Scolymia Questions

[jmadden]

Over the past couple of weeks I've picked up a few Scolymia. I'm wondering where these corals are found in nature, on the sandy bottom, on rocks etc. Once of my scolys, a bleeding apple, is on a rock and extends out and is fat and plump. Another is a warpaint (it's not receding, it is an old injury) and it doesn't seem to extend out and as fat as the bleeding apple. I just got the orange and green one today.

Can you tell me if these corals are happy or should they be moved. I wouldn't mind putting them on the sand bed. If they are on the sand bed how should they be positioned, just dropped or dug in a little bit? I've got a melanurus wrasse that like to stir things up a bit and drop sand around. Will this be a problem?

<a href="http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q253/mad_dog1884/Fish%20Tank%20Stuff/?action=view&current=IMG_5069.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q253/mad_dog1884/Fish%20Tank%20Stuff/IMG_5069.jpg" border="0" alt="scolies 1"></a>

<a href="http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q253/mad_dog1884/Fish%20Tank%20Stuff/?action=view&current=IMG_5071.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q253/mad_dog1884/Fish%20Tank%20Stuff/IMG_5071.jpg" border="0" alt="scolies 2"></a>

 

[cunningham]

Those look great! I have one on the sand and it does fine, have you checked them out after the lights go out ? Give them a couple of hours then check them with a flashlight they kind of turn inside out, tentacles extending, etc.
Just watch out for the xenia they will take them over, they did to me anyway
Danny

 

[jmadden]

The bleeding apple has really good feeding tentacle extension. The war paint not so much. I had to clear a bunch of xenia to make room.

How did you position your scoly on the sand, just placed it and left it?

 

[Ferguson1977]

You need to feed your new ones to get them going. I have a few scolys too and everytime I get a new one, they aren't as plump as they should be. A couple didn't extend feeders at night so I primed them with some cyclops. After a minute or two you should see feeders. Then put a small piece of silversides on it so it can eat. If the cyclops doesn't work, just resting a piece of silversides on it may get it to open. It usually takes 2 or 3 feedings and then they open on their own every night. Feed a small piece of silverside twice a week and they will always look plump and feed at night.

 

[greech]

+1 to feeding. The problem is that they are slow eaters so if you have fish (looks like you have a melenarus), that may be hard to do since the fish look at them as food bowls and steel the food before the scoly closes up! I had that exact issue and would feed my scoly once a week in a bowl of tank water out of the tank. I have since removed the wrasse and now the scoly can eat in peace . IME, they do not have to be fed but they sure do a lot better with at least a weekly feeding of small (I found small foods seem to work better) meaty foods like mysis. They really plump up when you feed them. Once your scoly gets used to being fed it will react almost instantly to food.

 

[jmadden]

You need to feed your new ones to get them going. I have a few scolys too and everytime I get a new one, they aren't as plump as they should be. A couple didn't extend feeders at night so I primed them with some cyclops. After a minute or two you should see feeders. Then put a small piece of silversides on it so it can eat. If the cyclops doesn't work, just resting a piece of silversides on it may get it to open. It usually takes 2 or 3 feedings and then they open on their own every night. Feed a small piece of silverside twice a week and they will always look plump and feed at night.

Before I purchased them I had the LFS feed them, so I could watch their feeding response. They were feeding silver sides, cut up and de-boned. The war paint was the slowest, maybe five mins. or so to wake up and start closing.

I turn off all my pumps and I feed cyclopeeze and fish row mixed along with some mysis. This morning I tried feeding silversides. The green one took two good sized chunks with out regurgitation. I have to fend off my two cleaner shrimp for like ten mins. so they don't steal the food.

Tonight I noticed that the mouth of the war paint wasn't fully closing like the green one. After closer examination of the mouth I could a small worm, kind of like a feather duster, but with what looks like two small hairs. I removed the scoly and with tweezers carefully pulled it out. I think this may be why the coral might not feel comfortable closing up completely to feed. I tried to take a picture, but couldn't capture it clearly before removal.

 

[jmadden]

+1 to feeding. The problem is that they are slow eaters so if you have fish (looks like you have a melenarus), that may be hard to do since the fish look at them as food bowls and steel the food before the scoly closes up! I had that exact issue and would feed my scoly once a week in a bowl of tank water out of the tank. I have since removed the wrasse and now the scoly can eat in peace . IME, they do not have to be fed but they sure do a lot better with at least a weekly feeding of small (I found small foods seem to work better) meaty foods like mysis. They really plump up when you feed them. Once your scoly gets used to being fed it will react almost instantly to food.

I'm trying to remove the melanurus wrasse, but it is impossible to catch. That fish is the reason the scolymia aren't on the sand bed. That fish likes burying my acans and actually smothered an orange fungia. The fish is always asleep when I feed my corals.

