my first back sun coral

[Hermannsae]

After having some success with a orange sun coral, I got a black one.
Finally (after almost a week and now different location) the polyps are starting to open up. Not the best pictures though ...
Let's hope it will continue.

Orange Sun Coral

Black Sun Coral

 

[ddwatson]

What is your trick to success. I have had no luck getting my to grow.

 

[Hermannsae]

flow-food
I have a very small powerhead behind the sun corals, therefore they are in a constant flow. I might change that in the near future with a controllable powerhead.
My 180 gal tank has one upstream 75 gal refugium and a 60 gal downstream refugium.
I do have a very low fish load and tons of natural critters. Additional to that I do feed 2-3 per week

 

[Hermannsae]

later tonight ...

 

[Hermannsae]

today ...
I guess, the "white part" will die off eventually.
Question is, shall I cut it off?

 

[Travis590]

Very nice black sun coral, I think I still like the orange ones better but the black sun looks REAL good with polyps out.

 

[Occane5]

I have black sun corals and they are cool but mine is taking forever to grow!!!

 

[alan.reef]

I get my black sun coral from liveaquaria about 1 month ago.
the 1st week they never come out and some die off on the branching.
at 3rd week come out every times i feed my fish in the tank.
I do tupperware bath every 2 day with orange sun coral.
be patience it will come out, keep feeding.. good luck

 

[stunreefer]

today ...
I guess, the "white part" will die off eventually.
Question is, shall I cut it off?

No, in my experience the coenosarc (tissue) can grow back. It's a painfully slow process, but it can grow back.

Did you dip the coral when you first purchased it? The picture in post #4 of this thread shows a couple small spots of bare skeleton that obviously continued to spread. As with all coral there are specific predators that will attack various species, therefore all incoming coral should be dipped (several times IMO) and all exposed rock scrubbed well with a hard bristle tooth brush prior to adding to your display aquarium.

 

[Hermannsae]

Austin, no, I didn't dipp it.
Question is, will this branch eventually die?
The polyps are still responding very well.

 

[stunreefer]

In my experience, no it will not die.

 

[steve1986]

Very good looking!

 

[Hermannsae]

update August 2013

update August 2013

I made an astonished observation. I got a neon green polyp. Is that normal that they are changing the color?

Unfortunately, I can't make a picture when the polyps are extended.

Does anybody else experienced something like that. I do know that you get corals with green polyps but so far I never saw one mixed.

 

[Hermannsae]

Peppermint shrimp stealing food

Peppermint shrimp stealing food

After feeding my NPS tonight, I discovery some time later that one of my peppermint shrimps was stealing food from the polyps. :uzi:
Actually, that happens quit often while feeding, new was that the food was well inside the polyp. Several hours after feeding. The shrimp extracted it out of the polyp, like someone is taking your food out of your stomach.

Well, another lesson learned. Do not feed your NPS in the late evening before the lights are going out, feed them during the day when the shrimps are hiding.
Always something.

Btw, the Tubastraea micrantha (at least I think that's the correct name for a branching black sun coral) is doing well. The white "Skelton" is disappearing slowly and more and more ploys are developing, as mentioned above, even a green one!

 

[Hermannsae]

some pictures

some pictures