Tricks or Tips for keeping Micromussa

[kev apsley]

I have a friend who has some nice mics but he is having a problem keeping them alive, they stay colored up but they seem to always recede and die away slowly on him, he target feeds them and has enough lighting and flow, but not too much of either, his tank is low nutrient but I wouldn't say too low nutrient...anyone have tips or suggestions for keeping them happy and growing?

 

[slojmn]

I had the same experience with my large collection of micromussas...seriously burnt through a ton of money that year...with very little to show for it. I really don't know what the problem was but I vowed to never buy anymore again. Sad, as they are quite gorgeous. Some folks have no issues what so ever keeping them alive but mine faded to nothingness time and time again. Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[Ian]

Alicia, were they in your sps or lps tank?

I thought you had 2 tanks... maybe Im wrong...

 

[OceansCoral]

Micros do awesome in my tank.

 

[jcat90reefer]

Im having a similar problemwith my red ones. Had them for 7 months now and although they are still bright red they havent grown at all.And 2 of the heads receeded very very very slowly to nothing. I too target feed and have a low nutrient tank and have enough lighting and flow. Dont know what it is. Acans do awsome but my one coloy of micros seem just to barley get by.

 

[paintballer768]

I got a frag not too long ago with 4 adult heads, and approx 4 babies (look like buds almost). One of the heads began receeding very slowly. It looks like it may have stopped but theres definitely skeleton there. Its so slow its tough to tell =\

 

[paintballer768]

Forgot to add some facts. Its in a 19.75" deep tank (without the depth of the sandbed taken out). About 4 inches from the bottom, under a 150 watt DE Radium. Its a mixed reef, keeping SPS great at the top, LPS at the bottom, and zoos/softies wherever else

 

[icu2]

Just out of curiosity, what are you all feeding when they receed?

 

[paintballer768]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13468352#post13468352 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by icu2
Just out of curiosity, what are you all feeding when they receed?

Well Ive been having a hard time finding a small enough food. I would do cyclops but Id have to unplug everything just to do so. For now Im just letting them do their own thing. Mysis is too large for them.

Ive been trying to feed them mysis previously, sometimes they take it, sometimes it just sits there

 

[roblack]

Turns out mysis may not be the best food for them. Rotifers, tigerpods, artipods, oyster eggs and larvae, fish roe and stuff like that are what a lot of the experts are recommending these days.

As for caring for micros, I lost almost all of mine back around Dec-Jan due to alk drop and mag being too low. Kev, get in touch with Reefdoctor, he is the micro guru and probably could help you out with some solid ideas.

 

[caesar2528]

I noticed my micros would receed, and when I dose regularly and doing regular water changes they tend to look much healthier.

 

[JenDub]

Many of these pieces are collected in total green-out conditions with tons of planktonic life in the water and very low light. It is nearly impossible to replicate these conditions in the home aquarium but daily feedings with the products Rob listed above is a good start. Mysis and cyclopleeze are like trying to live on french fries; in the long term the micros become malnourished and by the time they start receding it is often too late to fix with simple feedings alone.

You may also have fish that are nibbling at them, tangs and rabbitfish are prime suspects.

More items that need to be closely watched are magnesium levels, calcium levels, & strontium levels. Any of these getting low can cause receding.