sun coral's color fading

[cozart]

i have a sun coral and other than his color fading he seems to be perfectly healthy. i feed him every other day, three or four times a week. mostly myasis, some cyclopeze, and fish - he eats fairly large chunks of fish. when he eats he swells up HUGE!!! i have him out in the open and he stays closed till the lights go off or smells food in the tank. the actual polyps are still a vibrant orange and yellow but the "stoney" portions are a faded yellow and orange?

 

[waterfaller1]

Put it under a ledge, it could be bleaching from being out under the lights. In nature they are found growing under ledges and in caves attached to the walls.

 

[scott058]

Sun Coral

Sun Coral

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7784577#post7784577 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by waterfaller1
Put it under a ledge, it could be bleaching from being out under the lights. In nature they are found growing under ledges and in caves attached to the walls.

What he said

 

[cschweitzer]

What she said... Waterfaller is Carole. They are completely non-photosynthetic, so this it matter not how much light they get.

 

[waterfaller1]

Re: Sun Coral

Re: Sun Coral

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7784661#post7784661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scott058
What he said

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7784732#post7784732 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cschweitzer
What she said... .

:spin2: :lol:

 

[cozart]

yeah, i've talked to and seen many who keep their sun's out in the open under full light. i have heard they are found in caves or under cover in nature because that's where the highest concentration of food is.

 

[cozart]

i do not have a iodine test kit nor have i had my levels checked. i've heard low iodine levels can cause a change in pigment?

 

[waterfaller1]

Iodine test kits are not accurate, and you never want to dose it. Water changes are enough to replenish trace elements like this. It's really easy to overdose iodine, which can cause serious problems. Are you dosing with a two part additive?

 

[fvandijk]

I've noticed the same thing, Cozart. I got a beautiful bright yellow sun coral about a month ago- it's on the bottom of my aquarium but in direct light (250 W MH) and although the polyps are still bright yellow, the flesh of the most of the coral cups has lightened considerably. It's eating just fine. I moved it today and noticed that the underside, i.e. shaded portions of the coral were still very bright.
So, although it probably does not bleach in the traditional sense (expelling zooxanthellae) I think the light probably does have something to do with it.
I'll try to get some pics as soon as I recharge my camera batteries (and then I'm finding a less bright spot )

 

[damitchsta]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7788527#post7788527 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by waterfaller1
Iodine test kits are not accurate, and you never want to dose it. Water changes are enough to replenish trace elements like this. It's really easy to overdose iodine, which can cause serious problems. Are you dosing with a two part additive?

off the topic a little but i thought it is good to dose iodine for like xenia. is this true or not really worth the risk of over dosing

 

[waterfaller1]

Not necessary and you never want to add something you cannot accurately test for. Regular water changes should be enough to supply what the xenia needs. Plus, if you are using a good two part A+B, there is an amount of other elements in it..such as iodine.