Why did my candy canes stop feeding at night

Jyetman · 12/20/2013, 01:55 PM

For over a week now all my candy canes have stopped extending their feeding tentacles at night is this normal behavior? They expand normally during the day and seem fine. The only thing I've done differently is increased water changes, changed both RO filters and switched over to seachem matrix carbon. I also notice some zoas have closed and I've checked no predators after dips. Is something going on with my water? I have lots of cheato could this be stripping to much nutrients from water? All test show normal including phosphates and nitrates both read zero - Alk at 10, ph at 8.2 normal. Tank is four years old, using red sea coral pro salt, salinity at 1.025, maxspect razor LED 160 Watts and no dosing. One thing I don't do is vacuum the sand bed was told a four inch depth undisturbed is beneficial? Not sure what to do now?

Reef Frog · 12/20/2013, 02:42 PM

Don't worry, this is not a sign of impending doom. Who really knows why a creature without a brain does something! It could be a period of digestion and waste expulsion, and they will feed again when they sense the need to. It seems to go in cycles for me. If the polyps expand & inflate during the day or polyps are sitting, you are fine. It seems that "smelly" planktonic food like chopped mysis, cyclopseeze or oyster eggs will often provoke a feeding response.

Mattewell · 12/20/2013, 03:07 PM

Do you normally feed them at night? Back when I had a candy cane, it would extend its feeding tentacles at night, but when I stopped feeding it, it eventually lost interest in extending the tentacles.

Jyetman · 12/20/2013, 03:14 PM

The candy canes always extended at night even if I didn't feed them. I did notice when the moonlights came on they started to send out feeders but withdrew very quickly that concerned me. I bought a AOG zoa several weeks ago for the first 4 days he opened now he is closed tight. He did open for a day but closed up again. I noticed random zoas in other colonies are closed with the exception of the green and palys. The blastos, lobo, favia, frogspawns, GSP are open and look fine.

Mattewell · 12/20/2013, 04:40 PM

I'd say try to start feeding them some frozen mysis shrimp... you will see faster growth when you feed them. If they get into a routine of feeding one a week or so, you will see the tentacles come back out and the coral will be healthier overall.

Jyetman · 12/20/2013, 04:58 PM

I do feed them Mysis every now and then. My main concern really is the zoas I've been noticing some polyps in older colonies closing. Yesterday they would open and close but today those ones are now closed. Other polyps in other colonies that were closed for awhile are now opening why?

Reef Frog · 12/20/2013, 06:35 PM

Regarding zoas, pests would be a consideration if more polyps close for longer times.

Jyetman · 12/20/2013, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef Frog

Regarding zoas, pests would be a consideration if more polyps close for longer times.

What other pests would cause them to close if there are no nudis on them? It always seems that these problems occur when I add carbon to the system my understanding that seagel by seachem and matrix carbon are top notch.

12/20/2013, 01:55 PM	#1
Jyetman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,712	Why did my candy canes stop feeding at night For over a week now all my candy canes have stopped extending their feeding tentacles at night is this normal behavior? They expand normally during the day and seem fine. The only thing I've done differently is increased water changes, changed both RO filters and switched over to seachem matrix carbon. I also notice some zoas have closed and I've checked no predators after dips. Is something going on with my water? I have lots of cheato could this be stripping to much nutrients from water? All test show normal including phosphates and nitrates both read zero - Alk at 10, ph at 8.2 normal. Tank is four years old, using red sea coral pro salt, salinity at 1.025, maxspect razor LED 160 Watts and no dosing. One thing I don't do is vacuum the sand bed was told a four inch depth undisturbed is beneficial? Not sure what to do now? Last edited by Jyetman; 12/20/2013 at 02:10 PM.

12/20/2013, 03:14 PM	#4
Jyetman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,712	The candy canes always extended at night even if I didn't feed them. I did notice when the moonlights came on they started to send out feeders but withdrew very quickly that concerned me. I bought a AOG zoa several weeks ago for the first 4 days he opened now he is closed tight. He did open for a day but closed up again. I noticed random zoas in other colonies are closed with the exception of the green and palys. The blastos, lobo, favia, frogspawns, GSP are open and look fine. Last edited by Jyetman; 12/20/2013 at 03:22 PM.

12/20/2013, 02:42 PM	#2
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	Don't worry, this is not a sign of impending doom. Who really knows why a creature without a brain does something! It could be a period of digestion and waste expulsion, and they will feed again when they sense the need to. It seems to go in cycles for me. If the polyps expand & inflate during the day or polyps are sitting, you are fine. It seems that "smelly" planktonic food like chopped mysis, cyclopseeze or oyster eggs will often provoke a feeding response.

12/20/2013, 03:07 PM	#3
Mattewell Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Rochester,Mn Posts: 308	Do you normally feed them at night? Back when I had a candy cane, it would extend its feeding tentacles at night, but when I stopped feeding it, it eventually lost interest in extending the tentacles.

12/20/2013, 04:40 PM	#5
Mattewell Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Rochester,Mn Posts: 308	I'd say try to start feeding them some frozen mysis shrimp... you will see faster growth when you feed them. If they get into a routine of feeding one a week or so, you will see the tentacles come back out and the coral will be healthier overall.

12/20/2013, 04:58 PM	#6
Jyetman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,712	I do feed them Mysis every now and then. My main concern really is the zoas I've been noticing some polyps in older colonies closing. Yesterday they would open and close but today those ones are now closed. Other polyps in other colonies that were closed for awhile are now opening why?

12/20/2013, 06:35 PM	#7
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	Regarding zoas, pests would be a consideration if more polyps close for longer times.