Orange Tree sponge and Sun Coral

[Beckmola24]

Yesterday I bought a REALLY healthy orange tree spong and it's just gorgeous. To my delight There is a single tube of orange pinkish Sun Coral that is also attached to the sponge's rock. I was thrilled to see this because the sun coral is a VERY pretty color!

I have a few questions regarding each of them.

Question 1: What are the best things to feed the tree sponge?? I have it placed in medium flow to keep algae from growing on it. I've fed the tank with DT's phytoplankton, and disrupted the sand bed around the sponge to give it some food but what else can I feed it? It's so gorgeous!

Question 2: How do I make the sun coral grow?? I only have one tube. I know I need to feed it, but is there anything specific that makes them really thrive??

 

[Beckmola24]

Bump

 

[Alaskan Reefer]

Beck -- the sun polyp will need target feeding at least every other day to thrive, at minimum once per week to live. A small piece of mysis shrimp is probably your best bet.

 

[Beckmola24]

Thanks for the info! I've read that they are not colonial and that every polyp needs to be fed in order for it to thrive, but how do they become groups?? I guess what I'm trying to figure out is how they reproduce?

 

[Beckmola24]

Bump

 

[Beckmola24]

Another bump... *sigh*

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Just feed it and it will grow into more polyps... they do a mixture of splitting and growing new heads from the base.

 

[clsanchez77]

See this article regarding the sponge: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rs/index.php
Chris

 

[Beckmola24]

Thanks for the link. Very helpful!

 

[clsanchez77]

Going through my old posts...
How is it so far?