Do you have to hand feed your LPS?

tprize · 02/05/2007, 11:17 PM

My question is do you have to hand feed the LPS, or will most of them eat on there own? I am assuming in the wild they don't have a giant hand squirt food into there mouths.

Also completely unrelated, what is a good guide on how to feed corals, I have a trumpet that was given to me recently, and I have no clue how to feed it, I just saw it's little fingers come out the other day for the first time.

Sk8r · 02/05/2007, 11:20 PM

I just toss cyclopeeze into the tank: they're pretty clever, and my 2 head hammer is now a 2-tiered, 4 head-each monster.

theop · 02/07/2007, 09:32 PM

You don't have to spot feed them, but they'll get more food and grow faster if you do. Like sk8r, I feed cyclopeeze. I also so feed frozen mysis shrimp and Reef Chili.

Most LPS except euphyllia (frogspawn, torch, hammer, etc) will put out feeder tentacles (the 'little fingers') soon after the lights go out at night. That is when I feed them, once or twice a week.

fishyvet · 02/07/2007, 09:39 PM

I like to hand feed all the LPS... they just look so hungery

I give silver side pieces, Formula 2, cyclopeeze, brine, and whatever else is in the kitchen! Some LPS need more food than others, like sun corals and chile which are non-photosynthetic.

You can just drop the piece of food on the polyp or you can make a target feeding device out of half of a small soda bottle through which you can gently spray the food towards the tentacles. Only feed when the tentacles are out or you may just be wasting food.

02/05/2007, 11:17 PM	#1
tprize Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 1,077	Do you have to hand feed your LPS? My question is do you have to hand feed the LPS, or will most of them eat on there own? I am assuming in the wild they don't have a giant hand squirt food into there mouths. Also completely unrelated, what is a good guide on how to feed corals, I have a trumpet that was given to me recently, and I have no clue how to feed it, I just saw it's little fingers come out the other day for the first time.

02/05/2007, 11:20 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I just toss cyclopeeze into the tank: they're pretty clever, and my 2 head hammer is now a 2-tiered, 4 head-each monster. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/07/2007, 09:32 PM	#3
theop Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 1,493	You don't have to spot feed them, but they'll get more food and grow faster if you do. Like sk8r, I feed cyclopeeze. I also so feed frozen mysis shrimp and Reef Chili. Most LPS except euphyllia (frogspawn, torch, hammer, etc) will put out feeder tentacles (the 'little fingers') soon after the lights go out at night. That is when I feed them, once or twice a week.

02/07/2007, 09:39 PM	#4
fishyvet Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gainesville FL Posts: 463	I like to hand feed all the LPS... they just look so hungery I give silver side pieces, Formula 2, cyclopeeze, brine, and whatever else is in the kitchen! Some LPS need more food than others, like sun corals and chile which are non-photosynthetic. You can just drop the piece of food on the polyp or you can make a target feeding device out of half of a small soda bottle through which you can gently spray the food towards the tentacles. Only feed when the tentacles are out or you may just be wasting food.