Do I Need to Feed My Gonipora?

[VintageReefer]

I will try that. Read after I reattempted today. This is benereef mixed in sw. The fine particulate after larger pieces are given out

If you zoom in you can see it’s almost like a marine snow, and it has been falling for about 2 min in this pic and I don’t really see anything being grabbed or any polyps closing up

 

[CoralB]

It might take a few times if they have been dependent on light as a source of food and I’m not sure if it’s the oyster feast mixed in or the fact that I mix it a little thick and spot feed to where I’m laying the mixture on the inside of the pedals leaving what looks to be a half inch of spaghetti. I don’t broadcast .

 

[CoralB]

I also have to add is that if what your doing works well in your tank stick with it . Like I initially said is that what works for me might not work for you and vice versa . You have good success from what I see in your picture so maybe it’s wise not to confuse or tick off the Goni gods . Congratulate yourself and maybe not worry that your five speed shiny bike doesn’t have 10 speeds (ie: your goni’s dont Close up when the feed ) IMO . Your goni’s look good I’d stay the course .

 

[tharbin]

Do you think it seems likely that Goniopora have a higher requirement for manganese? It seems like a lot of people are saying manganese works. Is there any evidence to this claim?

How did the first person realize manganese worked? I’m not saying manganese doesn’t help. I know it’s a needed trace element for nearly all life.

The first mention I remember of the need for Manganese with Gonis was, if I remember correctly, one of the Sprung/Delbeek 'The Reef Aquarium' series books. Maybe Volume 2.

 

[VintageReefer]

The first mention I remember of the need for Manganese with Gonis was, if I remember correctly, one of the Sprung/Delbeek 'The Reef Aquarium' series books. Maybe Volume 2.

I heard about it From Julian sprung here

 

[tREEFarm]

I will try that. Read after I reattempted today. This is benereef mixed in sw. The fine particulate after larger pieces are given out

If you zoom in you can see it’s almost like a marine snow, and it has been falling for about 2 min in this pic and I don’t really see anything being grabbed or any polyps closing up

Try a thicker, almost pasty consistency to the food mixture. It's a balance, but mine respond most when the food mixture is thick versus a cloudy poof of powder. If that makes sense..

 

[tharbin]

Maybe Volume 2.

Just pulled out the books. It was Volume 3 but they reference an early piece by Sprung from 2003. It is anecdotal but Sprung/Delbeek anecdotes carry a fair amount of weight in my book.

 

[VintageReefer]

It might take a few times if they have been dependent on light as a source of food and I’m not sure if it’s the oyster feast mixed in or the fact that I mix it a little thick and spot feed to where I’m laying the mixture on the inside of the pedals leaving what looks to be a half inch of spaghetti. I don’t broadcast .

Try a thicker, almost pasty consistency to the food mixture. It's a balance, but mine respond most when the food mixture is thick versus a cloudy poof of powder. If that makes sense..

Someone make a short video demo and put on YouTube please there is basically nothing showing this and I didn’t know I should make the food thicker. I will try that next feeding

 

[tREEFarm]

Someone make a short video demo and put on YouTube please there is basically nothing showing this and I didn’t know I should make the food thicker. I will try that next feeding

My YouTube exposes my identity so not an option.. maybe someone else will offer up a video?

In lieu of a video:
1) Turn off flow.
2) Take a pipette and fill it up with tank water (I started doing this versus just taking random amount of sw so I make just enough food mixture to fill the pipette completely).
3) Empty sw from pipette in small container.
4) Dump and mix enough powdered food to make it almost the consistency of thin salad dressing or runny gravy. I never measure per directions, I go by consistency. Wait for a min or two for the powder to soak.
5) Target the goni polyps and allow food to spill out from pipette onto polyp - no need to even really squeeze the pipette - just let the food fall out of the pipette (if your pipette has a narrow tube at the end, cut it to where the end of the pipette is larger so the food can spill out).
6) I leave flow off for 25 mins after feeding to allow the gonis to snack.

*If it seems too thick, next time go a little runnier or vice versa. You want the polyps to close-up and shrink a little, but you don't want the goni to retract as though it's being irritated.

Hope that helps!

 

[Big E]

10% water change weekly........no coral food or trace dosing. I just feed the fish.

The goni pictured have been fragged for at least 5 years many times.

