

 

[Wrench]

I don't have any cyclopeeze but I do use Reef Chili. Should I target feed it that? I've also got some brine that I was going to try. How much is too much? I thought they preferred moderate light. Right now it's a little less than 1/3 of the way off the bottom of the tank which is 24" high under 2x175 MH lights that are 8" above the surface of the water.

 

[nmprisons]

It would be fine all the way on the bottom, imo ... I would target feed ... maybe get some mysis and use tweezers or something to put them in each polyp when the feeders are out.

 

[raoul]

We use a turkey baster and target feed mysis and frozen formula one. It's also tried to eat some scallop, but the piece was too big for it. I've also seen my catch flake food that's in the water.

Target feeding with meaty foods has worked for us.

 

[Wrench]

Thanks, I'll try those suggestions. I'm guessing the feeders will come out after the lights have been off for a little while?

 

[musty baby]

That's usually the case, though when they're happy they may be out most of the time. Candy canes are quick to rejuvenate, have fun with it.

 

[raoul]

I have some reds that we're bringing back from two shrunken heads. They're both doing a three way split They've almost always got their feeders out - day and night. We have a set of bright greens whose feeders aren't nearly as long, but will gladly take a piece of food if it lands on it, even if the feeders aren't out (sometimes these catch things I'm feeding for other things).

We feed when it's convinient for us (which is lights on) and most of the corals have adapted easily to this.

 

[johnnybravo234]

Definitely target feed. I feed mine spirulina enriched brine shrimp and phyto. Give them a squirt with a turkey baster and then wait a few minutes for them to extend their sweepers fully and then give them the rest. I feed mine usually twice a week but yours could probably use an additional feeding until they fully recover. They are quite hardy and should come back. IME they do best in low flow and medium light. They will grow fairly quick too. Nice piece

 

[Wrench]

I can't get it to extend it's feeders yet. Maybe it's still acclimating to the new tank? It's only been 24 hrs. I targeted it with some mysis and brine but it wouldn't take anything.

 

[blange3]

Be patient, keep trying to feed and keep your CA and Alk stable. There's a lot of growth activity going on. Sometimes when mine are splitting the tissue recedes for days.

 

[mario_07963]

how do you know when a candy cane is gone...I had mine for at least two months now, and all it's left is the skeleton, can it come back?

 

[jaymz101]

Be patient with it. when I got mine I didnt see tentacles or inflation for a while. Now its friggin great. Its doubled from about 10 to 25+ heads. And its in direct light in the middle of my tank and I dont target feed.

 

[Wrench]

I caught it with it's feeders out last night. Nearly all the heads had them extended so I was able to feed some mysis.

 

[dendro982]

It's not in too bad shape, will recover in a month or two, even with rare target feeding, if you are feeding all the tank. Mine did so.