Improving conditions for a chalice

[jgsteven]

Hello,

I have had a red chalice in my biocube 29 for about 1 year. It has grown about 1/2 inch in diameter, opens its tentacles for feeding every night, and generally looks happy and healthy.

Last week I brought home a blue chalice from the LFS. Its approximately the same size as the red (~6 inches diameter). I placed it in the cube in the same place as the red used to be, and moved the red up somewhat closer to the light.

I am worried the blue chalice is not doing well -- it does not open for feeding at night, and appears to be lightening in color. It doesn't look bleached yet, but the blue is getting lighter which has me worried. (FYI, the red is still doing well, always open at night, beautiful bright red color)

Anything I can do to help the coral out? I believe the blue is a different species than the red, so it might like different lighting or flow -- but I honestly don't know whether to give it less or more...

Thanks,

jgsteven

 

[greech]

So is the blue one on the bottom? Assume the lighting is the stock PCs?

 

[jgsteven]

Yes, the blue is lower in the tank. The lighting is PowerCompact 36W x2 with the original Biocube ballasts. The lights themselves have been replaced. One bulb is an Actinic white internal reflector bulb from nano-tuners (Actinic white is a very misleading name, it looks like a daylight bulb) and the other is a pure actinic.

I have attached pictures of both chalice. FYI, in real life the blue chalice looks blueish gray rather than the blueish white in the picture, but you shoudl get the idea.

 

[greech]

It looks healythy to me. I have noticed that some chalice don't seem to send out their feeders (even at night) until they have been in my tank for a while. If the color has "browned/greyed" compared to when you got it, you may want to move it up a little and watch it. If it starts to whiten up then you should move it down and or partially shade it. Some chalice do very well in higher light while others almost need to be shaded. It's a nice looking coral as it stands though.

Have you tried to kill your pumps and cover the chalice with mysis to promote a feeding response?

 

[TULSATYE]

Put it on the sandbed and see how it does, some like more light than others!

 

[jgsteven]

Thanks guys. I will try blasting it with mysis and moving it around a bit.