Tank Progression: 60 gallon

[*GSP*Fan*]

Zoas don't eat food per se but the larger palys do. I don't feed them very often. The sun corals are non-photosynthetic & will need regular feedings of meaty foods. Cool thing about them is you can keep them in shady spots where most corals can't live.

I knew the zoas and such wouldn't need exactly need to be fed but I knew the sun coral did. I had researched it before I even bought one but mine doesn't look as I expected it to. I haven't really seen any 'flesh' and it appears to be very receded. I'm just honestly not sure if its alive, just not well, normal from stress, etc.

I'm trying to search and find out what I can but I'm not finding anything that has helped. I've yet to see a picture of a sun coral that looks like mine.

Also, if you (or anyone who happens to read this) has any suggestion on what to feed other than mysis, or whats best please say. I've read to try cyclopeeze but I was thinking maybe something else specifically for corals, that would be smaller.

Anyway, heres a picture, any insight is appreciated.


I've also moved it since this picture, to the far right under the rock work. I was afraid it may have been getting too much light in the first location.

[Pufferpunk]

As long as there's color, it's still alive. They are nocturnal feeders. Turn the lights off, turn off the flow & try to spot-feed it. It might not come out for a few days.

[*GSP*Fan*]

As long as there's color, it's still alive. They are nocturnal feeders. Turn the lights off, turn off the flow & try to spot-feed it. It might not come out for a few days.

I thought the color was a good sign but it just seems like the polyps are very receded.

The lights have been off for a while now, the photo was taken quite a few hours ago, and I have been checking once the lights have been turned off but no movement yet. Since my least post I've read through quite a few threads and have even seen it mentioned it can take weeks for the polyps to emerge. I expected some time for it to get over the stress from being moved and getting used to a new tank but that was longer than I expected to hear. I wasn't sure how long they could go without food. I just hadn't come across any photos of one that looked as mine does and became concerned.

The mysis I have on hand is freese dried, I have freeze dried shrimp as well. If I soak either in garlic guard/vitamins, causing it to break down more as well, would that be appropriate for feeding, or attempting to feed? My LFS won't be open tomorrow but at least one should be open on Monday. I'm not sure of that stores frozen selection but am hoping they have something along the lines of cyclopeeze, the other store didn't. My other LFS had mysis, brine, clam, and formula one (that I can recall). Would something consisting of even smaller particles me needed/useful? I'm thinking something like plankton or similar (I'm assuming is smaller as I believe I read its something for filter feeding-ish). It has seemed like mysis was popular in feeding and now I've read a good bit about the cyclopeeze as well.

I've got a turkey baster and syringe that I can use for spot feeding as well.

[Nuclear_Glitter]

Just wanted to chime in and say that it really can take quite a while for corals to "liven up" (as you already read). So, I guess just be patient and occasionally try and feed it at night. Good luck.

[Pufferpunk]

I'm pretty sure the FD stuff will float. Try frozen.

[PufferMe!]

Have you seen this article? http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/12/corals

Looks like you've got a "difficult" coral to keep. They need to be fed frequently, which means lots of maintance to keep good water quality. I would definately not get a puffer now

I would get it out of the light completely, and if you are wanting to put it in more light, do it slowly over time. From what I know, by now it should be showing it's tenacles by now, so something is wrong. Totally agree with PP, you have to feed frozen not dried. I'd try baby brine, or get something like "Coral Frenzy". Soak in tank water, squirt a bit over coral, and don't give anymore unless tenacles open.

Sorry I haven't got pictures up yet of my mushrooms. Bought a whole new system with refugium, new lighting and traded my Kessil, because the one light didn't work over my tank. I'm very happy, but tons of work

This hobby is soooo expensive, but I'm lovin' it. Oh, also what is your phosphate readings?

P.S. picture of mushrooms is in my album under the user galleries. Taken when only "blue" lights were on, so it's a bit dark.

