To feed or not to feed

[Jekerry]

How many of you specifically feed your corals? I haven't been doing that but I wonder if I am missing something they need. I worry about my Gorgonia in particular. But feeding might make my water spike ammonia and nitrites.

What do people think?

 

[scooter31707]

I target feed Reef Chili and Marine Snow once a week.

 

[mcgyvr]

For the most part feeding corals is "optional"..
If you have fish/actively feed them then your corals are more than likely getting food (fish poop/food scraps/detritus,etc..) in addition to what the "light" is providing for them..

 

[hkgar]

Corals do not need to be fed. I assume you have fish and feed them? If so, the corals live very well from the fish waste and from the photosynthesis caused by you lights.

I do not feed my tank. Well I do feed my dish.

 

[Jekerry]

Thanks Gary! Yes, I have some fish. 5 of them and do feed them. I am feeding them less since I developed some very vigorous sponges that I was told were growing too well because I was feeding too much, lol. The fish swear they are all starving though and beg when I come near the tank. They ignore my husband who does not feed them, but go bonkers if I walk by.

That makes me feel better. I don’t want to starve the corals.

Are there some corals that need extra feeding more than others?

Thanks

 

[sde1500]

Goniopora tend to do well with food. Then obviously any non-photosynthetic coral. Some gorgonia are in that category, be sure yours is not.

Feeding definitely optional, it does help the corals grow faster a little bit. Though you shouldn't be worried about it spiking ammonia and nitirite, only nitrates really. Obviously that is the byproduct of the other two, but if you ever have measurable levels of the first two you have bigger issues.

I am currently in the process of restarting some of my culture tanks. My plan is to produce phytoplankton to feed copepod cultures, rotifer cultures, and feed the tank with it. The pods are for a mandarin, the rotifer will be to feed corals.

 

[RobZilla04]

I feed. Reef roids, mysis and brine to LPS. Typically once every 7 to 10 days.

 

[billdogg]

There are a very few corals that should be fed. Gonipora, as mentioned above is one. Another would be the fungia (plate/slipper corals). Also, it should go without saying that any NPS (non photosynthetic) coral must be fed.

I don't purposely feed any of mine.