MacnReef Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 I have a question, I am considering getting a suncoral for my 20g. I will be running 4-55W pc over the tank but last night, while putting some rock from my 65 in it I made a nice cave, perfect for a suncoral. Now here it comes....Are suncorals difficult? I have seen a few people with suncorals, strife, and they look awesome, but I am not sure about their feeding req and sunlight req. I believe they are low light corals but feeding I think is very difficult on these corals. Can someone enlighten me! Link to comment
Guest AbSoluTc Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 Sun corals are in my opinion, the easiest of corals to keep next to shrooms, zoos and ricordias. Daily feeding is not required, but is suggested. These corals don't use photosynthesis to get their food. They rely soley on you. A cave is not necessary for them either. However, intense light is not need. They prefer the shade or cave. But putting them in a cave is hard on you when it comes to feeding. Most of them are kept in open, low light. They enjoy low to moderate flow and regular feedings of mysis, brine and some DT's here and there. Not feeding these corals will result in a downard spiral of health. Beleive me, I am going through it right now myself. Once you decide to purchase this coral, you need to understand the following: 1 - once placed in your tank it may take up to 2 weeks for the polyps to extend normally again. 2 - do not feed them when there polyps are not extended - also known as FORCE FEEDING. This pollutes your tank and does nothing. 3 - they will open when they smell/sense food in the column. This is your que to keep an eye on them and see when they are fully extended and then, take your turkey baster and feed them. 4 - everyday feedings are not nencessary, nor are specialized feeding caps. Direct, every other day/2day feedings is all you need. 5 - they will open up during the day if you keep them on a morning, afternoon feeding schedule. Be patient and have fun. Consider yourself informed! Kris Link to comment
Strife Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 when i started the hobby, tubastrea was one of the best(est) coral i have seen, all these pictures on books, etc... phew, i had to have one... at first i was a little discouraged in keeping them from what i was told.. part of me felt really selfish, to do something that wasnt recommended. people told me it would die.. but it came out that everything was worth it. very well worth it. i am not giving you positive idea's that its easy, nice, you should keep it..but I LOVE IT.. IMO, it needs feeding, specially mine...if i go one week without feeding them, they dont come out much, and the color is less faded... i feed them formula one 2 times a day, the results: i have hundreds of tubastrea's under my cave..somehow it spawn'd and released hundreds of eggs which is covering my whole cave.. BAH..that should be a problem dammit, i keep forgetting stuff """EDIT""" mine will easily come out when i put food over its mouth. its is now trained to come out during the day. Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 8, 2003 Author Share Posted January 8, 2003 I will keep this in mind....I will probably pick one up in the next few weeks. Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 MDPinUSA posted a thread on this EXACT spawning of Tubeastia Aurora a few months back.... Of course a LOT of people got on him for "spam" but had someone actualy replied with a good comment or question, he would have shared a LOT more info on them. I for one, have kept those and Black suns (MUCH harder to keep) rather than the common yellow polyp ones. Both do awesome for a long time, but only to see them die for no reason after about 2 years. THere is something about their diet we still haven't been able to replicate (with current technology ) to extacate natural planktonic foods from NSW into foods suitable for corals of this nature. They are NOT for beginners, and require an insane ammount of care and attention. Hair algae growth in proximity and on the tissue will close them up tighter than yer sphincter in a prison cell with BUBBA....(lest yer Name is Mr. Bieach... ) Adice: proceed to keep with caution and a LOT of dedication. Also a VERY regimented feeding schedule at reagular intervals is beast. Use a Powerhead current dirrection change to simulate tidal drift. This coupled with some brine shrimp juices will help to stimulate the coral to open more readily. HTH. Link to comment
firstkill Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 I think htey look cool..but are a pain to feed often...If you have agressive fish or shrimp.. they often steal the food from the coral... so u gotta bait the other guys away.. A lot of the times i will remove it from the tank and feed it in a bowl... then put it back. ~fk Link to comment
JoeyG Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 Will these guys live on DT's, brine, or mysis alone or do you have to feed them a whole bunch of diferent stuff(like a buffet) ??? Link to comment
firstkill Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 I just usually feed it mysis vitamin enriched 3x a week...i waste a lot of food feeding hte damn thing though.. prolly break off like 2ccs of mysis and just swirl it around and squirt it at each polpy for 10 minutes or so ~fk Link to comment
JoeyG Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 Thats good info thanks dude:) I think I might let macnreef try them out first see how everything goes Thanks bud, Later tater! Link to comment
DeskJockey Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 Heres a trick....Get a plastic container that is big enough to place over the coral, make a hole in the bottom (just big enough for your turkey baster or syringe). When its feeding time place over coral slowly and shoot the food in slowly. Gives them more contact time with food particles and keeps the heathens away! Link to comment