Gwen

[*GSP*Fan*]

Have you seen this article? http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/12/corals

Looks like you've got a "difficult" coral to keep. They need to be fed frequently, which means lots of maintance to keep good water quality. I would definately not get a puffer now

I would get it out of the light completely, and if you are wanting to put it in more light, do it slowly over time. From what I know, by now it should be showing it's tenacles by now, so something is wrong. Totally agree with PP, you have to feed frozen not dried. I'd try baby brine, or get something like "Coral Frenzy". Soak in tank water, squirt a bit over coral, and don't give anymore unless tenacles open.

Sorry I haven't got pictures up yet of my mushrooms. Bought a whole new system with refugium, new lighting and traded my Kessil, because the one light didn't work over my tank. I'm very happy, but tons of work

This hobby is soooo expensive, but I'm lovin' it. Oh, also what is your phosphate readings?

P.S. picture of mushrooms is in my album under the user galleries. Taken when only "blue" lights were on, so it's a bit dark.

Gwen

I knew about the requirements for this coral ahead of time I just didn't know what to expect when I first acquired the coral. I have no problem feeding it and all I just didn't know how difficult that may be initially. When it is feeding well and I'm able to target feed I don't believe it will cause any issues with water quality. I understand now how it can to begin with, just getting it used to opening and all. It'll also just need fed every couple days which is like how often I feed the fish anyway. Though after reading now my case doesn't seem to be uncommon. I hope I'm able to get it to feed.

Its not in the light, its under rockwork. Because I wasn't seeing the tentacles or flesh is what was worrying me. But again, after reading it can take quite some time.

I'll have to see if the LFSs are open tomorrow, if so I'll see what else I'm able to get. I know I could get brine/bloodworms/mysis frozen at one store but am hoping the other store will have something like cyclopeeze. I've got all the others, but they are freeze dried.

Sounds like you've been busy It definitely isn't a cheap hobby, thats for sure, but I enjoy it as well.

I do not have a test kit for phosphate. My next purchases are going to be test kits for calcium, alk, and magnesium. I'll have to look into phosphate kits as well and see whats worth getting.

I'm pretty sure the FD stuff will float. Try frozen.

Ah yeah, I didn't think about that. I'll see what I'm able to do with what I've got, and soaking it, until I'm able to get the frozen.

Just wanted to chime in and say that it really can take quite a while for corals to "liven up" (as you already read). So, I guess just be patient and occasionally try and feed it at night. Good luck.

Thank you! It seems as though I may need the luck. I didn't even think about it being that difficult to get it to start feeding initially.

[Pufferpunk]

Give it time. I just brought some home from St Thomas & it is not open often. Did you check with a flashlight in the dark?

[*GSP*Fan*]

Give it time. I just brought some home from St Thomas & it is not open often. Did you check with a flashlight in the dark?

I'm learning that I need to, I just worry too much and too easily it seems.

What are or will you be feeding yours? Also, how are you going about it?

I've read about taking it out of the tank and feeding it in a container but that seems like it would just cause more stress. I cut a bottle tonight that I can place over the coral and punched a hole through the lid of the bottle that I can fit the syringe into for feeding. I've got mysis and brine soaking in some vitamins and garlic with tank water. I plan to squirt some of the 'juice' in first to see if that we get a response then add the food pieces in time.

I have not checked with a flashlight but have checked under the moonlights (which are not that bright) and when the tanks lights are completely off just using what light is on in the room.

I'll check in complete darkness here in a bit with a flashlight.

Is loss of color the only real sign of it dying, other than like noticeable damage to the coral itself? I don't see any damage and all but the bottom has a nice orange color. I just didn't think the polyps could recede as much as they must be for me not to see any sign up them.

[Pufferpunk]

That's not the only one I have. Brought some home from the Philippines, 4 years ago & I have Dendros, too. Frozen blackworms, plankton or mysis, soaked in vita-Chem & Selcon.

[*GSP*Fan*]

That's not the only one I have. Brought some home from the Philippines, 4 years ago & I have Dendros, too. Frozen blackworms, plankton or mysis, soaked in vita-Chem & Selcon.

Oh I see. Do you mind sharing your schedule and method in terms of feeding both initially (with getting them to open/feed) and thereafter?

