Coral Feeding (in general)

No coral obtains 100% of it's Daily Carbon Budget from photosynthesis contrary to what people have read on the internet.

Some corals absorb DOM (Dissolved Organic Materials), some eat zooplankton, there are a FEW that eat phytoplankton, some eat bacterioplankton, some capture POM (Particulate Organic Matter). Some do a combination of several of the above. For example: Many Acroporids eat zooplankton, DOM, POM, and not only do they eat bacterioplankton, they actually "farm" these bacteria.

Reef Food by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping.com
From the Food of Reefs to the Food of Corals by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping.com
The Food of Reefs, Part 3: Phytoplankton by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping.com
The Food of Reefs, Part 4: Zooplankton by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping.com
The Food of Reefs, Part 5: Bacteria by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping.com
The Food of Reefs, Part 6: Particulate Organic Matter by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping.com
The Food of Reefs, Part Seven: Dissolved Nutrients by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping.com

A good GENERAL rule would be to look at the size of the "mouth" and how much tissue that mouth has to support. Take a Euphyllia (Frogspawn) for instance. Each polyp has a mouth that is fairly large and each polyp also has a whole lot of tissue to support. Well, that means that periodic target feeding of mysis shrimp would be good to give that coral. Contrast that with a Lobophyllia brain coral. Depending on the size of the coral, mysis might be a good choice or maybe even small krill.

Now consider a Cladiella (colt) coral. There's all sorts of tissue to support but there are hundreds and hundred of small mouths to support it. Cladiella could benefit from a particulate type of coral food but it certainly can't eat brine or mysis shrimp.

Now look at your average SPS coral, many tiny mouths supporting tissue that is only 2 cells deep. If you go squirt mysis or brine on them, it's just going to bounce off and make your fish happy.

 

good read inwall!

 

Good Info thnx
Danny

 

nice inwall. I used to be against supplimental coral feeding too but lately I've been using marine snow and all of my sps seem to really like it. I also feed with rods which most of my lps end up grabbing some of that.

 

good info thanks

 

I like the anology of one coral in an olympic size pool would be over stocked in the worlds standards. Great read I haven't read it all but will get back to it. Thanks

 

Great info. You should sticky this and also copy it into the coral forum. YOU HAVE THE POWER!

 

This is why I have timer controlled pumps to stir my sump sediment up several times a night rather the worry about removing it . been applying this methoed for many yrs .. Curt I'm going to P/M you .

 

Thanks a lot for the info Inwall! Hopefully more people's corals will be better fed and better understood.

 

That's a great series of articles. Really helps get a better idea of how everything all fits together. Thanks for pulling it all together.