FAQs about Stony Coral Foods/Feeding/Nutrition 2 Related Articles: Coral Feeding, Food/Feeding/Nutrition, LPS Corals, True or Stony Corals, Order Scleractinia, Propagation for Marine Aquarium Use,  Related FAQs: Coral Feeding 1, Coral Feeding 3, & FAQs on Stony Coral Feeding: Rationale, Types, Amounts, Frequency, Techniques, Coral Foods DIY, Commercial Products... & Cnidarian Feeding, Growing Reef Corals, Stony Coral Identification, Stony Coral Behavior, See Also: Marine Foods/Feeding/Nutrition in the lower tray of Marine Maintenance:

Feeding Coral! (7/5/03) Hey I got a 65 gallon reef tank I was just wondering what can I do or what should I use to feed my soft corals and hard ones? is the live planktons good or the Kent micro vert best what is your opinion?<I like live best.> And one more question how can I increase the purple algae on the rocks because there is a lot of brown algae on them what should I do or use?<Just keep your calcium leveling check and give plenty of light.> I have three calms what can I feed them and also my anchor coral please help!!!!!!!!!! <You can find this and much more at www.wetwebmedia.com Cody>

Can't get it up: Brain coral that is... Howdy, first-time reef aquarist here. <Hey there! Kevin here with ya today> Please take a look at the attached brain coral and tell me what it is. LFS is not strong on the whole genus and species thing and I am not sure if I've got a Lobophyllia or a Trachyphyllia. <Your LFS needs to pick up a book, this is a very common critter and an extremely easy coral to identify! It's a Trachy. alright, commonly called Wellsophyllia also because it was once classified as such. Yours is likely a T. radiata>  Also, a couple of days ago it inflated for a day and now it looks a bit too deflated. I've read that it needs more than just light and water so I have been feeding with phytoplankton in a bottle, Mysid shrimp, Kent Zooplex & ChromaPlex, etc. (not all at once of course, alternate days) but it still looks a bit undernourished. <It is likely acclimating to your lighting and new water parameters. Don't expect normal behavior from any coral during the first several days after being introduced into your aquarium.> We have just started this aquarium. It's 175gal with about 230lbs of live rock and 3/4" average of live sand (deep bed refugium in the works). I've taken it slow and the only other inhabitants so far are 5 small Blue-green Chromis, 4" Sailfin Tang, a small Caulastrea and a small Sarcophyton along with the necessary complement of snails and crabs. All water quality parameters are in range and all of its tank-mates look great. I've also read that it's best to feed when the lights are out and tentacles extended, but unless the tentacle are very short, it only looks like it shrinks up in the dark with no tentacles that are obvious. Skimmer is working hard (too hard?) and I've got pre-filters in the overflows and a thin filter pad in the sump. Assuming that lack of food is an issue, does one need to run pre-filters in the overflows or any kind of filter pad at all? <It's not a lack of food, a once per week feeding with a small chunk of a meaty seafood is all that is required (if any at all!).><<No. RMF>> Do they rob food from the animals? <Mechanical filters do trap stuff that would normally be processed by the tank, so yes.> Should I shut off the powerheads and skimmer for a time during and after feeding? <Not necessary unless the skimmer removes a significant portion of the phytoplankton.> The tank has been running for two months without any ammonia or nitrate issues. The brain coral sits on the tank bottom on about 1.5" of sand. The tank is 24" deep with one of three 175W halides directly over it at 12" from the water surface plus a couple of 50:50 96W CF's on that half of the tank. <Your lighting is adequate for this critter so I would suspect that it's simply acclimating to your lighting. Good luck and welcome to the hobby! -Kevin><<More likely starving here... RMF>>

Elegance Coral Question... And A Missing Page? 7/4/03 I have a large Elegance coral and have a question: this specimen has seven 'mouths'. How many am I supposed to 'feed'? Are they linked internally so that feeding one (or every other one) benefits the others? <First read up on the coral here... http://www.wetwebmedia.com/elegance.htm   You will see that if your tank is "properly set-up and maintained" you don't have to feed your coral. <<Incorrect. RMF>> Although many people do.  It too depends on the lighting you have above your tank...  If you do end up feeding it, allow the food to drift above all the mouths.> Also, it looks like there's supposed to be an article on Feeding Corals by Bob Fenner (Coral Feeding in Marine Aquarium Use). I get sort of a 'cover page' with a tank photo, but no text comes up on my computer. . . was wondering if this is a site glitch?  The related FAQ's sections 1 and 2 come through fine.<Probably not a glitch... just a page that is in the process of being written.  It should be up shortly I assume.> Thanks in advance for your help on this. <No problem, good luck with this beautiful yet hard to keep coral.  Happy 4th of July!  Phil>

Sick corals/polyps 7/1/03 Hi Anthony, How are you doing these days, <Enjoying the trials and tribs of life :) > I have a quick question for you what do you feed your corals? <Depends on the coral... they vary in need tremendously. But I do favor a large fishless refugium (40% of tank size) to take care of much of the zoo- and phytoplankton needed> I feed Reef Solution from Ecosystem Leng Sy told me it had Phytoplankton in it but it does not say anything about the ingredients in the bottle. <I do regret to see that on any supplement. I will not use any such "mystery" supplements myself.> I had picked up a Beautiful 6" T. maxima, it was doing fine but little by little it started fading in color--my calcium, salinity water parameters are all in check, after that my pumping Xenia just melted away, and I have tried several yellow polyps and they finish off by just shrinking up and disappearing. The only thing I could think of is the food. <Hmm... as in, the food causing the symptom? Doubtful if so... rather coincidence and some other factor at hand.> Oh my LPS's, scroll coral, pagoda, and mushrooms are thriving. <Not a fair comparison, mate. If the problem is a physical one (pest, predator, disease, water quality, etc)... then each of these remotely related corals will have very different tolerances. Think instead if you have added anything recently without quarantine that could have brought a bug in. Do review WC and when in doubt, do a water change. Dilution is the solution to pollution as they say.> Merci, Regards <With kind regards, Anthony>

Coral Color - low Nitrates? 7/1/03 Anthony, one last question on my 75Gallon SPS, LPS and Softy Reef.  After what you have told me about my VHO lighting and from the tanks I have seen, It should be adequate for my tank.   <agreed... although it pains me to see such an unnatural mix of corals. Sure to be challenged and have some failures in the 1-3 year plan if not sooner for mixing LPS SPS and octocorals in one small tank> I have now seen some great looking SPS tanks under VHO and saw a coral breeder's tanks in person.  They were outstanding. <indeed... MH not needed for SPS> However, I would like to get the color of my SPS to stay as dark and vibrant as when I get them.   They have darkened up some since my low Alk episode but even some of my new frags seem to lighten up or at least changed color over time in my tank.  Is this normal?    <perhaps a lack of nitrogen for the zooxanthellae... are your nitrates near zero... too low if so. Need a few ppm for coral vigor/color> I am feeding the tank much more and doing larger water changes.  My Alk seems to stay at a steady 9.5DKH and my calcium is around 350-360 since the 2 big water changes you had me do.    <excellent> I am dripping about a gallon of Kalk daily.  You have said not to push either Calcium or Alk to much so I have been keeping it at this. <and will be very fine for growth of corals... steady and stable> Can you think of anything else that would help with the color of my SPS? Thanks so much. <Daniel Knop reported on European aquarists making a sodium nitrate solution to improve coral color ion zero nitrate systems... I cited and repeated it in my Book of Coral Propagation. Do test for nitrates. Best regards, Anthony>