I'll hopefully pick up some frozen food tomorrow, unless the LFSs are closed.

By the way, thanks for all your help, very appreciated.

[PufferMe!]

GSP, I don't believe that PP has corals. Some people feed corals and some don't. I believe the sun corals do have to be fed often. I bought Coral Frenzy for mine, but I'm sure you can find others who would recommend something else. I've not fed mine in weeks, but next time I do I'm going to feed when lights are off, because that is when I see the tenacles out of my candy/trumpet green coral.

[Pufferpunk]

GSP, I don't believe that PP has corals.

[*GSP*Fan*]

GSP, I don't believe that PP has corals. Some people feed corals and some don't. I believe the sun corals do have to be fed often. I bought Coral Frenzy for mine, but I'm sure you can find others who would recommend something else. I've not fed mine in weeks, but next time I do I'm going to feed when lights are off, because that is when I see the tenacles out of my candy/trumpet green coral.

I was pretty positive I had read where PP had mentioned something about having a reef tank, or at least knew she had. Also, she just basically just told me she had sun corals so....

I'm not looking to feed the corals in my tank in that way, I don't see why any of my corals (besides the sun) would need fed so don't see why I would be feeding the tank in that manner, seems it would lead to water quality problems, at least in my case. When I get some LPS I may very well do some target feeding then.

GSP, I don't believe that PP has corals.

Which it seems I was correct on that.



Anyway, I've still been trying to feed the sun with the bottle method and did pick up some frozen mysis to try over the freeze dried. Unfortunately, I still have not seen any improvement. I've basically been constantly searching for information on feeding a starved sun coral and finally found something that I believe to be useful.

I found this thread from someone who appears to have had a sun coral in very similar shape that mine is in.
http://www.marineaquariumsa.com/showthread.php?t=23056

This is some advice this person received, copied and pasted from that thread.

"What to feed? A suncoral in this state is not able to capture food with it's tentacles - it is far too weak. It will not even open up it's tentacles, as it is too weak. This feeding with fitler feeding food is crucial now. It cannot capture brine or mysis, so dont even waste your time with it, unless you much it into a soup. Rather get some Brigtwells Amin-Omega, reef snow, phyto plankton and zoo plankton and mix it all up into a milk. Dont be shy.

You will see the mouths swelling up nicely once the food is in the container. What the coral is doing then is basically "breathing" in the food. This will SLOWLY help it gain energy, and then after a few weeks you will notice some yellow dots as they tentacles start coming out. Then a few weeks later it will show some tentacles. Then you can start feeding live brine shrimp nauplii and cyclop-eeze."

I had came across others that had mentioned the sun coral would be too weak to pull in food, how it needed amino acids, etc but never found it in this much detail in how to go about the process of reviving the coral. I do not know anything about the individual who made that post (their experience) but it seems the OP of that thread followed the advice with great results (as seen if the thread is read through and pictures seen).

Having found this and because I have not got a response from the coral from the mysis/brine I plan to try this method. I just now got of the phone with my two LFS to see what I would be able to find in stock. I can order online of course but hate to prolong the feeding any longer, especially if this is what the coral needs. I had planned to the the Restor and some type of zooplankton, wasn't too worried about the reef snow or phyto. Neither of my stores has any zooplankton in stock but one store will get me some by Wednesday. Until then the other LFS has some Kent Coral Accel (in place of the Restor) that I plan to pick up tomorrow. This store does have reef snow, phyto, and similar in stock. I was going to avoid these as I don't see them as necessary but if anyone believes they may help (especially having to wait on the zooplankton) I could pick some up. The store also has some frozen cyclops and rotifers in stock if those could be of help. I definitely appreciate any thoughts on this as I am just now learning about coral foods and trying to look into what I can about the different options. I feel pretty clueless here.

[Pufferpunk]

You're gonna pollute your tank with that crap. This is why I told you to spot-feed with the flow off. I use a turkey baster. Feed meaty foods (mysis/bloodworm), soaked in Selcon (amino acids) & Vita-Chem. Keep an eye that the fish don't steal the food form them. Might want to feed the fish, 1st.