Maybe it the scoly isn't really hungry. I've been feeding every night. Is that too often?

 

[chefzif]

Target feed once a week and when u feed in the evening they will extend there tenicles to feed! Make sure they do not get to much light and current! To bad you cannot have on the bottom I think they look better and open more! IMO. Good luck and they are sweet corals! Chef

 

[jmadden]

Target feed once a week and when u feed in the evening they will extend there tenicles to feed! Make sure they do not get to much light and current! To bad you cannot have on the bottom I think they look better and open more! IMO. Good luck and they are sweet corals! Chef

Just finished feeding the scolies silversides this morning. The bleeding apple ate like a champ as its feeding tentacles were already open. The orange/green one had some feeder tentacles out and took a small piece of silverside. The war paint was showing a few tentacles and I placed a piece of silverside on it and it took it for the most part, not closing completely but the mouth was trying to wrap around it.

As soon as I catch the melanurus wrasse they will be moved.

 

[Ferguson1977]

I wouldn't feed them everyday. I remember reading a thread a long time ago and someone mentioned they fed daily and their scoly rotted from the inside. I did some research for "scoly rot" and couldn't find anything to support this but always remembered that guys experience. I find twice a week is good enough to keep them plump so I don't feed more than that.

 

[jmadden]

I wouldn't feed them everyday. I remember reading a thread a long time ago and someone mentioned they fed daily and their scoly rotted from the inside. I did some research for "scoly rot" and couldn't find anything to support this but always remembered that guys experience. I find twice a week is good enough to keep them plump so I don't feed more than that.

Interesting. Okay, so I'd rather not take that kind of risk. If feeding twice a week does the job this will reduce the amount of food going into the tank. Thanks for the guidance Ferguson1977.

 

[nam2212]

Target feed once a week and when u feed in the evening they will extend there tenicles to feed! Make sure they do not get to much light and current! To bad you cannot have on the bottom I think they look better and open more! IMO. Good luck and they are sweet corals! Chef

What are the signs that it is getting too much light or current? I have only had mine for a little over a week. It would not get all plumped up when I set it right on the sand under the lights. I scooted it under a rock overhang where a very small part of it is getting direct light. It looked great for a few days and put out lots of feeders at night. Now it is back to not plumping up at all. I scooted it farther into the cave yesterday and it didn't put out feeders last night. I will try to add photos later. It still has great color but isn't expanding.

 

[colesreef]

I love those scolys..I have a war paint and feed it 2-3 times a week,cyclops,mysis and silverside cut up..I put it on the sandbed and it sometimes gets sand dumped on it from my diamond goby that keeps the sandbed clean..I usually help keep it clean by using a turkey baster gently. it takes a lot of energy for them to shake it off but it is cool to watch

 

[Ferguson1977]

What are the signs that it is getting too much light or current? I have only had mine for a little over a week. It would not get all plumped up when I set it right on the sand under the lights. I scooted it under a rock overhang where a very small part of it is getting direct light. It looked great for a few days and put out lots of feeders at night. Now it is back to not plumping up at all. I scooted it farther into the cave yesterday and it didn't put out feeders last night. I will try to add photos later. It still has great color but isn't expanding.

when is the last time you fed it?

 

[nam2212]

when is the last time you fed it?

Never. I tried the first night it put out feeders. I dropped a piece of krill on it and it just pulled the feeders back in and let the krill go. I tried a few different times. I have to keep the shrimp away from it too.

 

[jmadden]

Here's an update on the scolies. The orange one is plumping up.

<a href="http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q253/mad_dog1884/Fish%20Tank%20Stuff/?action=view&current=IMG_5083.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q253/mad_dog1884/Fish%20Tank%20Stuff/IMG_5083.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[jmadden]

I love those scolys..I have a war paint and feed it 2-3 times a week,cyclops,mysis and silverside cut up..I put it on the sandbed and it sometimes gets sand dumped on it from my diamond goby that keeps the sandbed clean..I usually help keep it clean by using a turkey baster gently. it takes a lot of energy for them to shake it off but it is cool to watch

Thanks, man these corals are great. I feed mine pretty much the same. Just started with the silversides yesterday.

Did you just place it on the sand bed or did you dig it in some?

 

[colesreef]

I put it on the bed next to a couple of brains out of high flow for bwetter results..I gotta look for one similar to that purple..a great color

 

[nam2212]

I will start my own thread. Sorry for hijacking this one.

 

[jmadden]

I put it on the bed next to a couple of brains out of high flow for bwetter results..I gotta look for one similar to that purple..a great color

Did you push it into the sand at all to let the polyp rest on the sand of just set it there?

I'd say the purple is my favorite too. You can't beat the contrast. People are calling it a 'war paint' if you are looking to acquire one like this.