SPS Coral FOOD? Hello Crew, <cheers> I would like to keep SPS corals specifically Acro. Sp. and Monti. Sp..  Unfortunately I do not have any room for a refugium to culture any fine zooplankton/nanoplankton.  <Too bad... have you looked at the CPR BakPak models? Better than nothing and a very slim profile> The area under the stand is full and there is nowhere upstream of the main tank to put one.  What else can be done to feed these corals? <They feed on micro- and nanoplankton... by absorption too. Nothing you provide from a bottle (meaty slurries or greenwater) is likely to be of much use (too big or simply not eaten/accepted). The refugium is really a bit help... but dissolved nutrients can work very well. Daniel Knop mentioned than some German reef aquarists were finessing nitrate solutions (form 1% stock) to maintain a slight but steady level of nitrogen in their tanks to improve coral coloration. Ammonium chloride solutions are used similarly (all must be tested though). See reference in Knops clam book or my coral propagation book... or try a keyword search on google of our WWM archive (a few mentions as I recall).> Thank you. Paul   <Best regards, Anthony Don't Give UP! Pale/Hungry Corals? This question is for Bob or Anthony if possible. <cheers, Andrew> I have been battling a 2 month problem in my reef.   About 1/2 of the corals have lightened up (I guess bleaching) and I can not figure it out. My coralline is also bleached and even one of my fish is pale. I am fanatical about my maintenance. <have had friends like this... too much of a good thing sometimes <G>... seriously. If your hands are in the tank more than once per week, you are probably fussing too much> Some background: My tank is made up of about 50lb live rock and 50 lb of Lace rock.  It has been set up for about 1 year.   It has LPS, SPS and a few soft corals in the tank.  I have a large skimmer and use a Rubbermaid container for a sump. My daily routine is to add baking soda in the AM (About 1 teaspoon dissolved in RO/DI water) and slowly added to the main tank.   I drip Kalkwasser very slowly daily for top off water.   I have used Seachem Reef Complete from time to time to help bring the calcium up.  I add this in the evening if necessary. <all good and agreed if the test kits confirm it (maintaining levels)> My water parameters are as follows: Alk 9-10DKH but drops very rapidly if I do not add daily baking soda. <hmmm... "very rapidly" sounds like part of the problem... your chemistry may be skewed from accumulated/excess supplements over time but not especially large or consistent water changes to dilute and return you to center> Calcium 420-440 <fine... pushing the high end... but fine> PH 8-8.2 and never above 8.2 even during the day if dripping Kalk.  Check with a calibrated meter. Temp 80-82. Lighting VHO replaced bulbs over the weekend after only 4 months.  Added a forth bulb.  Now running 2 URI 50/50 and 2 URI Actinic. I do 10-15% water changes weekly with Coralife salt. <Ahh... good to hear about the weekly w/c> My SPS are not the only corals turning lighter.  Some of the SPS are doing fine.  My 2 Frogspawn are doing great.  However, my Galaxy is turning white and not opening well.   My SPS are near the surface.   I have a large Derasa clam that is doing very well for past 4 years.  I am doing something wrong.  If so, please advise as I have read countless books and articles.  I also have friends with very successful tanks and we are all at a loss. <nothing you've mentioned is especially bad at all... but the one thing you have not mentioned my friend is what/how your corals are eating or being fed? Refugium? Slight nitrates allowed to linger? Culturing rotifers/baby brine... without "fertilizer" for the zooxanthellae, the we should expect the coral color to be pale as they starve slowly. A big fish load that is fed well/heavy can be helpful here too... but bottled supplements are likely a waste of time here (no phyto eaten by the LPS or SPS... very little if any by the softies. Really for gorgonians, clams and some Nephtheids)> Could my trouble be the Lace rock or is something wrong with my maintenance. <seems unlikely> If you need any additional information please let me know and thank you for any help as I am very frustrated. Andrew <lets get your general water quality back on par with 2 large (50%) water changes in the next 10-14 days. I have to admit... I don't care for Coralife brand for much of anything... least of which their salt or bottled food supplements. But if it has been working for you... don't change. If instead you'd be willing to change... do consider good old Instant Ocean... or Omega salt (same formulator). Better still... Tropic Marin. Address the feeding issues... and have patience. Have you read this piece yet?: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/growingcorals.htm some perspective on feeding. With kind regards, Anthony> 

Feeding Questions 4/21/03 Hi there,   Reporting in regards to my Eclipse 37 Gallon reef system. I was able to retrofit a Remora Pro Skimmer in the hood, changed the lights to Power Compacts, bought two more blue actinic lights in efforts to upgrade the system. Brown diatoms made their appearance and am combating them with blue hermits, Astraea snails, and RO water (from the grocery store). Several water checks insured no ammonia, no nitrites, and 20 ppm Nitrate.     <all good except the nitrates... nitrate can be read as nitrogen or as an ion. To get your actual nitrate reading, you must multiply your test kit reading by 4.4. Thus... your nitrates in this case are really closer to 90 ppm. Getting high... needing better/bigger water changes... better skimmer...etc> In order of appearance, I have brown mushrooms, yellow polyps, finger leather coral, pompom Xenia, green star polyps, and hammer coral. After extensive reading on your website, I am still at a loss when it comes to proper feeding. <it is not something that can be quantified generically... rather case by case... or at least group by group> Case in point, brine shrimp are often recommended as one of the staples, <not by me/us <G>... adult frozen brine shrimp is a terribly hollow/barren food. Animals can actually starve to death if forced to eat it as a staple> yet another FAQ refers to them as "whipped air". <BINGO> I am currently adding Kent Liquid Reactor (for Calcium and other additives) and Tech I (following directions to the tee) and was also cajoled into purchasing Kent Liquid Phytoplankton. <sorry to hear it :) > I have read you guys refer to this as "liquid pollution" on several occasions. <some phyto products (like DTs) actually can be useful... but bear in mind what animals actually eat it (gorgonians, copepods, some bivalves... few soft corals) and who does not eat it (most SPS, nearly all LPS, the majority of soft corals perhaps). If fed to animals that will not eat it naturally... then yes... it is pollution> Main question: I HAVE read all the articles and FAQs, yet no solid answer remains on feeding, and every single LFS seems to have their own advice. <OK... impressive> I have heard that Xenia basically don't need feeding (being autotrophic) <correct... they do not even have a fully formed digestive system... rather telltale. And they are not wholly autotrophic... they just do not feed organismally (but can feed by absorption)> but have also heard yellow polyps benefit most from direct feeding. <correct... and they are not even closely related> As this is my first reef tank, I do not want to "mess anything up"--too many people have way too different advice it seems. <indeed... find your own way by intelligent consensus and experimentation, my friend> Should I stop the phytoplankton direct feedings (once a week only) and switch to something you guys could recommend? <feed what your corals will eat: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fdreefinverts.htm > I am more than willing to get different kinds of food, if only someone could give a straight answer. <your question is not realistic in the context that it is poised: we would literally have to answer the question coral by coral because you have not specialized in your tank but rather have a typical (and problematic long term) garden reef with , many types of feeders> If possible, could you tell me which foods work best with each of the creatures I've described. <in gross terms: mostly light for the leather coral, xenia and Starpolyps... fine meaty foods for the yellow polyps, hammer and mushrooms> Again, every person I've spoken to has WAY different opinions. The last thing I would want to do is "slowly starve" my corals, like I've read in all your articles. Please try to be as specific as possible in your response, your help is greatly appreciated. Also, in reference to all your articles, I've read you guys talk about NOT mixing LPS and SPS corals together. I wouldn't want to force the issue on anything, so this question might seem dumb--how are the fish stores I have seen able to manage an eclectic collection in one tank? <short term versus long term... and the fact that they tend to do more water changes (dilution of allelopathic compounds). But when you have a mixed home tank that only gets small monthly water changes and the months/years start to creep by, bad things happen. These are animals that could live for many decades if given a proper and natural aquarium... not a crowded unnatural mix> Every time I ask this question, I get weird looks and responses like "It wouldn't be a reef tank without hard and soft corals". <ridiculous <G>... ask the clerk that told you that if he/she has ever been on a wild reef and observed 30, 50 or 100 different species of coral all together (touching) within the same few square feet in the wild. Ahhh....no. And certainly no cases of mushrooms anemones from 80 feet next to corals in 5 feet of water. Its unnatural... but hurts sales to admit it :) > One last question, thank you for your patience. Like many others, I cannot resist not having a cute Clownfish wagging along in my tank. I understand that they do just fine without an anemone, but if it's at all doable, I'd really like to accomplish that (their interaction is at least 75% of the appeal). I've been told it's a.) too late to put in the anemone--should've done it first so it could explore and pick a spot to settle without stinging other corals and b.) don't even bother since the anemone will sting corals regardless--use them only in a species tank. <the latter for certain... and your tank is way to small to even conceive of an anemone (humanely) with any other stinging animals in concert. Species tank only for anemones please> Again, the only reason I'm perplexed is because these same stores have reefs with several anemones and several corals put together! <temporary, my friend... we all need to take the long view for their health> What do you guys think? Thank you for your time; you guys rock! <best regards, Anthony>    Coral Feeding and Nutrient Accumulation... Hi, all (or whomever)... <Scott F. the "Whomever" tonight!> In my latest incarnation of a reef tank (75g, up for 11 months now), I've started feeding my corals, something I hadn't done before.  It seems to be doing the job, but I've had some issues with the skimmer's going wild, etc., and I wonder if I'm feeding enough/too much, or even appropriate foods.  I have a mix of LPS (elegance, open and closed brains, hammer, frogspawn and a Scolymia) <All of which may be fed regularly> , SPS (mostly Acro and Monti) <Also can be fed regularly with zooplankton/zooplankton substitutes> and one soft (finger leather) <Feeding is not really as important with this species as it is with others> along with clams, Ricordea, and one Ritteri anemone.  The feeding regimen is three times a week while the pumps are off for around 45 minutes, in which I mix 2 tsp. of powdered krill (crushed myself), 2 tsp of Sweetwater zooplankton, and approx. 2 tbsp. of shaved frozen Mysis shrimp. <Sounds good for the LPS corals, and the anemone...Particle size may be a bit large for the SPS corals...The liquid suspension, administered judiciously, may work, though> I mix this into a slurry with some tank water, and use it for directed feedings in a turkey baster to the LPS, Ricordea, and anemone. <Right on!> I also use it for the SPS, but only once the large particles are used up (so the media is almost a cloud by that point), although I suspect it doesn't help the SPS much.  The clams get a directed feeding of phytoplankton at the same time. <I agree that you need to feed either the fine "juices", or just use the phytoplankton....> For various reasons I'm not able to use a refugium, although I have virtually every other piece of equipment, including a reactor that keeps alk at 12 dKH and calcium at around 450, and an AquaC 180 skimmer (which is advertised as being for larger tanks, but I wanted an oversized skimmer); is there anything better I can use to feed the SPS? <It would be cool to culture some live plankton, but this is a rather tedious process...There are sources of these materials, available from places like Florida Aqua Farms, or Indo Pacific Sea Farms...Do a little web searching for this...> I'm concerned, also, that I might be adding too much food, and I've had a hammer coral die, and a couple of SPS lose tissue sporadically.  While I'm looking into other causes of that, I'm wondering if the feeding regimen might actually be causing nutrient overload. Arthur <I agree that there may be an issue of nutrient accumulation within the tank, possibly due to the feeding of your corals...If there is a degradation of water quality, such as an accumulation of phosphate or nitrate cab result in negative effects on your corals. The solution- aggressive nutrient export processes, particularly frequent small water changes, use of chemical filtration media (i.e.; activated carbon and/or Poly Filter), and other steps taken to ensure that water quality remains as high as possible...You have made some great observations, appear to have a keen understanding about what's going on in your tank, and a willingness to make necessary changes. Good luck with your system! Regards, Scott F>

