Sun Coral partially dying

lines_michael · 03/11/2007, 09:15 PM

I have a fairly new sun coral. it has about 50 heads but a small section of it didn't survive the shipping and intial week in my tank. The rest of it is doing great.

Are you supposed to remove the dead portion? If so, how do you go about it?

IPowderBlueTang · 03/11/2007, 10:22 PM

I would just leave it alone and hope it grows back. I have a sun coral and it had a few dead spots but after feeding it the dead spots are starting to make a come back, but takes awhile!

demonsp · 03/11/2007, 10:48 PM

I would also leave light off for a day or so to lower stress. They also like phyto plankton and calcium at proper levels. Mine onle opens at night.Buti see it says youve had your tank one month and this would be way to early for coral or fish.

dippin61 · 03/12/2007, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by demonsp
I would also leave light off for a day or so to lower stress. They also like phyto plankton and calcium at proper levels. Mine onle opens at night.Buti see it says youve had your tank one month and this would be way to early for coral or fish.

ummm... no.. they dont.. the calcium is correct though.

first, they are not the least bit photosynthetic. the light makes absolutely no difference for them. they could care less.

second, they dont use/eat phyto. Each head needs to be fed individually with something meaty, like mysis shrimp. Small foods (cyclopeez) wont cut it in the long run.

Mine can put down almost 10 mysis per head, per feeding.

papagimp · 03/12/2007, 04:24 PM

Agreed, non-photosynthetic coral. Completely non-photosythetic. Will not derive any benefit from lighting and most prefer dimly light area's, like caverns, caves, and crevices. I'll also second his feeding requirments, cyclopeeze may help, but they need the meatier foods to thrive at all. Good luck with em, by n o means a beginner coral.

demonsp · 03/12/2007, 05:35 PM

Well I agree that they dont need light for living. But with all new stock ( i thought this was new stock ) leaving the light off lowers stress. I have never fead my sun coral its about 4 months old and always opens at night. My thought is i may need to feed him now. How often do you feed them.And i see time changed to 4 months so that isnt a facter.

dippin61 · 03/12/2007, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by demonsp
Well I agree that they dont need light for living. But with all new stock ( i thought this was new stock ) leaving the light off lowers stress. I have never fead my sun coral its about 4 months old and always opens at night. My thought is i may need to feed him now. How often do you feed them.And i see time changed to 4 months so that isnt a facter.

thing about being completely non photosynthetic though, is that it doesnt matter. Its kinda like a blind man, no need to lower the lights if they are too bright.. he cant see them.

the reason a lot of sun corals open at night, are from conditional ques of the tank. lights go out, more food starts to hit the water column, therefore they open up to catch it.

if trained properly, sun coral will open during the day, all day. You have to start feeding them at the same time, every feeding. After a few weeks, they'll know that a certain time is feeding time, and open.

also demon, are you saying you havnt fed your sun coral in 4 months?? I feed mine every other day, and each head can put down 10 mysis per feeding....

lines_michael · 03/12/2007, 06:24 PM

thanks everyone.

The tank was taken over from a friend, so it was established prior and balanced out after a few days.

Any suggestions on placement or tricks that would make feeding them without fish being in the way easier. Its hard to reach the heads on the bottom if I put the coral all the way at the bottom of the tank.

03/11/2007, 09:15 PM	#1
lines_michael Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Clarksville, TN Posts: 95	Sun Coral partially dying I have a fairly new sun coral. it has about 50 heads but a small section of it didn't survive the shipping and intial week in my tank. The rest of it is doing great. Are you supposed to remove the dead portion? If so, how do you go about it?

03/12/2007, 04:24 PM	#5
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	Agreed, non-photosynthetic coral. Completely non-photosythetic. Will not derive any benefit from lighting and most prefer dimly light area's, like caverns, caves, and crevices. I'll also second his feeding requirments, cyclopeeze may help, but they need the meatier foods to thrive at all. Good luck with em, by n o means a beginner coral. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

03/11/2007, 10:22 PM	#2
IPowderBlueTang Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, Canada Posts: 769	I would just leave it alone and hope it grows back. I have a sun coral and it had a few dead spots but after feeding it the dead spots are starting to make a come back, but takes awhile!

03/11/2007, 10:48 PM	#3
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	I would also leave light off for a day or so to lower stress. They also like phyto plankton and calcium at proper levels. Mine onle opens at night.Buti see it says youve had your tank one month and this would be way to early for coral or fish.

03/12/2007, 05:35 PM	#6
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Well I agree that they dont need light for living. But with all new stock ( i thought this was new stock ) leaving the light off lowers stress. I have never fead my sun coral its about 4 months old and always opens at night. My thought is i may need to feed him now. How often do you feed them.And i see time changed to 4 months so that isnt a facter.

03/12/2007, 06:24 PM	#8
lines_michael Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Clarksville, TN Posts: 95	thanks everyone. The tank was taken over from a friend, so it was established prior and balanced out after a few days. Any suggestions on placement or tricks that would make feeding them without fish being in the way easier. Its hard to reach the heads on the bottom if I put the coral all the way at the bottom of the tank.