Strife Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 tubastrea wont really take DT's... tubastreas are meat eaters.. i have tried feeding mine DT's just for the hell of it.. they retract, and if ever some gets in their mouths..eventually spit it out the next hour... Link to comment
JoeyG Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Ten four guys , thanks:) Thats a good idea DeskJockey had with the plastic container . Sounds like it would really work! Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 23, 2003 Author Share Posted January 23, 2003 Alright guys, I broke down and bought one last night. He seems to be very healthy. It was closed up when I got to the fish store but I told him that I was interested but wanted to see him open up. He used cyclops and the coral open right up. Now I must buy the food for it. Please give me exact names of products to buy for food and maybe where I can get them. Ofcourse I will try my lfs for these products so that I can get them right away but if I have to order it from online, let me know. Finally, would they like a mix of fresh fish, i.e. scallops, shrimp & squid put into a blender? If so, what is the best mix? Thanx in advance! Link to comment
jdiver Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 You might want to take a look at a thread I started a few months ago about my Sun Coral experience, complete with pics: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...p?threadid=3043 There are also a bunch of other threads about it, so you might want to do a search for "Sun Coral" and "Tubastrea." My Sun Coral is still doing very well, and has about double the number of polyps on it now. It adds a great deal to the tank, but you have to be committed to taking care of it. Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 23, 2003 Author Share Posted January 23, 2003 Sorry, that thread did not help much.. I need to know what to feed this guy! I heard someone say one time that they feed Fomula 1 twice a day, but I have no clue what that is. Please help. Link to comment
jdiver Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 I thought the feeding method info might help, but I guess not. I feed my Sun Coral mostly frozen (thawed out of course) brine shrimp and it's been thriving. Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 23, 2003 Author Share Posted January 23, 2003 No, it did help! I just need to know what to purchase to feed. I will stop by the lfs on my way home and get some frozen brine shrimp food. Link to comment
MiKeE Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 almost every LFS (not petco, petsmart, pet bla bla bla) well, i guess some do..my petsmart does.. anyways...most of them sell formula one..just ask somebody. or call around. I have reduced my feedings to at least twice a week. i noticed that they spawn less... i had soo much, i had to take some of my rocks out...and scrape most off Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 there are many mentions of home made seafood mixes here on nano. a quick "search" will save time and $ wasted at a LFS. you Answered your own question Mac..... Fresh seafoods in a blender, frozen in a thin sheet and thawed and basted. Link to comment
criccio Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 I know nothing about these corals, but was wondering if they can handle cooler temps, like 70 degrees. I'm assuming since they have lower light requirements, they're lower in the water column where the temps are cooler. I'm thinking about adding some to an octopus tank that is kept at cooler temps. Any thoughts? Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 23, 2003 Author Share Posted January 23, 2003 I think I read somewhere that they are around 35' deep, which is not very deep, there is still a good bit of light at that depth and heat. Although, this is my first suncoral and I am still reading up on them! Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 23, 2003 Author Share Posted January 23, 2003 My ignorance is showing but when you say frozen in a thin sheet, then thawed then basted. Why the thin sheet, why not in an icecube container, and what do you mean by basting? Also, I will do the search, thanks , but should I use some of my seawater so that it is not so thick? Thanx Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 23, 2003 Author Share Posted January 23, 2003 Oh yeah, should I get a protein skimmer. I figure that I am going to be getting some more corals that will need a slightly higher nutrient level and I don't want a lot of algae blooms. So far I have been luckly and only had one little bloom (easily controlled). I was thinking a prism but it will cost me around $75, but if I don't need one than I will not get one. BTW, DAVE, I found a great thread on a seafood mix! Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 MacnReef said....My ignorance is showing but when you say frozen in a thin sheet, then thawed then basted. Why the thin sheet, why not in an icecube container, and what do you mean by basting? but should I use some of my seawater so that it is not so thick? Thanx Thin sheet = Easier to break off small chunks rather than a 2 ounce ice cube ie: wayyyyyyyy too much food. basting.. = TURKEY BASseTESEterETER. use fresh rodi = Ever tried to freeze salt water? not easy and can have bacteria in it that will foul foods. hth... PS: glad to help . as to yerself... its much more rewarding... http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...62904#post62904 derrrrrrr this is why I was irked. its issued on the same page. as your other "waht to feed" question. X) Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 24, 2003 Author Share Posted January 24, 2003 Whatever DAVE! Alright, thanks for the help. Link to comment
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