Care of Large Polyp Non-Photosynthetic Corals

[stanleo]

Ok I'm really glad I found this because I have thought about these but you don't mention how often feed them?

 

[Swine]

Awesome write up. Ever used freeze dried food? Maybe even freeze dried krill?

 

[PAWZinMICH]

Here's my Black Sun Coral wanting some Mysis.

 

[PAWZinMICH]

Here's my Black Sun Coral wanting some Mysis.<br><br><img src="https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=124678&amp;stc=1" attachmentid="124678" alt="" id="vbattach_124678" class="previewthumb">

 

[stunreefer]

Sorry for delay in replies guys, I should probably subscribe to this thread

I am in the planning stage of setting up a new tank. It going to be a 135gal (36x36x24) LPS tank. I also want to set up a small maybe 10-15gal sun polyp tank, maybe some other larg polyp nps corals too, in the same system. I was wondering if this would be a good idea? Will I need to feed it much more then i feed my LPS, 2 or more times a week, will it work as a filter or will it be fine? If i do set it up would it mater what order I set it up. I was thinking of having the water from the 135gal flow to the sunpolyp tank, then from the sunpolyp tank into the sump, and from the sump back into the 135gal. Would that be way to much flow for a 10-15gal?

You asked this nearly four years ago, however, you could certainly tie a NPC system into another system. I would have both of them dump into mutual sump for filtration, as opposed from one display to another display to the sump. Two times a week is fine for most large polyp NPC.

whats the grow rate on this

These corals have extremely slow growth rates compared to most.

Ok I'm really glad I found this because I have thought about these but you don't mention how often feed them?

Two to three times a week is fine for most large polyp NPC.

Awesome write up. Ever used freeze dried food? Maybe even freeze dried krill?

Thanks! I've used freeze dried food in the past for freshwater fish, but overall am not a big fan of it. I feel a fair amount of nutrition is lost compared to frozen foods. If you do use it, make sure to soak thoroughly and squish the food to release any air stuck inside. I had a friend feed freeze dried krill to his rhizo consistently and it developed little air bubbles at the end of the tentacles. Pretty crazy to see, actually. Over time most would disappear, if not he snipped the ends with scissors.

Here's my Black Sun Coral

Nice! Definitely needs some TLC to regrow the coenosarc, but it should come back for you. Great to see a fellow Michigander NPC keeper


Here's a more recent, revised version of this post.

 

[Vidofner]

i bought a tubastrea 1-1,5 month ago and could use some tips on how to care for it. I feed it every 1-3 days with a mixture of different foods, big and small but mostly mysis and red plancton. I always feed it with the pumps off for 10 mins and usually when the fish are asleep. Something that's bugging me is that i dont' think that the tubastrea is retracting its polyps enough when i give it food. The frag i bought has got one big head and 3 smaller ones and even if i would fill the polyps of the big head with mysis it would still barely retract the polyps at all. I mean sure i can see them moving but if i would compare my tubastea to my acans then its a huge difference. My acans retracts their polyps in just a few seconds so that the food will hidden from any fish or me seeing it. With my tubastea they just go back abit but the food is still left on the polyps. I can however still see them eating, but just a small portion of the food they actually receive

I've noticed that my tubastea has some black-ish spots on it and i think that's exposed "skeleton". My guessing is that since it don't retract good enough the pump will blow alot of the food away when it starts up or fish that wakes up from the food smell might take food thats just hanging there.
Is this normal behavior for a tubastrea or did I justs buy a frag that was misstreated before i got it? Took like 5-6 days of massive feeding when I first bought it to get it to extract it's polyps for the first time which I've read is a sign of malnourishment

Appreachiate any input.

 

[stunreefer]

Sounds like your coral is interested in the food, just not accepting all of it. I would guess that it's a bit malnourished at least, as honestly most Tubastrea spp. are once we receive them. Try offering smaller pieces of food or chop up existing food, will ease digestion as well. I would expect the feeding response time to increase as the coral becomes healthier and more acclimated to it's environment. A picture of the black spots could help determine what the issue is - generally receded tissue exposes white skeleton, until covered by algae or sponge anyways.