- Overfeeding Concern - Hi, crew... <Good morning, JasonC here...> In my latest incarnation of a reef tank (75g, up for 11 months now), I've started feeding my corals, something I hadn't done before.  It seems to be doing the job, but I've had some issues with the skimmer's going wild, etc., and I wonder if I'm feeding enough/too much, or even appropriate foods.  I have a mix of LPS (elegance, open and closed brains, hammer, frogspawn and a Scolymia), SPS (mostly Acro and Monti), and one soft (finger leather), along with clams, Ricordea, and one Ritteri anemone.  The feeding regimen is three times a week while the pumps are off for around 45 minutes, in which I mix 2 tsp. of powdered krill (crushed myself), 2 tsp of Sweetwater zooplankton, and approx. 2 tbsp. of shaved frozen Mysis shrimp.  I mix this into a slurry with some tank water, and use it for directed feedings in a turkey baster to the LPS, Ricordea, and anemone.  I also use it for the SPS, but only once the large particles are used up (so the media is almost a cloud by that point), although I suspect it doesn't help the SPS much. The clams get a directed feeding of phytoplankton at the same time. For various reasons I'm not able to use a refugium, although I have virtually every other piece of equipment, including a reactor that keeps alk at 12 dKH and calcium at around 450, and an AquaC 180 skimmer (which is advertised as being for larger tanks, but I wanted an oversized skimmer); is there anything better I can use to feed the SPS? <You could try Eric Borneman's recipe, presented in his book Aquarium Corals.> I'm concerned, also, that I might be adding too much food, as I've had a hammer coral die, and a couple of SPS's lose tissue sporadically.  While I'm looking into other causes of that, I'm wondering if the feeding regimen might actually be causing nutrient overload. <How much seems to be coming out in the skimmer? Test your own theory and try feeding less.>   Arthur <Cheers, J -- >

Feeding corals - 4/11/03 Good day WWM crew, <G'day Charlie. A very belated Paul here to finally answer your question> I have a 75 g reef tank that has been up and running for about 5 months now. I have been weekly feeding finely blended meaty foods to the following inverts with a syringe: Thin Finger Leather ( Sinularia) <May benefit from it, but somewhat doubtful> Speckled Leather (Sinularia) <Not sure about this one benefiting either> Devil's Hand Leather (Lobophytum) <Not sure about this one, but I don't think so> Mushroom Leather (Sarcophyton) <Definitely not benefiting from this feeding> Green Polyps (Palythoa) <very likely. Have you seen expansion and budding??> Mushroom Coral (Actinodiscus) <Maybe> small Tridacna clam (Squamosa) <Nope. Not even close. They eat in the food range likely around 2 to possible 20 micron size. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tridacfdgfaqs.htm> Feather Duster (Sabellastarte) <Not going to benefit as the size is likely too big> <Have you actually noticed any of these corals eating this food mixture? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/growingcorals.htm and http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corlfdgfaqs.htm> I also weekly target feed bottled Phyto to the Feather Duster and clam (the phyto is refrigerated and put in a blender before use). <I am sure you have read by now that there is renewed interest in coral feeding et al. Much research currently being done in various areas of the world. Also, I am sure you have read on this site in particular, that most bottled phyto (except maybe DT's, as they are live) at this point just don't seem to have the true food appeal to corals as once thought for a great many reasons:  technique, size of food stuffs, food long past its expiration, and just plain crap food source. Again, if you see some difference in your animals, then great, but in my experience and findings, it's seeming more and more that phyto is somewhat overrated. Not to say that some corals won't benefit from its use, please don't get me wrong or misunderstand, but that these algae are the catch all for all coral feeding is something I am not willing to accept at this point in time. (Read MONEY MAKER!) I am currently in this realm of research in my Marine Biology studies. Trying various food sources and mixtures or true algaes and bacteria to various planktons (more specifically "pods"). Lots of indirect uses for phyto, but I do not believe it is THE food for coral tanks. Also, be sure to get a very reliable source of food stuffs for your inhabitants.> I don't do this with the corals since I have read that soft corals in the family Alcyoniidae, Zoanthidea, and the Corallimorphs don't really feed on Phyto but rather Zooplankton. <Ummm.....well, again many different thoughts here, but regardless, you feeding one drop of the phytoplankton to your tank may be feeding these animals. (If we could agree that phyto is what they would eat anyway, which I am not saying) I have been thinking that I should provide a natural means of providing both phyto and zooplankton. <Always a good idea to have natural food sources, but not necessarily easily done. A nice idea to have various fresh or live sources of food, but look at the cost for upkeep (true monetary cost and man hours in upkeep) versus the cost of just buying enough from a reliable source and storing> I have read that certain macro algae can culture many forms of nanoplankton that all corals will benefit from. <Well, again depends if we are talking "pods" or "plants"> I can't really afford to set up a refugium right now, but I was thinking maybe I could grow some Chlorodesmis in the tank. <Maiden's Hair? Many different species here, but I am assuming this is what you are talking about. Likely fine. Kind of a nest for pod's to do their thing so to speak> Since most herbivores won't bother Turtle grass, I was thinking that this could provide the natural foods I am looking for. <Again we are talking animals "pods" as this will not produce algal foods to replace the phytoplankton if that is what you are looking for. I don't think I have enough information to answer this though. This whole setup depends on what other animals inhabit the tank. A great many fish may be able to deplete you "pods" in no time and corals will likely benefit from their brood in the form of larvae so without some protection from such (i.e.. another tank separate from predators) this may not work...all depends>  Would this work? <See previous statement. A good start if you already have a good amount of copepods and amphipods already in tank with few to none predators> If not, can you make any suggestions? <I would look for a reliable source of fresh or live animals of various sizes available in your area or that can be shipped relatively easily to you. I love the idea of a refugium and if your only option is to throw in some Chlorodesmis (maiden's hair) then that will only help slightly, but not really the answer. So here is the million dollar question...? Why do you need this? Have you tried not feeding these particular corals? Were they dying before you started to feed them? I realize there is a lot of discussion on corals not reaching their nutritional requirements through photosynthesis alone, but maybe these corals are getting the excess they need in your tank without you adding anything at all. In other words you may already have the balance you need. This is such a big discussion to have in a somewhat limited forum (time to type more specifically and other questions and things to take my time). Please do more scouring on the net and more importantly ask around the different forums on the various sites out there. So much knowledge to be had for the taking with a little searching. Although I probably didn't really answer your question I just wanted to give you a little food for thought. No pun intended =) Let me know what you think and if you need any clarifying. So much research still to go.> Thanks Charlie

