Sun coral, need to feed every head?
- Thread starter das75
- Start date
As far as I know, nobody was able to trace this recommendation to the source, that gave this idea - you may check few sun coral threads below.
I'm not feeding every head, but trying to cover them by excess of food, starting each time in different place. This way sooner or later all polyps will be fed.
The following may give some hint, is it necessary to feed each polyp or not:
As colony grows, it encrusts available surface around - and starts to grow own skeleton vertically from that. My sun coral was not on the rock, but on bare bottom, moved frequently during cleaning. It had no other choice, as to start to grow on the bottom facing surface, where polyps couldn't be reached and fed. Still, no die-off of the unfed polyps:
Even no infection on the ruptured by moving during cleaning polyps.
The only link, that I was able to find, mentioning interconnected polyps, is:
If you find something, post for us, please.
I'm not feeding every head, but trying to cover them by excess of food, starting each time in different place. This way sooner or later all polyps will be fed.
The following may give some hint, is it necessary to feed each polyp or not:
As colony grows, it encrusts available surface around - and starts to grow own skeleton vertically from that. My sun coral was not on the rock, but on bare bottom, moved frequently during cleaning. It had no other choice, as to start to grow on the bottom facing surface, where polyps couldn't be reached and fed. Still, no die-off of the unfed polyps:
Even no infection on the ruptured by moving during cleaning polyps.
The only link, that I was able to find, mentioning interconnected polyps, is:
by authority in sun corals, Stephen D. Cairns ( link ).
If you find something, post for us, please.
Steve Atkins
New member
No you don't. I've had one for years and now that I have stopped neglecting it, it is growing well with me hand feeding only the larger polyps (the ones that are open when I do the feeding that is).
If you think through the ‘feed all polyps’ is logically flawed. It is based on the idea that nutrient is not passed between polyps however, if you watch how new polyps are produced, you see that this can’t be correct. New polyps are budded off the larger ones and nutrients must be passing from the larger to the smaller one during this time as the young ones manage to grow quite satisfactorily before you begin feeding them.
If the colony has had a hard time and parts of it are separated by bare skeleton you will need to feed each section, as there will be no mechanism to pass nutrient through the skeleton.
If you think through the ‘feed all polyps’ is logically flawed. It is based on the idea that nutrient is not passed between polyps however, if you watch how new polyps are produced, you see that this can’t be correct. New polyps are budded off the larger ones and nutrients must be passing from the larger to the smaller one during this time as the young ones manage to grow quite satisfactorily before you begin feeding them.
If the colony has had a hard time and parts of it are separated by bare skeleton you will need to feed each section, as there will be no mechanism to pass nutrient through the skeleton.
Ricecakeguy
In Memoriam
are these hard to take care of
Steve Atkins
New member
Only if you don't feed them.
I used to feed my one on mosquito larvae and occasional bits of supermarket shrimp but this diet only allowed it to survive without really growing. Since I started feeding it the same frozen 'angel mix' I made up for my fish it has started to grow quite well.
They apparently don't mind bright lighting but I have never kept them in it as they gain no benefit and would only be occupying the space another coral mike make better use of.
Steve
I used to feed my one on mosquito larvae and occasional bits of supermarket shrimp but this diet only allowed it to survive without really growing. Since I started feeding it the same frozen 'angel mix' I made up for my fish it has started to grow quite well.
They apparently don't mind bright lighting but I have never kept them in it as they gain no benefit and would only be occupying the space another coral mike make better use of.
Steve
They require manual feeding, at least twice a week (once a week will work for a couple of months, but after that they should have additional food). For months and years. Skimming too, especially, if you will make a collection of different sun corals with hundreds of polyps.
Feeding by ready made food, like Mysis or Ocean Plankton from LFS, prewashed, will keep water more clean, than blended or grated grocery seafood, but for big or several sun corals it will be more expensive.
Feeding every day in small amounts will give faster growth, than twice a week feeding.
How I'm keeping mine, is here.
IMHE it's quite hardy. The only things, they do not tolerate (IMHE, of course) is:
- the full absence of flow for the whole night, while being crowded together with other suns,
- red slime (or dinoflagellates) filled tank, phosphates above 1ppm make them look depressed, as well as massive kalkwasser treatment of aiptasia. Water changes, carbon, Ultralife Red Slime remover help.
- being burn by hammer or frogspawn corals leaves unsightly dead polyps in the middle of colony, same - from very rought handing and repeated mechanical damage (ruptures).
If your filtration will be not adequate, you may have problems with water quality. Beware.
Ah, and you may or may not have some rough time, making it open to feed. Most are opening at once, starved colonies will require repeated attempts to feed them. If you can, buy the plump, well fed colony.
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