How to tell if NPS are eating?

Palting · 09/17/2011, 09:11 AM

As the title says, how do you know that the NPS are eating? I posted at the NPS forum, abd I'm posting here again to get more hits. I have a recently acquired Balanophyllia. I've read and seen videos where the tentacles extend more with food. I've also read where the tentacles grab the food and then retract. I've tried feeding the Balano with mysis, Coral Frenzy, plankton, etc. I havent really noticed a feeding response, but that could be because I just got it 2 days ago. But what am I looking for?

Thanks!

Here's a pic of the Balanophyllia:

lordofthereef · 09/17/2011, 10:00 AM

When they are feeding they generally have about 2-3 X the polyp extension that I see in that pic. A good way to "train" them it's feeding time is to squirt a little of the juices at the heads. I feed mysis most frequently, and when I thaw a mysis cube in ~10mL tank water, there is a lot of "soup" left over (not the meaty stuff). Squirt some of this "soup" onto the heads and they should come out. At that point, give each head a meaty treat! If you have any shrimp, make sure they are fed well before doing this else they will steal from your polyps.

lordofthereef · 09/17/2011, 10:01 AM

It's also worth noting that these guys don't like a lot of super high flow. If their tentacles are being blown by the current they tend to retract more. Not sure if that is what you have going. Obviously it's a little hard to tell from just a pic.

Palting · 09/17/2011, 10:37 AM

Thanks!! That pic was taken probably an hour after placement. The tentacles have come out more since then. Makes me feel better, now that I know what to look for and do!

janalta · 09/17/2011, 11:01 AM

Just so you know....it can take some corals and polyps up to a week to get used to their new digs and start to open up fully and feed. My Pink stars and two of my colts took at least that long before they started actually feeding, opening fully and looking healthy

Palting · 09/17/2011, 03:21 PM

Thanks for the heads-up, janalta. Will feed sparingly for now, just to wait for it to react.

Palting · 09/18/2011, 09:14 PM

WOOHOO! The Balnophyllia woke up

! Thanks to you guys

! Time to feed! Some mysis soup, followed by meaty mussels coming up!! Wait a minute. That's what I had for dinner! LOL!!

09/17/2011, 09:11 AM	#1
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	How to tell if NPS are eating? As the title says, how do you know that the NPS are eating? I posted at the NPS forum, abd I'm posting here again to get more hits. I have a recently acquired Balanophyllia. I've read and seen videos where the tentacles extend more with food. I've also read where the tentacles grab the food and then retract. I've tried feeding the Balano with mysis, Coral Frenzy, plankton, etc. I havent really noticed a feeding response, but that could be because I just got it 2 days ago. But what am I looking for? Thanks! Here's a pic of the Balanophyllia: __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

09/17/2011, 10:00 AM	#2
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	When they are feeding they generally have about 2-3 X the polyp extension that I see in that pic. A good way to "train" them it's feeding time is to squirt a little of the juices at the heads. I feed mysis most frequently, and when I thaw a mysis cube in ~10mL tank water, there is a lot of "soup" left over (not the meaty stuff). Squirt some of this "soup" onto the heads and they should come out. At that point, give each head a meaty treat! If you have any shrimp, make sure they are fed well before doing this else they will steal from your polyps. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!

09/17/2011, 10:01 AM	#3
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	It's also worth noting that these guys don't like a lot of super high flow. If their tentacles are being blown by the current they tend to retract more. Not sure if that is what you have going. Obviously it's a little hard to tell from just a pic. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!

09/17/2011, 10:37 AM	#4
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Thanks!! That pic was taken probably an hour after placement. The tentacles have come out more since then. Makes me feel better, now that I know what to look for and do! __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

09/17/2011, 03:21 PM	#6
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Thanks for the heads-up, janalta. Will feed sparingly for now, just to wait for it to react. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

09/17/2011, 11:01 AM	#5
janalta Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Kelowna, BC Posts: 124	Just so you know....it can take some corals and polyps up to a week to get used to their new digs and start to open up fully and feed. My Pink stars and two of my colts took at least that long before they started actually feeding, opening fully and looking healthy

09/18/2011, 09:14 PM	#7
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	WOOHOO! The Balnophyllia woke up ! Thanks to you guys ! Time to feed! Some mysis soup, followed by meaty mussels coming up!! Wait a minute. That's what I had for dinner! LOL!! __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

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