Feeding corals revisited- 4/14/03 My comments are now in <<< >>> Good day WWM crew, <G'day Charlie. A very belated Paul here to finally answer your question> I have a 75 g reef tank that has been up and running for about 5 months now. I have been weekly feeding finely blended meaty foods to the following inverts with a syringe: Thin Finger Leather ( Sinularia) <May benefit from it, but somewhat doubtful> Speckled Leather (Sinularia) <Not sure about this one benefiting either> Devil's Hand Leather (Lobophytum) <Not sure about this one, but I don't think so> Mushroom Leather (Sarcophyton) <Definitely not benefiting from this feeding> Green Polyps (Palythoa) <very likely. Have you seen expansion and budding??> Mushroom Coral (Actinodiscus) <Maybe> small Tridacna clam (Squamosa) <Nope. Not even close. They eat in the food range likely around 2 to possible 20 micron size. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tridacfdgfaqs.htm> Feather Duster (Sabellastarte) <Not going to benefit as the size is likely too big> <Have you actually noticed any of these corals eating this food mixture? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/growingcorals.htm and http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corlfdgfaqs.htm> << I'm not sure if the corals are actually eating this or not, however I have watched the Zoanthids "grabbing" pieces out of suspension. Let me elaborate on what I feed and how I administer it: 1) I feed what is a frozen algae called Reef Treats. It is mainly green and brown algae with Spirulina, peas, and spinach. I bought this mainly for the Tang. It also has some meaty ingredients like brine shrimp, Mysid shrimp, squid, clam, scallop, mussel, and krill. I figured that the cnidarians, the Sabellastarte, and the squamosa would benefit from the meaty portions. 2) I first thoroughly defrost the frozen food and soak it in garlic for about 45 minutes. I then put it in a small blender and chop it up really fine. I feed the bigger pieces to the fish. I then mix a drop of bottled Phyto with the remaining smaller pieces and make a "mush". I suck the juices up in a syringe and target feed the animals. I turn the skimmer off for about 30 minutes. I have noticed all my corals have shown growth. The Palythoa has budded as well as the corallimorphs. The Sarcophyton' crown has grown in surface area and the stalk has grown taller, The Sinularia's branches are growing, The Lobophytums branches have grown a lot, The Xenia has grown twice the size when I got him a few weeks ago, The cabbage leather has grown bigger, the clam has gotten bigger as well as the feather duster. But for all I know they would have grown like this regardless of what foods I was administering. Like you say below, I could have a balance.>> <<<Now without going into it too much, I have many of the same corals you do spread out over a few tanks and I too, have experienced the same reproduction, growth, and expansion of said corals, only I add no external food items to my tank. I would likely attribute the growth in most of your soft corals to proper lighting and water parameters for their needs of nutrition as well as some of their additional nutritional needs to the by product of fish feeding and excrement.>>> I also weekly target feed bottled Phyto to the Feather Duster and clam (the phyto is refrigerated and put in a blender before use). <I am sure you have read by now that there is renewed interest in coral feeding et al. Much research currently being done in various areas of the world. Also, I am sure you have read on this site in particular, that most bottled phyto (except maybe DT's, as they are live) at this point just don't seem to have the true food appeal to corals as once thought for a great many reasons: technique, size of food stuffs, food long past its expiration, and just plain crap food source. Again, if you see some difference in your animals, then great, but in my experience and findings, it's seeming more and more that phyto is somewhat overrated. Not to say that some corals won't benefit from its use, please don't get me wrong or misunderstand, but that these algae are the catch all for all coral feeding is something I am not willing to accept at this point in time. (Read MONEY MAKER!) I am currently in this realm of research in my Marine Biology studies. Trying various food sources and mixtures or true algaes and bacteria to various planktons (more specifically "pods"). Lots of indirect uses for phyto, but I do not believe it is THE food for coral tanks. Also, be sure to get a very reliable source of food stuffs for your inhabitants.> << I appreciate your elaboration on the phyto here. Very helpful>> I don't do this with the corals since I have read that soft corals in the family Alcyoniidae, Zoanthidea, and the Corallimorphs don't really feed on Phyto but rather Zooplankton. <Ummm.....well, again many different thoughts here, but regardless, you feeding one drop of the phytoplankton to your tank may be feeding these animals. (If we could agree that phyto is what they would eat anyway, which I am not saying) I have been thinking that I should provide a natural means of providing both phyto and zooplankton. <Always a good idea to have natural food sources, but not necessarily easily done. A nice idea to have various fresh or live sources of food, but look at the cost for upkeep (true monetary cost and man hours in upkeep) versus the cost of just buying enough from a reliable source and storing> I have read that certain macroalgae can culture many forms of nanoplankton that all corals will benefit from. <Well, again depends if we are talking "pods" or "plants"> I can't really afford to set up a refugium right now, but I was thinking maybe I could grow some Chlorodesmis in the tank. <Maiden's Hair? << Yes, Maiden's Hair>>Many different species here, but I am assuming this is what you are talking about. Likely fine. Kind of a nest for pod's to do their thing so to speak> Since most herbivores won't bother Turtle grass, I was thinking that this could provide the natural foods I am looking for. <Again we are talking animals "pods" as this will not produce algal foods to replace the phytoplankton if that is what you are looking for. I don't think I have enough information to answer this though. This whole setup depends on what other animals inhabit the tank. A great many fish may be able to deplete you "pods" in no time and corals will likely benefit from their brood in the form of larvae so without some protection from such (i.e.. another tank separate from predators) this may not work...all depends> Would this work? <See previous statement. A good start if you already have a good amount of copepods and amphipods already in tank with few to none predators> << Here are the rest of the tank inhabitants:       Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum)       Pair of Tomato Clowns (Amphiprion frenatus)       8 Reef Chromis (Chromis viridis)       Scooter Blenny (Synchiropus ocellatus)       Wheeler's Watchman Goby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri)       Orange Sea Star (Echinaster)       Fire Shrimp (Lysmata debelius)       20 Blue Legged Hermits (Clibanarius tricolor)       6 Scarlet Reef Hermits (Paguristes cadenati)       15 Turbo snails (Turbo fluctuosa)       10 Astraea snails (Astraea tecta)       5 Bumblebee snails (Pusiostoma)       Sally Lightfoot (Percnon gibbesi) I have had the Scooter Blenny for a few months now and his belly went from sunken in (when I first got him) to looking plump and happy. So I would have to assume that I have plenty of Copepods and Amphipods. However there would be a problem trying to culture "pods" in the tank with a dragonet residing. Ummm......>> <<< I agree. A dragonet will likely go through your "pods" fairly quickly. It is always good to have an extra source nonetheless. Do what you can to procure them either through an external source of live/fresh or to facilitate your own. Either way, I like your thinking on this.>>> If not, can you make any suggestions? <I would look for a reliable source of fresh or live animals of various sizes available in your area or that can be shipped relatively easily to you. I love the idea of a refugium and if your only option is to throw in some Chlorodesmis (maiden's hair) then that will only help slightly, but not really the answer. So here is the million dollar question...? Why do you need this? Have you tried not feeding these particular corals? Were they dying before you started to feed them? I realize there is a lot of discussion on corals not reaching their nutritional requirements through photosynthesis alone, but maybe these corals are getting the excess they need in your tank without you adding anything at all. In other words you may already have the balance you need. This is such a big discussion to have in a somewhat limited forum (time to type more specifically and other questions and things to take my time). Please do more scouring on the net and more importantly ask around the different forums on the various sites out there. So much knowledge to be had for the taking with a little searching. Although I probably didn't really answer your question I just wanted to give you a little food for thought. No pun intended =) Let me know what you think and if you need any clarifying. So much research still to go.> Thanks Charlie << I appreciate all of your insight>> <<<We appreciate you thoughts, questions, and replies. Thanks for taking part and keep me updated as things unfold>>>

Feeding Algae to corals Bob, one more question....how do you feel about feeding micro algae, sparingly, twice a week for the corals?? I mix  about 1/4 or less phytoplankton using my tank's water, and shut the pumps off for a little while, and administer it with a feeding tube. Pat Marren <Very few corals actually feed on micro-algae. Am not a fan of administering for this purpose. If you feel the entire system is benefiting from such application... Bob Fenner>

Feeding a Bleached SPS  - 2/13/03 Hi, I was only suspicious after I received it and after I didn't see any polyps on the branches but it still had the amazing blue color over the whole coral.  <hmmm... perhaps I'm mistaken. I thought the picture of the unreal blue Acropora you sent was the very same one posted on e-bay> I know there are hundreds of different color combinations of Acroporas but have never seen a completely blue one as the one in the link that I sent to you.  That's why I asked your advice.  <Okey-dokey> I have it in quarantine in a 20 gallon long with a Fluval 404 and a Remora Pro skimmer and it will be in there until 4 weeks have gone by or it is healthy again.  <good to hear... it will surely help its chances> Water changes are at the turn of a valve so no problem there at all.  pH is at 8.3 and alkalinity is at 8.  calcium 380ppm.  <a whisker on the low end for Ca and ALK but no worries at all if they are very stable. Better than occasional spikes to high "ideals"> I have a PC light over it that puts out 110 watts total (two 55 watt bulbs)  <very fine> Should I have it in moderate current?  <yes, my friend... and do fashion it to avoid laminar/linear flow. Two converging jets to produce random turbulence is likely fine> Right now it is on the bottom of the tank for the fear that it would have been a lower light requiring Acropora.  <agreed... wise for its state of duress> Higher in the tank after a few weeks?  <yep> Where do I find the solutions you mentioned so I can nurse this back to health?  <Knop cites a dosage of 1 gram of sodium nitrate per 1000 ml of distilled water to make a stock solution. From this stock solution, 10 ml per 100 l of aquarium water is added to maintain a nitrate level under 2 mg/l.> I will do whatever it takes to make sure it lives a happy healthy life in my possession.  Thanks for your time, Jeff <best of luck, Jeff. Anthony>

