What coral would you feed?

ryngill

New member
This might not sound crazy in a FO forum, but I'm pretty sure I'd get laughed out of a reef forum for this one.

I have a Chaetodon aureofasciatus which I am really, really attached to. I know it is extremely hard to ween them onto prepared food since they are obligate corillavores. This charge is currently only eating live clams and mussels. He will pick a little at a freeze dried shimp but not enough to feed on. I was thinking about growing some coral for him to eat. Which kind? It would be awesome if he would eat GSP or some type of other less desirable really hardy coral; then I could farm that for him. Let me know what you think.
 
What's the common name for this fish? I am in planning stages for a big upgrade, and I am leaning toward a school of raccoon butterfly fish. I will have a large DT, larger sump, and several smaller tanks for non reef-safe fish. I was thinking the same thing with finding some fast growing sps corals and sponges to offer the fish. Both to entice finicky fish to eat, as well as to offer a renewable food source.
We're going to need some pretty hefty propagation tanks huh? I've got mine penciled in at around 200gallons.
Daniel. :wildone:
 
Try to wean it with something better than freeze dried shrimp. Minced live clam, or clam on the half shell, seem to have better luck than anything. Other good quality frozen seafood meats too. Good luck.
 
I'm trying to get it off live clams. Something frozen would be best and I've tried pe mysis, krill, brine, live brine. The only thing besides live clam he even picked at was krill strapped down to something.
 
As a convenience. It's easy and more fun to grow coral than going to the grocery store. The charge has been eating clam well for a few months. The main reason is I don't think he will be able to compete for clam in my display. No one else would want the coral but him
 
No offense, but that type of fish shouldn't be kept by someone looking for convenience.
 
None taken, the first sentence was a joke. The way I see it I have some choices:
- add him to the display and try the clams. I fear he will not be able to eat enough to survive.
- keep him in isolation and try to get him to eat something other than clam, he might be in a tank by himself for the rest of his life.
- try to feed it some coral, the other fish in the display won't want to eat that.

So back to my original question on the coral choice. Do you think it would eat only SPS or would trying some larger polyps possibly work like GSP or yellow/brown polyps?
 
I asked the owner of battlecorals.com this question when I got a quick tour of his stuff. This was a new thing to him but he recommended something "hairy". Like with long polyps. I think you might end up with a FOWLER tank, so find him some tank mates, and just plumb into your sump along side your (soon to be) propagation tank.
Daniel.
 
I obtained a few corals to try; Kenya tree, white star polyp, yellow/brown polyps. I put a small Kenya tree in with the fish and he nipped at it. I'm going to cut some off for him in the near future and see if he actually consumes it.
 
I can't imagine you being able to grow the coral quick enough to feed him. I hope you are able to though. If he is nipping at the Kenya tree you can try using a toothpick and sticking frozen food to it.

Look into cutting mushrooms up and growing them. Toadstool might work as well. Just cut off pieces from the top and they will become new toadstools. I have a puffer that bits my toadstool when food falls on it. Pieces fly everywhere. Now I have small toadstools popping up.
 
You won't be able to grow enough coral to feed him consistently with that and buying it is probably the most expensive/inconvienient way to feed a fish I can imagine.

It's not a terrible idea in concept, but I can't see it being cost effective or achievable.
 
We need big propagation tanks that have been set up for a while and have multiples of whatever coral we settle on. Even then it sounds like you will only be able to offer this as a treat, or to entice the fish to eat other things. Good luck.
Daniel.
 
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