Symphyllia feeding.

[ROlympia]

I have a symphyllia, lobophyllia, and two favia. Latter 4 clearly consume Fauna Marin LPS pellets.

Symphyllia seems to engulf it in mucous within the ridges of the coral, kinda like a fog in a valley. I haven't been able to observe a mouth taking it in, or feeding tentacles.

I'd appreciate feedback on feeding the Symphyllia.


Thanks.

 

[ReefNomad]

Unless your symphyllia is really thick and meaty, it doesn't have nearly as big of a gut as your other LPS. The mouths are definitely between the ridges, on the colored tissue in the flat valleys. In the wild, most symphyllia (especially my favorite, S. wilsoni) prefer to grow along flow patterns, and filter feed when food concentrations are high. If you'd like to see the real feeding action of your symphyllia, cut your flow and squirter a little cloud of a filter food around it. Mine like cyclops, rotifers, live phyto, or almost any of the commercial mixes.

 

[ROlympia]

Thanks. I'll try the feeding suggestion so I'm able to see how it behaves.