Re: Bleached coral food - 2/13/03 Hi, thanks for the reply but you don't say where I can get the sodium nitrate.  Thanks for the help, Jeff <try laboratory supply houses like Fisher Scientific. Many only sell to universities/labs though... you'll have to be resourceful and scrounge a bit. I'm sure with enough keyword searches on a 'Net search engine, you'll find a locale close to you. Else, archive old references from Moe on common household Ammonium Chloride for charging trickle filters and dilute to register on a basic ammonia test kit (maintaining residual levels). Anthony>

Green Brain feeding - 2/11/03 Hey Gang! <cheers, bub> How's it goin'? well I trust, I'd like to show Anthony a picture of the first attempted feeding of my Brain! (feeding my head comes later on this evening!) Do the pieces of food (Prime Reef) look about the right size? <indeed fine. This coral in fact can safely eat much larger fare than most LPS at any rate> After shutting off the circulation pumps, I placed the food on the coral where I thought the mouth (s) were. The coral did start taking the food after about 20 minutes and seemed to eat much of it. <and you'll notice they inflate magnificently some hours later> Meanwhile, the brittle starfish & red reef crab came ripping out from the rock work as soon as the Prime Reef food hit the water, so they ended up with some after I coaxed them to another part of the tank with a chunk of food.  I plan on doing this ritual about, every third day or so? What do ya think??      <quite good!> Thanks for the info, & for being there to share this fun stuff with!! Scott in Denver <best regards, Anthony>

Re: Green Brain feeding - 2/14/03 Anthony, Thanks for the last reply, I must apologize to you as well for not sticking to the "forum" of WWM. <not your fault, bud... our friends and readers have no idea (and do not need to know) how hectic is gets here. Its my/our obligation for the sake of courtesy and professionalism to project a better image. I slipped and have let that fellow and a few others "get my goat" lately. To better days :) > I reckon I won't buy from the LFS in question. Unfortunately, that store is probably the best store in this area to get these corals from (sad, but true) we won't even get into the LFS's that smell like "bait shops" with $40, 1 polyp 'shrooms that are half dead. <are you close to the Marine Showcase? I've heard good things from aquarists about them. They support the local club(s) and seem very sincere> I'm thinking the only other option is the internet retailers or local aquarium clubs & societies. <not really... I think you can shop anywhere as long as you are an educated consumer and don't need to rely on their advice. Only buy appropriate creatures for captivity. I would avoid internet purchased live animals at all costs. > I guess I'm learning about the "down side" of the hobby where  "the mighty dollar" takes precedence over caring with true concern of these animals, It sucks. I do have a question for ya though, I took the brain coral out of the 70 gal. softy display & put it in a 10 gallon with some live rock with an , that will be Emperor 280 back filter, it cycles the tank 25-28 time an hour.    When I feed the "prime Reef" frozen food to this beauty, I mush it up then try to place it on the coral around the "mouth" area but much of the food slides off onto the substrate.  What is the method you use to feed these animals? <put a little meat or juice in the aquarium fifteen minutes in advance and that will get the sticky stinging feeding tentacles to come out... then feed> Oh yea, the brain is the only coral going into the 10 gallon, talk about a "species specific' set-up!!  (Although it would be nice to get a little more variety in there) Again, I hope you'll accept my apology for "stirring it up" with the LFS & WWM/You.                                                          Scott <no worries, bud... we'll all be best to stick with the issues :) Anthony>

Recommend any corals as amphipod-eaters? 2/8/03 Greetings to the wise and witty WWM merry folk! <and G'day to you 'yon.. merry... er... dude> I've been studying carefully all the relevant references to AMPHIPODS in your superb website, <danke> but I'm still seeking any specific recommendations (or dissuasion) you might offer regarding corals which  like to catch & eat amphipods (esp. gammarus). <actually... most corals will... especially LPS> I'm not trying to eliminate the amphipods, just to find a small, hardy, presumably LPS or soft coral which needs only moderate light and will benefit from the nutritious, nocturnal little buggers. <LPS would be best... few true soft corals will/can... but corallimorphs and some zoanthids yay> If a small LPS is permissible, my only concern is that its tentacles not injure my fish or sting my existing corals (the latter can be relocated somewhat). <its doable... although there are concerns for allelopathic aggression with all corals> Reconnaissance first.... 20-gallon reef/lagoon saltwater tank, 4" live sand (fine coral), with Marshall Islands live-rock occupying about 20% of tank volume; lots of  multicolor coralline algae growing on LR. Regular use of "B-Ionic" two-part additives for alkalinity and calcium/minerals. Distilled water, never tap water. Lighting is two PC fluorescents (a 55-W 10K blue, and a 55-W daylight full-spectrum). Combination filter/skimmer (brace yourself) is the notoriously awful "Skilter" 400, which I modified by inserting a fine airstone into the bottom of its normally noisy/inefficient bubble chamber (tight budget, baby). <no worries... I have seen many such modified Skilters work well> Water quality and calcium/trace minerals are actually very clean and stable, although I permit nitrates to occasionally linger in the low single digits before performing water changes. <a good idea for coral.. necessary> No Cyanobacteria or green algae, with only occasional mists of diatoms on tank walls (instant snail food). NOT a purist's "reef," hence my use of term "lagoon." <sounds natural and healthy> The instant I can afford it, however, I jump to a larger tank and an Aqua-C protein skimmer. And halides. <no hurry on the halides unless the tank is deep> Residents = one lemon damselfish; two Ocellaris Clown; one Pseudochromis diadema; one Twin-Spot Goby (all reasonably respectful of each other!). Polyps & Corals = Montipora digitata (green and orange frags, both flourishing); purple blue Acropora frag and brown Pocillopora[??] (both up high and growing slowly); frilly green/brown mushrooms & brown disc mushrooms; Millepora with multicolor Xmas-worms (doing great!). <definitely long term issues with the SPS and corallimorphs together. I'll put my money on the 'shrooms winning and I'm pretty sure I'll win the bet> Several small "feather duster worms" in live rock. Approx. 8 various reef-safe tiny hermit crabs. Snails = Trochus, Astraea, <Holy cow!!! You are one of the few people to write in and correctly spell "Astraea". You go brutha!> Nassarius, Cerith, Stomatella varia. Hundreds of amphipods, but only under flashlight at night. Several kinds of small beneficial" "bristleworms""" (those were Toonen Marks, heheh).  No fireworms or (large) predatory worms. One 2" incredibly-hardy mystery bivalve (not Tridacna) snuggled into a live-rock foxhole. Lurker = I'm tracking a possible pistol shrimp or juvenile mantis shrimp (no known casualties yet, but little nocturnal popping noises come in pairs....). <no biggie either way likely> Foods = enriched-brineshimp flake, also Nutrafin pellets, and SMALL amounts twice-weekly of thawed frozen Mysid shrimp. Occasional doses of Kent "Micro-Vert" filter-feeder food seems to keep the feather-dusters growing. The goby, hermits, and snails snatch anything edible the moment it hits bottom. <whew... I'm still with 'ya> So, the idea is to make use of some of the amphipods as live food, while adding to the coralscape. I'd prefer a splash of color but I'm wary of soft corals or anemones due to risks of chemical warfare and my small tank. <actually... your corallimorphs are one of the very worst invertebrates to keep in this regard. You tank would benefit long-term by pulling them out.> Sexy items like Distichopora/Stylaster or red "Chili Coral" seem appealing, but their impact on amphipods ("amphipact"?) is uncertain? <agreed... the Chili coral might take a bit... and is hardier by far... but neither will satisfy you likely> My understanding so far is that SPS corals couldn't hurt a flea, or an amphipod. <agreed> Notes: The Twin-Spot Goby (my kids prefer "Four-Wheel Drive") does considerable sand-sifting but hasn't hurt the LRs amphipod population, <correct... seeking polychaetes more so. Still... bury Mysid on occasion if necessary to maintain his weight> nor does the sandbed ever seem to lack for little new worms and nitrogen-processing capacity. The Pseudochromis instantly nails the rare amphipods that are stupid enough to venture out in "daytime" or at dusk, but that fish mostly relies (pigs out) on the aforementioned frozen Mysid shrimp and sleeps soundly when the Amphipod Parade begins at sunset. <Wow... Pseudo's can usually decimate 'pod populations even in larger aquariums. Sounds like its the nutrient influx that's helping the pods to flourish. No hard at all though... quite helpful.> Thanks for your astoundingly helpful website! <best regards, Anthony>