 

[Swine]

Sorry for delay in replies guys, I should probably subscribe to this thread

Thanks! I've used freeze dried food in the past for freshwater fish, but overall am not a big fan of it. I feel a fair amount of nutrition is lost compared to frozen foods. If you do use it, make sure to soak thoroughly and squish the food to release any air stuck inside. I had a friend feed freeze dried krill to his rhizo consistently and it developed little air bubbles at the end of the tentacles. Pretty crazy to see, actually. Over time most would disappear, if not he snipped the ends with scissors.

Wo! Thats pretty crazy. I was just thinking interms of how to limit phostphates maybe freeze dried would be acceptable. There is no easy way out haha

 

[Vidofner]

Sounds like your coral is interested in the food, just not accepting all of it. I would guess that it's a bit malnourished at least, as honestly most Tubastrea spp. are once we receive them. Try offering smaller pieces of food or chop up existing food, will ease digestion as well. I would expect the feeding response time to increase as the coral becomes healthier and more acclimated to it's environment. A picture of the black spots could help determine what the issue is - generally receded tissue exposes white skeleton, until covered by algae or sponge anyways.

Maybe not the best pic but should be sufficient to see what i mean

 

[bbtm64]

I bought a nice little colony last Saturday. Its started to open a couple times but I haven't seen it open all the way. It may be opening up at night but since I work nights it makes it hard to know.
I'm going to try the "Tupperware" method tho. I'd really love to see it flourish.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[WhoKnew]

This was a nice write up. I enjoy reading these informative posts. I now spot feed my Flower Pot and he is doing a lot better. Thank you.

 

[Eckolancer]

Nice write up

 

[stunreefer]

Maybe not the best pic but should be sufficient to see what i mean

Hard to tell exactly from the picture but looks to me like some of the coenosarc (tissue between polyps) had receded and is starting to regrow. Nothing to be overly concerned with, just keep feeding

I now spot feed my Flower Pot and he is doing a lot better. Thank you.

No problem! If by "flowerpot" you mean Goniopora spp. or Alveopora spp. they will certainly appreciate direct feedings. I have a Goniopora that I spot feed Justin's TLF Goniopower and have great results with this food.

 

[SantaMonica]

NPS are the last frontier of corals. And although this write-up is correct in that you will probably need to spot feed suns, my goal is to be able to provide so much food particles that spot feeding is not needed.

 

[Vidofner]

Hard to tell exactly from the picture but looks to me like some of the coenosarc (tissue between polyps) had receded and is starting to regrow. Nothing to be overly concerned with, just keep feeding

The black spots are mostly gone nowadays and I've even started to see some new "heads"

 

[bbtm64]

I tried the "Tupperware" method this morning. It worked but it took the coral a long time to open. I was able to feed a few of the heads tho.

 

[stunreefer]

my goal is to be able to provide so much food particles that spot feeding is not needed.

I look forward to that day!

The black spots are mostly gone nowadays and I've even started to see some new "heads"

Awesome news, keep up the great work!

I tried the "Tupperware" method this morning. It worked but it took the coral a long time to open. I was able to feed a few of the heads tho.

Excellent! Keep it up and over time they will become more eager feeders.

 

[WhoKnew]

Hard to tell exactly from the picture but looks to me like some of the coenosarc (tissue between polyps) had receded and is starting to regrow. Nothing to be overly concerned with, just keep feeding

No problem! If by "flowerpot" you mean Goniopora spp. or Alveopora spp. they will certainly appreciate direct feedings. I have a Goniopora that I spot feed Justin's TLF Goniopower and have great results with this food.

For the first time my Gonipora is opening. She is beautiful and recovering from her malnutrition. Thank you!

 

[reefobsessed]

Always wanted a sun coral but was leary untill I found this thread. I purchased a small one a couple days ago, and have a question. The second night I had it, it opened up after the lights went out. I fed it, although I had to fight the cleaner shrimp off in the process. lol So my question is, will they open only after lights out, or will they open when the lights are on once they get used to the new surroundings.

 

[Vidofner]

Always wanted a sun coral but was leary untill I found this thread. I purchased a small one a couple days ago, and have a question. The second night I had it, it opened up after the lights went out. I fed it, although I had to fight the cleaner shrimp off in the process. lol So my question is, will they open only after lights out, or will they open when the lights are on once they get used to the new surroundings.

They will open during the day but not as much and as often as in the night. Unless you feed the tank