Pink carnation and Sun Coral

mermaid05 · 04/09/2006, 04:06 PM

Any advise for keeping a sun coral and a pink carnation??

I just found out that the carnation is supposed to be expert only, but I have it now so any tips on how to keep it alive would be appreciated.
The sun coral hasn't come out yet, but I've only had it for a day so hopefully it will soon.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...tion_coral.jpg

mermaid05 · 04/09/2006, 04:07 PM

The carnation coral....

Swanwillow · 04/09/2006, 04:24 PM

lots and lots of feedings. at least for the sun. every day, each polyp needs to be fed.

good luck!!! I think the same type of care kinda goes for the carnation, lots of feeding. use appropriate sized food. shaved mysis,whole mysis for the sun, brine, things like that.

Swanwillow · 04/09/2006, 04:25 PM

PS: I've wanted a sun coral FOREVER. you can do a search for the 'lunar feeder' for sun corals. its more or less half a pop bottle with a hose running to it to keep the food around it.

Avi · 04/09/2006, 04:29 PM

Those Carnations are really beautiful...and I've never had one. But, I think you'll find that they need to be fed and you can't rely on the photosynthetic process that many corals rely on for nourishment. The Carnations, I believe, need to be fed foods like phytoplanktons in that they are "filter feeders." Experiment a bit with Cyclopeeze because that's more manageable than using phyto all the time.

The Sun Polyp Coral are also incapable of obtaining nourishment by a photosynthetic process and must also be fed. So, you got yourself two labor-intensive corals...but they are fine ones. Unlike with the Carnation, the Sun Polyp Coral will take larger foods. I have two of those and they take chopped mysis shrimp eagerly. It won't happen overnight, but they get into a routine of opening their polyps when foods in the water are sensed. This happens in the evening moreso than during the day but they can be conditioned to open up any time of day over time.

I always cut the flow in the tank off when I feed the Sun Polyps. When the polyps are opened, I use a turkey baster to put the chopped mysis onto them. They "grab" the pieces with their tentacles and ingest them immediately. I feed them about every five days and they grow and form more and more polyps so I know that this is enough. It's my understanding that the Carnations require feeding much more often, more along the lines of every day. So, read some more about them...and take care that you don't overfeed and that your phosphates and nitrates don't get out of control. That's particularly important in the case of coral like Carnations.

04/09/2006, 04:06 PM	#1
mermaid05 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 9	Pink carnation and Sun Coral Any advise for keeping a sun coral and a pink carnation?? I just found out that the carnation is supposed to be expert only, but I have it now so any tips on how to keep it alive would be appreciated. The sun coral hasn't come out yet, but I've only had it for a day so hopefully it will soon. http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...tion_coral.jpg

04/09/2006, 04:24 PM	#3
Swanwillow goby girl Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bemidji MN Posts: 2,025	lots and lots of feedings. at least for the sun. every day, each polyp needs to be fed. good luck!!! I think the same type of care kinda goes for the carnation, lots of feeding. use appropriate sized food. shaved mysis,whole mysis for the sun, brine, things like that. __________________ my advice:walk away. do nothing. til tomorrow. if its still alive, it will hopefully be fine. If you do not see it, do not try to find it. it may be hiding. just LEAVE it alone Current Tank Info: starting over! 125 gallon. Soon to be home to Blackfoot clowns, A. nigripes

04/09/2006, 04:25 PM	#4
Swanwillow goby girl Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bemidji MN Posts: 2,025	PS: I've wanted a sun coral FOREVER. you can do a search for the 'lunar feeder' for sun corals. its more or less half a pop bottle with a hose running to it to keep the food around it. __________________ my advice:walk away. do nothing. til tomorrow. if its still alive, it will hopefully be fine. If you do not see it, do not try to find it. it may be hiding. just LEAVE it alone Current Tank Info: starting over! 125 gallon. Soon to be home to Blackfoot clowns, A. nigripes

04/09/2006, 04:29 PM	#5
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	Those Carnations are really beautiful...and I've never had one. But, I think you'll find that they need to be fed and you can't rely on the photosynthetic process that many corals rely on for nourishment. The Carnations, I believe, need to be fed foods like phytoplanktons in that they are "filter feeders." Experiment a bit with Cyclopeeze because that's more manageable than using phyto all the time. The Sun Polyp Coral are also incapable of obtaining nourishment by a photosynthetic process and must also be fed. So, you got yourself two labor-intensive corals...but they are fine ones. Unlike with the Carnation, the Sun Polyp Coral will take larger foods. I have two of those and they take chopped mysis shrimp eagerly. It won't happen overnight, but they get into a routine of opening their polyps when foods in the water are sensed. This happens in the evening moreso than during the day but they can be conditioned to open up any time of day over time. I always cut the flow in the tank off when I feed the Sun Polyps. When the polyps are opened, I use a turkey baster to put the chopped mysis onto them. They "grab" the pieces with their tentacles and ingest them immediately. I feed them about every five days and they grow and form more and more polyps so I know that this is enough. It's my understanding that the Carnations require feeding much more often, more along the lines of every day. So, read some more about them...and take care that you don't overfeed and that your phosphates and nitrates don't get out of control. That's particularly important in the case of coral like Carnations. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

04/09/2006, 04:07 PM	#2
mermaid05 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 9	The carnation coral....