LPS Coral Feeding Trick 2/8/03 Thanks Anthony.  Have one more question about the plate.  He isn't taking food. <try regularly but don't force it> When I first got him he took about 1/2" of silverside readily. <good> Since then (about 1.5 weeks ago),  he has not accepted any minced silverside, clam, or scallop.  Today I tried feeding zooplankton with a baster, he rejected this also.  Should I be concerned? <not in the 2-4 week picture> When target feeding, how much zooplankton should I administer? <a very small amount in tank water... perhaps 1/4-1/3 teaspoon of meat> And how far from the mouth should I squirt it? <try a feeding cap... cut the top off a soda pop bottle and sink it over the coral at feeding time... the squirt the food in to the top of the bottle and that will serve to increase contact time with food in a suspended slurry> Thanks, Adam <best regards, Anthony>

Feeding Food that is too large to Corals and Anemones Hi all, a quick question.  I have had Frogspawn Bubble Coral in my 125 for about 18 months or more.  It's has been doing great.  Last night I added a Xenia from a friend and I may have put it too close.  When the Xenia expanded it was very close and may have touched the frogspawn.  I moved it immediately, but the frogspawn contracted.  Over the next few hours, it almost turned inside out, and through it's two mouths, spit out food I had given it almost a week ago, I could still see the bits and recognized it as silversides, I cut up in small pieces and drop occasionally into the coral.   <really more like small chunks, no?> It also spewed out a large amount of mucus, I would guess the entire contents of it's gut.   <correct... and very common when aquarists feed food that is too large to corals and anemones... I preach this so often but hobbyists truly underestimate it. Often, the coral or anemone expel the mucous ball of waster at night and slowly starve to death even though the aquarists thinks its getting fed. Sometimes, the large chunks injure the cnidarian and kill it in time. The "rule" is feed small amounts frequently (3-5 times weekly is fine) but always finely minced (nothing bigger than 1/8 or 1/4 bits> It seems better today, but is not expanding to it's 10" plus size.  There appears to be no infection, or deterioration of the flesh.   <good to hear> The mouth is still rather large and partially open.   <Doh.... not good to hear. Duress indeed> Have you ever seen this before?   <very common> What are the chances of recovery?   <very good> Should I leave it alone or do you suggest intervention?   <leave alone bud and after a couple weeks resume feeding more often with finer bits> Thanks   Larry <best regards, Anthony>

Feeding Corals and Anemones Hi Anthony, don't forget I have read your book, and do view the WWM web site.   <my apologies, bud... I certainly do recognize your name and that we've chatted before but the conversations are a blur. We chat with several hundred aquarists monthly by phone, e-mail and in person... it does get a bit hazy at times <G>> The largest bit of silverside I feed my corals is less than half their head size (of the silverside) or about 1/16 to 1/8" MAX!   <excellent... then problem could simply have been the feeding portion (too  large) or may have been entirely unrelated (temperature drop recently, etc)> The silverside is actually wider than the slices I feed, typically the size I buy is about 3/16 to 1/4" wide.  So maybe it's the width at 1/4" that is a bit large?? <not at all... sounds reasonable for sure> I can run the stuff for a few seconds in a blender if this is better.  My coral looks a whole lot better today, but still mouth gaping slightly and extension is maybe only 6".  With smaller pieces, would I feed 4 bits at a time or only one bit per day?  Thanks again Larry <some experimentations needed per animal. I suspect you will see nice growth with anything within reason. Kindly, Anthony>

Feeding Tubastrea Sun Coral Do you have any tips on feeding a sun coral (Tubastrea)?   I can't seem to get the polyps to extend so I can feed it. Thanks, Alan <much has been written on this subject abroad on the 'Net. I also have a section in my book (Coral Propagation) for feeding Tubastrea with a slurry in a basin. For starters, train the polyps to open by simply putting a little bit of meaty juice (tablespoon) from thawed frozen food (Mysis shrimp) into the tank at the same time every night. Do this for a week or two until the animals is trained to open and wait at that time. Then introduce meaty fare (yes... Mysis is a great start). Target feed with a saltwater slurry... or put the coral in a floating cup several times weekly and concentrate the food (to prevent overfeeding the tank) Best regards, Anthony Calfo>

Re: Coral IDs Thanks for the ID, Anthony. I have read that the SPS corals need very bright light and strong water movement, <do be careful of believing any such generalizations. SPS corals can be found in 1 foot of water and they are found at 100 foot! Always go by species needs/history.... not family needs> how is it these three different species are on one rock, <good question and some logically explanations for it. One possibility is that it is an appropriate SPS for the zone that the soft coral was collected in . Indeed, if it is a Montipora as suspected... it would be moderate to somewhat low light and moderate water flow (unlike most SPS, yes). Or, if it is a "high light" SPS, it could simply be one of the tens of thousands of planulae that settle out successfully but do not survive the random place of settlement. Drift, currents,... who knows where larvae will settle. Most do not survive to maturity> placed there on purpose maybe? <unlikely... but I cannot say, you did not mention the origin of the rock for me to compare with the species suspected> The leather & shrooms should have the same basic needs as far as light/water movement are concerned(?). <similar... moderate light and water flow at most> I'm going to leave the group alone unbothered for, uh.. well, I'm just gonna leave it as if in a permanently placed spot, and see what happens! One last thing, the LFS said they feed their corals a "spray dried marine phytoplankton", <I'm sorry to hear it> so I got a turkey baster along with the food, for direct feeding about twice a day(?) <OK... worth experimenting... but most corals don't eat phyto. And those that do sure can't eat the large particle size of such products. Gorgonians are phyto feeders. Your Capnella may feed a little on phyto too. Most other corals feed on zooplankton. A refugium would provide far more and better food here> Thanks for your time, I definitely appreciate it. Scott <best regards, Anthony>

- Torch coral decline - Hi Bob, <Actually, JasonC today...> Quick question. Have you ever heard of a healthy torch specimen dying from being fed a whole shrimp? <Not until today.> I have a been very successful with my reef tank for a decade or so and another decade prior to that with just fishes. I have advanced with the times. My system is a Berlin style with a sand bed, a full time dark refugium and a full time lighted refugium with various Caulerpa specimens contained therein. I also run a Knop calcium reactor.  My regular testing of the water shows no irregular readings. I keep all my water parameters within the normal and generally accepted ranges. The tank has basically been running itself for a long time (aside from regular water changes). Now to my point. I have a maroon clown fish that has adopted both a green bubble coral and a torch coral as his. This relationship has been going on for over a year. Contained also in the tank is his long time buddy a large Snowflake moray eel. The eel is fed a thawed large unpeeled shrimp twice weekly for the most part. One feeding however, the clown picked up the shrimp (a 16-20 count size) and fed it to the torch coral, which it dutifully digested. Within a day or so of this occurrence, the coral has withdrawn and appears to be dying. This occurred a few weeks ago. To the best of my knowledge the shrimp had no preservatives in it and was fully thawed. All other livestock are fully healthy and thriving. No other changes have been made in the tank. The frozen shrimp has been an eel staple for a couple years now. My feeling is that the coral is just dying and this incident was coincidental. <That would be my thought too. Quite often corals and clams can look in perfect health right up until the very last day, when in fact they've been starving to death... sometimes as long as a year.> One more piece of info, the main coral is the one that ate the shrimp, three other smaller heads on the piece are also dying. <My only other thought would be that the clown might have beat it to death. As nice as it is that the clown took up residence there, the problem is that the septa (walls that separate the polyps) in this coral are quite sharp and quite capable of damaging the polyps. The clown may have sped this along.> Any help would be appreciated. <Ahh well... keep the faith, the coral may just need some time to digest that chunk of shrimp.> Brett <Cheers, J -- >

Algae eating Fungia? Hi Anthony, I have a Fungia I recently purchased, I don't know the species. I can give a vague description, wish the damned camera worked. Here goes: shag green carpet color, and speaking of shag... it's feeding polyps are about 1/2" long, it's fleshy mantle extends appx 1/3" over the edge of it's skeleton, it has a purple mouth. in shape, the fleshy mantle somewhat resembles the common heart symbol, only slightly flattened. Here's the interesting part, it ignores meaty food, but put a piece of wakame on it, and it goes to town. I've watched it ignore fish, shrimp, and squid, but like I said, put a piece of wakame on it, and it sucks it down like nobody's business. Thought you might like to know, Mike <Dude... thanks for sharing. To be certain... were the meaty foods extremely small (minced)? Particle size is everything with all types of planktivores. True- some Fungia can and will take large chunks of food... but they are rare. Do consider that the largest zooplankton this coral is ever likely to see on a reef is an amphipod... and not many of them. Most zooplankton is smaller and like most anemones, Fungia can reject large chunks of food. My thought/suspicion on the matter. Actually... I'm quite certain of it: form follows function. Large stinging aspects the 1/2 tentacles, etc) evolve for a reason... and its not for catching microscopic phyto. Sheets of algae do not drift nightly on a reef, but a bazillion zooplankters do come out like clockwork :)Ciao, bub. Anthony>

