To those with Chili Coral / Cactus Coral experience

MMM33732 · 07/06/2008, 09:17 PM

I just picked one up. I have it hanging upside down in a shaded area. It will have moderate flow as soon as I redirect a loc-line nozzle. I'm hopeing the polyps will extend tonight so I can feed it. Anyways just wondering if anyone who has personal experience with one has any tips or comments about them. I do realize that they can be somewhat hard to feed according to some people, but I don't think I'll have an issue with it. Think target fed marine snow will be sufficient or should I go withing something else such as pure phyto? If they open tonight I'll feed micro-vert since I'm out of everything else. Should be good for at least tonight if not all other feedings? Not sure. What do you personally recommend for feedings as far as type of food and frequency?

D to the P · 07/06/2008, 10:02 PM

The coral will be fine overnight, and probably for a few days without the proper food/flow. I had one for a few months way back when I first started with a reef aquarium. The polyps came out every now and then, but usually it wasn't until I put a decent bit of flow over it that the polyps finally came out and stayed out for a good bit of time. I used phytoplex by kent to keep it alive for a few months until I got bored with it just being a red blob in the tank for most of the day and I traded it in for some other coral.
I would think marine snow would be fine for you, but something like DT's phytoplankton would be a much better choice. I had a bunch of other corals that weren't bothered by the addition of the phytoplankton (as far as it adding extra pollution to the water).
Good luck keeping it, and make sure you check out the non-photosynthetic coral forum here on RC. There are people on there whose tanks are set up specifically for the care of corals like the chili coral.

MMM33732 · 07/07/2008, 09:49 AM

Last night it expanded to at least twice the size and extended all polyps. I spot fed mirco-vert to it. The lights should be coming back on soon now so it'll probably start shrinking up soon. Are there any tricks to changing its feeding time to the day? I know some have had success with doing that to sun corals.

D to the P · 07/07/2008, 10:20 AM

Thats a good question. I never had mine come out in the day, but I would definitely pose the question in the non-photosynthetic coral thread to see how those guys do it. I'm not avoiding your question, I just don't know and something like this might have a better chance of getting answered in that thread.
I hope you find your answer.

JRechcygl · 07/07/2008, 04:40 PM

D to the P pretty much hit on the head. Lots of flow, DT's probably a better choice. I've had them stay open maybe for an hour once the lights were on but it was probably more of a fluke or slow polyps than anything

SWaquariast · 07/07/2008, 05:02 PM

do you have any pics.

MMM33732 · 07/07/2008, 06:50 PM

Of it open and expanded at night or just how it sits during the day?

snorvich · 07/07/2008, 08:20 PM

For training the feeding time of a nonphotosynthetic coral go to Melev's website (he is a sponsor) where he talks about training his "sun coral"

07/06/2008, 09:17 PM	#1
MMM33732 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: ohio Posts: 690	To those with Chili Coral / Cactus Coral experience I just picked one up. I have it hanging upside down in a shaded area. It will have moderate flow as soon as I redirect a loc-line nozzle. I'm hopeing the polyps will extend tonight so I can feed it. Anyways just wondering if anyone who has personal experience with one has any tips or comments about them. I do realize that they can be somewhat hard to feed according to some people, but I don't think I'll have an issue with it. Think target fed marine snow will be sufficient or should I go withing something else such as pure phyto? If they open tonight I'll feed micro-vert since I'm out of everything else. Should be good for at least tonight if not all other feedings? Not sure. What do you personally recommend for feedings as far as type of food and frequency?

07/06/2008, 10:02 PM	#2
D to the P Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Amishville, USA Posts: 2,047	The coral will be fine overnight, and probably for a few days without the proper food/flow. I had one for a few months way back when I first started with a reef aquarium. The polyps came out every now and then, but usually it wasn't until I put a decent bit of flow over it that the polyps finally came out and stayed out for a good bit of time. I used phytoplex by kent to keep it alive for a few months until I got bored with it just being a red blob in the tank for most of the day and I traded it in for some other coral. I would think marine snow would be fine for you, but something like DT's phytoplankton would be a much better choice. I had a bunch of other corals that weren't bothered by the addition of the phytoplankton (as far as it adding extra pollution to the water). Good luck keeping it, and make sure you check out the non-photosynthetic coral forum here on RC. There are people on there whose tanks are set up specifically for the care of corals like the chili coral. __________________ Nature V.S. Nurture: Nature Always Wins. Current Tank Info: 12 gallon Aquapod reef with LED's, multiple nano's at work.

07/07/2008, 10:20 AM	#4
D to the P Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Amishville, USA Posts: 2,047	Thats a good question. I never had mine come out in the day, but I would definitely pose the question in the non-photosynthetic coral thread to see how those guys do it. I'm not avoiding your question, I just don't know and something like this might have a better chance of getting answered in that thread. I hope you find your answer. __________________ Nature V.S. Nurture: Nature Always Wins. Current Tank Info: 12 gallon Aquapod reef with LED's, multiple nano's at work.

07/07/2008, 04:40 PM	#5
JRechcygl Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Somewhere playing with lamps Posts: 449	D to the P pretty much hit on the head. Lots of flow, DT's probably a better choice. I've had them stay open maybe for an hour once the lights were on but it was probably more of a fluke or slow polyps than anything __________________ Rechcygl...Yeah only one vowel AKA Dr.Fragenstein Big Glass tank lit by thin glass bulbs Current Tank Info: Propane, 180 reef

07/07/2008, 05:02 PM	#6
SWaquariast Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: USA Posts: 745	do you have any pics. __________________ Mitch Current Tank Info: 20g Mixed reef aquarium.

07/07/2008, 09:49 AM	#3
MMM33732 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: ohio Posts: 690	Last night it expanded to at least twice the size and extended all polyps. I spot fed mirco-vert to it. The lights should be coming back on soon now so it'll probably start shrinking up soon. Are there any tricks to changing its feeding time to the day? I know some have had success with doing that to sun corals.

07/07/2008, 06:50 PM	#7
MMM33732 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: ohio Posts: 690	Of it open and expanded at night or just how it sits during the day?

07/07/2008, 08:20 PM	#8
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	For training the feeding time of a nonphotosynthetic coral go to Melev's website (he is a sponsor) where he talks about training his "sun coral" __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~