The Value of Target Feeding

[EllieSuz]

I bought some bright green palys from Kent D a while back. The three heads grew some, but I had no new growth and I was eager to have them fill out the frag plug. About a week ago I started target feeding each polyp with frozen food once a day and now I have nine (that's NINE) new polyps. How about that!

 

[Gravesj1s]

I noticed similar results,though not as spectacular as yours.Some of mine wont grow at all without direct feeding and actually in atleast one type started to shrink.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

target feeding definitely has great value although I still prefer the shotgun approach

 

[belgian_waffleman]

Not to burst your bubble but is it possible that it took while for the palys to acclimate?
I do agree that target feeding helps, but not that it is that dramatic.

waffleman

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I must disagree- target feeding can produce dramatic results.

Eileen has seen this with her Tubastrea and zoanthids. I've seen it with my Duncans and anemones (as well as many other corals). It's just the fact that target feeding can be such a PITA that I don't do it more often.

 

[tmz]

Taget feeding is a big plus for some corals.Notably ,ime: denrophylia, rhizotrochus,tubestrea, scolymia, acanastrea lordlhowenis, mircromussa. palythoa, duncanopsomia,goniastrea,synmphylia and euphylia.

On the other hand some show no feeding response , such as: zonathus and anthelia.My zoanthus took off with carbon dosing(vodka and venegar) and continue to grow well. Maybe they take up the acetate or maybe they feed on the extra planktonic bacteria.

Most of the time I shotgun feed with targeted feedingvia a puff of the turkey baster once a week or so for those corals that seem to need it.

 

[belgian_waffleman]

I should dig up my Kent Squirt and start target feeding.

Maybe it target feeding has a better effect when the water quality is better. Maybe that's why I didn't see the dramatic effects when I first started target feeding.

Waffleman