Feeding Brain Corals Hey Y'all, I don't know who is going to answer this, but I could sure use a little assistance... <then I'm your man... I measure 5'6"... 5'8" if my hair is poofy> I just picked up a Diploastrea Heliopora from my neighborhood fish store and was given some mis-information from the owner so I was wondering if you could help me with a couple of small matters :) <Hmm... a "little" assistance... "small" matters... I'm starting to form a complex here. Its a good thing that I have a big car> I was told this coral was a filter feeder but I didn't believe him so I tried giving it some defrosted Mysis shrimp which it snapped up eagerly!   <All corals are filter-feeders to some extent... some zooplankton, others phyto... some both. Others still won't feed organismally but will feed by absorption. The bottom line is... there are VERY few corals that don't filter feed in some manner and all essentially need fed in the aquarium. Yes... most all we keep need some feedings (weekly if not daily)> Do I have to feed every opening that is putting out those little tentacles or is a general feeding of as many openings as possible going to be ok?   <the latter> Is there something better than Mysis to feed this guy? <actually... Mysis are high protein and a good primary food. Still... offer a variety (Gammarus, Pacifica plankton, etc)> And how far out do those tentacles reach?   <far enough to capture passing food particles<G>> I don't want the possibility of the polyps and stony corals close to it getting stung.   <no worries here... all corals should be at least 6-10" apart but that will only keep you safe for 1-2 years for most. Move or propagate as necessary> Thanks for the help. Andrea <best regards, Anthony>

Carnivorous coral on a vegetarian diet Hello Crew, I have a 80 gallon reef tank (Fiji LR 100 Lbs) with various leathers and stony corals.   <interesting mix> I did some research on the pretty but dreaded Euphyllia Torch Coral.  Of course, after reading I figure I can handle the little bugger.   <hardy, beautiful, fast-growing but aggressive> So I bought him.  I stuck his "trunk" or base in 3 inches on live sand, with moderate to moderate plus current (constant).  My pc's seem a bit far away for light but was under the impression it wasn't that big of a concern as they are found in various depths? <agreed... and more importantly, they feed so well and easily that many deficiencies in light can be compensated for with almost daily feeding here> (4 wpg 50/50).  Anyway, I have a healthy brain coral that puffs up daily.  He was smack dab in the middle of the sand as you specified in an earlier post.  I moved him on another sand bed surrounded by LR.  He may barely touch it as he puffs but if he does only 10-15%.  He's about 8 inches from the torch, plus the rock barrier, current is still moderate for the brain.  Is this o.k.? <all sounds very fine... will last more than a year if/until growth closes the gap> One more thing, I have had conflicting information on what the torch eats.   <hmmm... not much conflict here. The huge and aggressive polyps coupled with the history, behavior and locale of Euphylliids kames them decided and hardcore zooplankton feeders. The size and aggression of the tentacles is the giveaway. Power packs like that are not wasted on algae catching> I feed Spirulina flake once a day, and Phytoplex 2-3 per week. Occasionally I will throw in finely minced squid/oyster etc blended . Am I doing alright? <only the last meaty food mentioned is providing any direct or significant sustenance. Perhaps the flake food somewhat if it has a meaty component> By the way, the hermit crabs love this torch coral... (Blue and red tiny ones) what gives? <Natural behavior for scarlet red hermits, not surprising for blue> Thanks again (for the hundred and fiftieth time) Steve <always welcome. Anthony>

The Scoop on Poop- corals feeding directly on nitrogenous matter I was recently researching things over on RC and found this: http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/archive/84/2002/11/1/99557 for the abstract: An aquarist has found that Goniopora greedily devour tang fecal matter as well as goo left on an algae clip from a piece of Nori. he's going to experiment with target feeding it waste from his skimmer (disgusting, but given what he's observed so far...), just a drop or two. Given how notoriously difficult these corals are to keep, I thought someone out there might be able to use this info. PF <Michael, thank you my friend... once again you have demonstrated that you really know your Sh*t. Best regards, Anthony>

Anchor Coral Problem I've been having a problem with my anchor coral for the past couple of weeks.  Let me start from the beginning.  I bought the coral 5 months ago. About 2 weeks after I bought it, one of the polyps shriveled up and died in a 24-hour period.  I attributed this to the fact that I probably scratched it while I was feeding it.   <hmmm... this reminds me to warn you to be careful not to feed large foods... never larger than 1/4" bits (minced). Even though this blind and sightless animals will sting and draw any large chunk of dead fish or shrimp in... it doesn't make it smart or safe. Many coral are harmed or killed by feeding large krill, shrimp or fish chunks> About 2 weeks ago, for no apparent reason, another polyp shriveled up and died in the same way.   <more symptoms needed here... any evidence of necrosis, change of color... waning over what period of time, etc?> Yesterday, one more polyp started shriveling.  (This last polyp was connected to the previous  polyp by tissue, so I'm not sure if this polyp is dying because it was connected to the other.)   <not likely over this period of time (no pathogen)... more likely suffering the same physical imposition (feeding, water quality or predator)> My water parameters are all fine, <fine relative to what... numbers please> and I can find no exterior signs of infection or parasites.  The coral was doing fine for a long time after I bought it, <months? still not long if starving (regurgitating large chunks after dark)> so I'm not sure how it could have been infected.   <almost certainly not infected/pathogenic over this period of time> I have 2 polyps left on the coral that seem to be doing fine, but then again the other polyps looked fine before they mysteriously died.   <how fast/sudden? Perhaps there is a fish in the tank nibbling at night. Fish list please> My other corals and fish are not showing any signs of stress.  I've seen postings about a Malachite Green dip, but I could not find the exact recipe. <Good heavens no! No organic dyes or metals on invertebrates please. Very dangerous... and you don't even have an infection (no mention of necrotic tissue!)> I'm not even sure if the dip is the appropriate action to take.  Can you  help? Thanks for all of your help -- past, present, and future! <a picture please if possible. With kind regards, Anthony>

Goniopora health, feeding Merry Christmas Eve Crew, <and to you as well my friend> I have a few questions that I am having problems with. 1)I feed my Goniopora phytoplankton but I was wondering what else I should feed it to ensure its survival for more than a year, <placement on a deep sand bed or in a refugium with a deep sand be has proven to be invaluable! Also, some seagrasses in the system for natural phyto and epiphytic matter  seems to be helpful> 2)My three spot damsel is trying to make the Goniopora its home but I don't want  it to because when it rubs against the coral, it retracts, is there anything  I can do to discourage this behavior? <no clowns or damsels in the display at all with the Gonio... it will kill the coral within months likely> 3)I brought it in pretty bad condition (i.e. exposed skeleton), what can I do to try and help the coral or is it too late? <definitely not too late... but will be slow to heal. No worries... good water quality is enough. The fishless refugium and deep sand bed are also crucial> 4)Does it need to be near macroalgae, if so, where can I find some? Thank You, Lucky Ly <not any/all macroalgae... some like Caulerpa and perhaps Sargassum may be noxious or harmful. Look for Gracilaria, Chaetomorpha and calcareous species like Halimeda & Udotea... better yet seagrasses if you have a deep sand bed (Thalassia or Syringodium). Numerous places on the web sell these plants. What big city are you near? Perhaps there is a local club you can trade samples from  (look at our links and the lists on message boards like reefcentral.com for aquarium society listings). If nothing else... look up www.ipsf.com for Gracilaria algae. Best regards, Anthony>