Flow is important. they like wavy flow from both sides & low light(150nm or below)

Some don't like each other so simply moving to a new spot may be the only cure needed.

They like some nutrients in the water. I have yet to see them struggle with PO4 at .6 or nitrates in the 35 range. They are fine in a lot less but I would think staying around .10 phosphate and above 5.0 nitrate is the lowest I would prefer.

Focus on aquacultured gonis--------A lot of people have problems with the pastel type coming in from Australia. I have yet to see very large colonies of the Aussie gonis that are at least 3-5 years old.

 

[Big E]

Goni flow videos--- I wouldn't go higher than what is shown here.

The photo bombing tang made them slightly shrink but you still get the idea

Left click on picture and it will take you to the video

Goni Garden 090224 by Big E 52, on Flickr

 

[VintageReefer]

Goni flow videos--- I wouldn't go higher than what is shown here.

The photo bombing tang made them slightly shrink but you still get the idea

Left click on picture and it will take you to the video

Goni Garden 090224 by Big E 52, on Flickr

When you frag that glitter one or the light green one….reach out to me

 

[fandaga]

I’ve only been reefing for 9 months, and gonis have been the most difficult for me. My red goni barely extends polyps and green one has close to melted. Even my one acro has done really well. My LFS recommended an ICP test, which showed manganese fine but iodine low. I’ve started increasing iodine, which hasn’t helped much. I also did try both target and broadcast feeding reef roids for one week and then benepellets another week. I haven’t noticed any immediate success with that. I tried moving my gonis to different flow and lighting areas but also hasn’t worked.

 

[VintageReefer]

I’ve only been reefing for 9 months, and gonis have been the most difficult for me. My red goni barely extends polyps and green one has close to melted. Even my one acro has done really well. My LFS recommended an ICP test, which showed manganese fine but iodine low. I’ve started increasing iodine, which hasn’t helped much. I also did try both target and broadcast feeding reef roids for one week and then benepellets another week. I haven’t noticed any immediate success with that. I tried moving my gonis to different flow and lighting areas but also hasn’t worked.

Gina really don’t like change. Sometimes if I move one to a new spot; it will take weeks before it fully opens again.

I hear they also like established systems they have been running a while. But some have success earlier

I find that medium flow, low flow, high lighting, medium, low - none of this matters. It will affect how far they extend, they will adapt to it. Yes some some conditions are better or preferred but it won’t kill a Goni.

That said, any Goni I get starts off on a frag rack, mid height. I’ve had stubborn Goni, but never one that hasn’t opened in a few days tops like this. Once it’s open consistently and looking healthy and it’s adjusted to my water and tank, I decide if I’ll move it somewhere else.

 

[fandaga]

Below are my two gonis. The red one I purchased in July. It was doing okay for a few months and then wouldn’t extend polyps. I moved it to the middle of the tank and started testing everything. I got the green one below about two months ago to see if there was something wrong with my tank or just the red goni. The red one is now finally starting to come back, but the green is nearly dead.

 

[VintageReefer]

Red one looks fine, I would leave it. It should begin or extend in time. Try not to move it unless you see signs of receding

Green one looks like it’s nearly lost. Can’t say why from a pic of course. The shelf it’s on appears to have a lot of detritus or algae, maybe not enough flow there, or maybe too much light. Also goni is very close to numerous other frags - could be a warfare situation going on. Many corals can sense other corals around them and attack in various ways. Might not be your tanks fault at all - could be a bad frag that wasn’t healed or had an infection

 

[fandaga]

Red one looks fine, I would leave it. It should begin or extend in time. Try not to move it unless you see signs of receding

Green one looks like it’s nearly lost. Can’t say why from a pic of course. The shelf it’s on appears to have a lot of detritus or algae, maybe not enough flow there, or maybe too much light. Also goni is very close to numerous other frags - could be a warfare situation going on. Many corals can sense other corals around them and attack in various ways. Might not be your tanks fault at all - could be a bad frag that wasn’t healed or had an infection

Yeah too much light definitely. I’m going to move it back to where the red one is and hope it recovers. That’s where I originally had it but moved it to the frag rack when it started going south. Thanks!!

 

[Miami Reef]

When you frag that glitter one or the light green one….reach out to me

He sells them! I bought a variety of Goniopora from him, the glitter one included, and they are all doing great.