Dendro Owners

Updated photo

I current photo

See Mom, mine is like yours-not always open

Anyway I dug up an original shot that is from 7-15-09 and it had 3 heads witha pretty strong run for a fourth.

9 weeks later 4 distinct heads and I counted 16 (that I can see) new mouths, heads, polyps-I dont know the operative word????

Anywho here it is;

I have slacked a little and only target feed it maybe twice a week but I will get back to 3 times at least-recent reef project all finished

 

I wish my dendro would grow some heads!! It target feeds well and has been out way more lately....I want baby dendros!

Oh, and I keep my specific gravity around 1.025 and temp about 78.

 

How do you guys target feed your dendro?

Is it along the tweezers/fingers give it a chunk of meat feeding or along the turkey baster blowing some food solution across it line of feeding?

 

I use a big 60cc syringe (holds 1/4 cup). Mussels, squid, cyclops, mysis....whatever is good. At first, it would extend during the day. But for the past 3 months, only at night. I'm going to place it up off of the bottom in easier access location. 8)

 

I bought from a member on Reef Sanctuary 2 large eye droppers I guess, they are 24 " long and he can custom make them any length you want.

I bought the straight one first and then had him make the one with the curve. They are purex so VERY durable. I dont even use the straight one anymore, but keep it just in case.

No more reaching in the tank, and its funny I have all the fish and even shrimp trained to eat from it-It also comes in VERY handy when I have to suck the Nudibranchs from my zooanthids-Extremely useful!!!!
Here are pics;


and here is a link,
Anyone need anything made out of pyrex? - Reef Sanctuary

His name is Jay and will make anything you might want-I bought the "pod house" as well for my mandarin, but sadly (like to many) mine did not live-whole other thread that one is.

They ran like 20.00 a piece but would save money on shipping had it not been 2 seperate orders-by far the best 20.00 I have ever spent-you need one of theses and for sure get the bend in the end, it makes it handy to reach around the back and get under rocks
I used to you use a turkey baster and get all wet and it was a mess cleaning up-water everywhere from putting my arm in the tank...
The turkey baster is like performing surgery with a chain saw and the dropper is like using a scapel-IMO

 

Be patient I know it will, epecially now that its shaded and you are feeding it!!

 

I have this Kent Marine Nautilus Sea Squirt Feeding Prong


It's neat bc it has a little prong on the end for chunks of meat. It's extendable... but it is not bendable

 

This thread has me thinking of using a discount coupon at my LFS to get a dendro polyp or three. Usually they have them for 18-20 bucks per head. I feel a little more confident trying to keep a dendro because I have a 60+ head sun coral colony that's been growing very well and looks great, been in tank 4 months or so now. I think I would feed a dendro like I do the sun coral; I transfer it, while submerged, into a mesh breeder cage and hang it in the tank away from the flow sources, and target feed in there so I know it's getting what I target and the shrimp and sailfin tang don't steal it all.

 

I saw this AFTER I got the dropper, it like how it is extendable, but really like the bend the dropper has. I have those green plastic tongs for the meaty things.
If it was not for the bend I would buy that one. That bend is great for getting behind the rock work I have

 

If you have had that success with a sun coral-this will be like a walk in the park. I have seen 2-liter pop bottles cut off and placed over suns for feeding and all kinds of contraptions-The sun was what I was going to buy but I was told it RARELY is open during the time the Halides are on-then I ran across the Dendro and since they are so similar the decision was easy.
18-20 a head I am finding is a great price.
Just make sure i is in a low (very) light area, or not Direct light I guess-at least that whats working for me.

They are really pretty corals-
I dont think I posted this pic-it was in older reef photo file I had;


Go get one you'll be glad you did!