Training Dendro To Open During The Day

[Romulox234]

Can anybody with experience getting dendros and sun corals to stay open all day long tell me how they did it. And if lighting matters to them. I heard they like dark places but it doesnt seem like itd matter because there non photosythetic, because i had them in this rock with a cave that he opened up in within 2 hours of hitting my tank but last night i moved it onto a rock outfront because i want to be able to see the polyps when there extended

 

[happyjack]

you could try target feeding them with water you use to thaw out other foods once you get them to open a little then hand feed krill pieces or pe mysis .do this right as your lights go on ...

 

[Romulox234]

so do u mean the liquid inside the cube or the water i use to thaw it out, cuz i use those little push out cubes with mysis and blood worms,

 

[SharkLover1981]

the water you use to thaw it out.

 

[R_Hudson]

Thaw out a bunch of mysis and spot feed with a turkey baster every time you see them trying to open it will take about 2 weeks but then they will hardly ever close

 

[Romulox234]

alrite thanks for that advice ill try that

 

[gobygoddess]

I just got my first dendro, so I am going off something the owner of one of my lfs said. He told me a good way to train them. If yours is like mine its only opening @ night? If so he said to catch them right when the lights are coming on (which is normally when they close) and blast them with some food, do not feed them during them night. This way they will get in the habit of opening to feed when the lights come on. He said it could take a while, but it worked on 20+ head colony.
*But he said if they will not feed at this time to continue to feed them @ night so they don't die.
Its starting to work for me! This is mine right after the lights have turned on: right before I feed...

Still not open 24/7 but hoping for that soon, its such a shame that such a beautiful coral is only open in the dark. Good luck!!!

 

[Romulox234]

I found that with mine it sticks its mouth out during the day but not the tentacles

SO i put a little bit of food on its mouth and it eats it then i do it again and today its tentacles opened a little bit so i gave it a cube of brine shrimp and when i was done its tentacles were fully extended and still are, i feed around 6pm and my daylights go off at 8 and my actinics at 9

So im thinking its much easier that way with my dndro to put food on it until it opens

 

[gobygoddess]

They said that will work too. I do both! Guess we just need to give it time. Good Luck with yours

 

[Romulox234]

You too