Flower Pot Coral II Dear Crew, As you remember, I wrote concerning my G. stokesii (thanks for the correction). I wrote Kent and awaited a response. The response is in and I value your opinion as much and possibly more (your helping the amateurs, he is selling a product). Please do not take offense to my quotation of expert as I am unfamiliar with your staffs qualifications. <No problem. If you are interested, there is a page on the crew, who we are, what we look like, what we do, etc. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/wwmcrew.htm> I simply didn't want some smug response from them saying "who this guy, we are the pro's" <No, I am the Pro, Steven Pro to be exact. :)> You seem to overqualified to say the least and I am interested in your response. By the way, they asked If I am skimming. I said yes 4 hours per day venturi style. Effective today I have 3 inches of aragonite live sand and the stokesii are on the bottom. Thanks Steve- HERE IS THE OFFICIAL RESPONSE FROM KENT Hello, Thanks very much for your inquiry; I'll do my best to try and clear up some confusion. Goniopora, in general, has a poor track record for survival in captivity, and the reasons for this aren't very clear to even the most experienced hobbyists and professionals in the industry. There are many factors, however, that are often observed and/or theorized to have an influence on the survival rate. Certainly, water temperature, nitrogenous waste concentrations, light characteristics, water flow, dissolved oxygen concentration, nutrient input, and presence of toxins excreted by nearby corals and other cnidarians play roles in the relative survival rate of Goniopora. I will, at this point, say that I am not aware that any specific studies have been performed on "bottled phytoplankton" and the size of the species included as they pertain to the feeding habits of Goniopora. Our product, Phytoplex, contains three species of phytoplankton in a size range of 2-15 microns, and our ChromaPlex contains two species with a size range of 5-25 microns. The recognized lower limit on size of phytoplankton as noted by Marine Biologists and Oceanographers is 2 microns; therefore I find it difficult to believe that Goniopora, which feed not only on phytoplankton (all 2 microns and larger), but also on zooplankton (also 2 microns and larger) are not able to feed on organisms present in our products. In other words, the insinuation or claim that the phytoplankton in Phytoplex are too large for Goniopora doesn't hold water. Corals and other organisms that feed on the smallest classes of plankton, femto- and picoplankton, at 0.02-0.2 microns and 0.2-2.0 microns, respectively, often use a visible mucous to aid in the capture of such small particles; Goniopora do not display that characteristic. Note that the femtoplankton class is composed wholly of virioplankton (virus'), and picoplankton is composed of bacterioplankton. Again, I believe that an individual would be hard-pressed to locate a study performed on Goniopora citing their feeding schemes, but perhaps I'm just not reading enough these days. Now, allow me to say that if the coral isn't getting the amount of nutrients it needs (i.e. the coral is simply not capturing enough of the plankton to meet its nutritional requirements) in order to survive and thrive, that's another matter, more easily solved. You didn't mention that you have a protein skimmer on this aquarium, did you omit that information or is the tank skimmer-less? Kindest regards, Cris Brightwell Marine Scientist Kent Marine, Inc. www.kentmarine.com <While I know of no studies involving Phytoplankton and Goniopora, Dr. Rob Toonen did perform a study on bottled Phytoplankton products. You should be able to easily find this on the net. The basics are what Anthony gave you in the last email. To be useful, it must be fresh, refrigerated, and whisked to ensure proper particle size. While their live Phytoplankton is probably of the sizes he quoted, Dr. Toonen's study showed that all of these products have a tendency to clump, making them worthless. They must be used up in less than six months, refrigerated the entire time (wholesale, retail, and your home), and need to be blended for a few minutes to minimize clumping. Do read the article for yourself, though. -Steven Pro>

"Special food"... from LFS Hey WWM Crew- Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!(a little early) <thanks kindly... same to you, my friend> I may have a problem, I have a "branch" of Torch Coral I've had it for almost 2 years, it was my first coral), that I feed everyday small amounts of shrimp from the market.   <very fine... that is to say, the feeding of it is fine, and hopefully the size of the matter is too. Even though some corals and anemones will sting and draw in larger chunks of meat (greater than 1/4"), most are rejected or regurgitated after your lights go out (and the animals actually starve in time). Always feed very finely minced matter for safety> I went to my LFS today to get some stuff, long story short; I told the manager this and he blew up at me.  Told me I should be feeding my coral the store's "special" food.   <Heehee...ahhh, yah. Right. "special Food". I'm sure that I know what's special about it: the profit margin. The LFS clerk that told you that is mistaken (or an ass... not sure which yet). Market produce is usually fine or better. Always buy raw and frozen. Avoid fresh because it usually isn't (some risk of disease transmission here because we don't cook it for our fishes). Of course you can freeze fresh meats yourself to be safe. Frozen foods instead are quickly flash frozen right after collection which reduces the likelihood of pathogenic communicability> It's made of krill and shrimp.   <big deal <G>. Overpriced and you are also paying for frozen water in the pack. What you should seek at the LFS that you can't get form the market is unique marine prey like Pacifica plankton and mysids. Else, raw shrimp and squid from the market are very fine and safe. Unless the LFS product says "gamma-irradiated", there's no appreciable difference beyond price> WOW, what a price difference!   <oh, ya!> Is market shrimp ok, or should I go out and get the special "food".   <if you buy the "special food" I'm gonna buy you a "special hat" and then try to sell you some swamp land :)  > Thanks for the advice! Phil <my pleasure... really <G>. Anthony>

Coral Feeding I have a question regarding foods for my corals. I went out and purchased some fresh shrimp (from grocery store), some frozen Mysis shrimp (Ocean Nutrition cubes), and some frozen krill (both from LFS). I would like to blend these together to feed my corals, but I would like to know if it is ok to blend the frozen cubes, which will unthaw them, and refreeze the blended mix? I know meat that we eat can't be thawed and refrozen (and still be eaten), and would like to know if this applies to the cubed frozen fish food also? <I am guessing the same thing may apply. I would just keep the foods separate. Much easier to watch how much you are feeding using the little cubes.> Just trying to get a good variety of food for my corals. <I understand, but you can get the same results by just alternating what they get each time.> Thanks for your help. <You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Feeding SPS Hello WWM Crew, <cheers!> I am wondering if you can share your opinion on feeding SPS corals specifically Acro. Sp. and Monti. Sp. <not much "opinion" on the matter regarding to feed or not: they must feed! They are not even remotely autotrophic. Highly successful, albeit, symbiotically (zooxanthellate) but not fully autotrophic. Unfed animals starve to death in 10-18 months in most systems> Read several articles that champion either that its a must or nothing at all sans proper lighting and calcium. <no discussion here... the studies are redundant and reliable. They need fed, are observed feeding and have feeding structures. Form follows function. Our problem as aquarists is that they cannot be fed much or at all by target feeding for how small their polyps are. Cultured rotifers and very fresh live baby brine can feed some... most however need very fine zooplankton/nanoplankton. An upstream fishless refugium is recommended here> My attitude falls on the "must" side understanding that these are living creatures with the organs to "eat" like all of us. <yep!> Thus, I currently feed my SPS' with Marine Snow mixed with a liquefied blend of oysters, mussels, fish, and Selco twice a week. <hmmm... don't get me started about Marine Snow... just go read the product tests. And for the rest of the diet... a seriously nice thought... but more harm than good. Particle size is everything...and you can't produce nanoplankton with an electric blender. You are on the right track with the Selcon and the meaty fare though (no phyto for SPS)> But to be honest with you I feel this does nothing but pollute the water and cause hyper activity among the fish. <agreed> I don't see a feeding response from the said corals. I have read that SPS' don't really eat phytoplankton but prefer live zooplankton that is next to impossible to duplicate in the home environment; <yes... short of a large fishless refugium (very helpful)> however I do have peppermint shrimp mating away with some crazy creatures growing in my refugium. Should I stop this ration to replace with a recommendation of your own;  stop feeding entirely; or continue? Greatly appreciated. Regards, D.M. <you are well read, intuitive and on the right track! Best regards, Anthony Calfo>

Bubble coral feeding question / Fungia question, too I have a bubble coral that used to put out what I thought were feeding tentacles almost every night after the lights went out, <and they were most likely... bubbles retract and tentacles/vesicles come out at night> and I was feeding it small bits of cocktail shrimp 2-3x/week.  Recently, however, it just shrivels up to almost nothing every night.   <increase in water flow will do it> It seems fine during the day, maybe not inflating quite as much, but basically fine and sometimes accepts food in the daytime. <they can feed anytime they sense food in the water. Do add a small bit if meaty juice 15 minutes prior to target feeding to get tentacles out> No change in h2o quality: temp=80, SG=1025.5, Ca=460, alk=9.3, pH=8.4, no3=about 2, no2=0, po4=almost 0(need a new test kit I think).   <all sounds fine... Ca is getting a little bit scary high... its fine now but don't push higher for ear of precipitating Alk> Every week I add one tsp each of Kent's Tech-I, CoralVite, and Essential Elements/  oh, it's a 46 gallon, Does this sound like a problem or a normal variation?   <not normal... they feed heavily and daily for survival> Should I keep feeding it during the day, if it doesn't put out the feeder tentacles at night?   <no problem at all... please do if you prefer> Now, I'm feeding it much less often, maybe once very 7-10 days. <Yikes! Your bubble will last maybe 2 years this way before starving to death. several times weekly for maintenance. Daily feeding for growth> Other corals all doing fine except a Fungia who never puts out any tentacles any more( for many months); I was sure it was dying, but it, too, still accepts tiny bits of shrimp if I put them right by it's mouth. <Fungia is one of the hardiest corals... but also one of the hungriest. Under "perfect" lights it can still only get  less than 80% of its daily food/carbon from photosynthesis... the rest comes from food. This coral needs to be fed almost daily. If so, it will grow and reproduce wonderfully and live for many years> I'd appreciate any ideas.  Thanks in advance! <best regards, my friend. Anthony>

Bubble coral feeding question/Fungia question, too Thanks, Anthony, but when you say "increased water flow will do it", do you mean cause it to shrivel up or to open up?   <exactly... they are easily inhibited by direct/laminar water flow in excess> In any case the water flow situation hasn't changed at all since I've had it, but its behavior has changed dramatically, so I'm still puzzled, but will resume more frequent feedings of the bubble and the Fungia.   <very good> The LFS where I bought the Fungia thought I could be overfeeding it, and therefore causing it to not "need" to extend its tentacles!   <wow... that is ridiculous. Not likely or possible. Do feed small amounts daily for optimum care> Sound like you're advising daily/almost daily feedings for both, yes?  thanks, again. <exactly. Most corals do not need such feedings... but LPS as a rule do and these two are documented to need it in particular. Best regards, Anthony>