Black Sun Coral Question

dismayed · 07/21/2007, 08:46 PM

I added a black sun coral to my tank about two weeks ago. Within a few days of adding him to the tank, I noticed a small green 'dot' on the external surface of one of its trunks that progressively got bigger over the next 3 days, then stopped growing. It has been about a week and a half now and it has remained the same size.

The polyps still extend at night when feeding... but I'm wondering if this could mean something bad is happening to the coral? Any ideas what this is? Image below.

sufunk · 07/21/2007, 08:57 PM

Are you talking about where you can see the skeleton?

If so then yes it is bad. That is recession and is the tissue of the coral dying and receding. Luckily it has hopefully stopped.

What and how often are you feeding? I would go with something meaty like a homemade mix(shrimp,scallop,clams,mussels mixed very fine) and feed EVERY night until that is gone.

I would try feeding under a bowl also so it can eat undisturbed for as long as it wants.

acrohead500ppm · 07/21/2007, 10:55 PM

i like taking them out of the display and placing them in a 5gal bucket and add 1/2 teaspoon of cyclopeeze and wait 10 min for feeder tenticals to expand and feed heavliy>let the coral gorge it 's self

dismayed · 07/21/2007, 11:01 PM

I am feeding mostly cyclopeeze, brine shrimp, and DT's phytoplankton. I've been trying to mix it up and find something it likes. I was target feeding daily but the green spot (which I guess is th exposed skeleton.. yikes) stopped expanding about the time I added cyclopeeze to the mix.

Right now I'm feeding cyclopeeze daily and DT's phyto every few days.
I've read that DT's oyster eggs are good for sun corals and have been considering adding that to the mix as well. Does that sound good?

Will the exposed skeleton eventually go back to being black if I continue feeding the coral well?

Thanks.

InvaderJim · 07/21/2007, 11:38 PM

You should also try something meaty like mysis. I heard Sun Corals love it.

Toddrtrex · 07/22/2007, 12:28 AM

Agreed, you should add more meaty food to your mix.

Hormigaquatica · 07/22/2007, 12:44 AM

One thing to consider is that a number of the foods youre mentioning are really too small to do any good. DTs is worthless to those guys (and to most stony corals), and any benefit from Oyster Eggs would be minimal. Cyclopeeze is a decent choice, Mysis works very well. They are able to eat brine, but unless you are raising it yourself and are feeding off newly hatched shrimp, there is Very little nutritional value to it.

Another thing to look at is that Black Tubastrea requires a Massive amount of water flow to do well; much stronger than most people have in their tanks.

If you can provide a consistent food source, and proper physical conditions, then yes, the tissue may regrow over the exposed skeleton. Hate to be a downer, but truth is, black sun coral has a very poor track record in captivity; people have been much more successful with its relatives. Good luck with it though!

07/21/2007, 08:46 PM	#1
dismayed Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 321	Black Sun Coral Question I added a black sun coral to my tank about two weeks ago. Within a few days of adding him to the tank, I noticed a small green 'dot' on the external surface of one of its trunks that progressively got bigger over the next 3 days, then stopped growing. It has been about a week and a half now and it has remained the same size. The polyps still extend at night when feeding... but I'm wondering if this could mean something bad is happening to the coral? Any ideas what this is? Image below.

07/22/2007, 12:28 AM	#6
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	Agreed, you should add more meaty food to your mix. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

07/22/2007, 12:44 AM	#7
Hormigaquatica Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 3,022	One thing to consider is that a number of the foods youre mentioning are really too small to do any good. DTs is worthless to those guys (and to most stony corals), and any benefit from Oyster Eggs would be minimal. Cyclopeeze is a decent choice, Mysis works very well. They are able to eat brine, but unless you are raising it yourself and are feeding off newly hatched shrimp, there is Very little nutritional value to it. Another thing to look at is that Black Tubastrea requires a Massive amount of water flow to do well; much stronger than most people have in their tanks. If you can provide a consistent food source, and proper physical conditions, then yes, the tissue may regrow over the exposed skeleton. Hate to be a downer, but truth is, black sun coral has a very poor track record in captivity; people have been much more successful with its relatives. Good luck with it though! __________________ Reaching up and reaching out and reaching for the random, or whatever will bewilder me. Have Some Personal Accountability Current Tank Info: 240g LPS/Softie Reef

07/21/2007, 08:57 PM	#2
sufunk Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Davie, Florida Posts: 2,004	Are you talking about where you can see the skeleton? If so then yes it is bad. That is recession and is the tissue of the coral dying and receding. Luckily it has hopefully stopped. What and how often are you feeding? I would go with something meaty like a homemade mix(shrimp,scallop,clams,mussels mixed very fine) and feed EVERY night until that is gone. I would try feeding under a bowl also so it can eat undisturbed for as long as it wants.

07/21/2007, 10:55 PM	#3
acrohead500ppm Moved On Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: No,never,never Posts: 723	i like taking them out of the display and placing them in a 5gal bucket and add 1/2 teaspoon of cyclopeeze and wait 10 min for feeder tenticals to expand and feed heavliy>let the coral gorge it 's self

07/21/2007, 11:01 PM	#4
dismayed Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 321	I am feeding mostly cyclopeeze, brine shrimp, and DT's phytoplankton. I've been trying to mix it up and find something it likes. I was target feeding daily but the green spot (which I guess is th exposed skeleton.. yikes) stopped expanding about the time I added cyclopeeze to the mix. Right now I'm feeding cyclopeeze daily and DT's phyto every few days. I've read that DT's oyster eggs are good for sun corals and have been considering adding that to the mix as well. Does that sound good? Will the exposed skeleton eventually go back to being black if I continue feeding the coral well? Thanks.

07/21/2007, 11:38 PM	#5
InvaderJim Coral Junkie Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 1,163	You should also try something meaty like mysis. I heard Sun Corals love it.