New sun coral.

So got this little guy from reefs2go. 9.99.

Does it only open at night? Its very pretty but wish it would Come out during the day.

How often should I feed?

 

It will open during the day as well.

I would put it in a really shaded part of the tank, as indirect lighting as you can achieve.

Target feeding 3 times a week for optimal health. Feedings vs water quality can be a little tricky in smaller tanks. Use the liter bottle cut in half method. You introduce less food to the tank and optimize the food available to the coral at the same time.

Try feeding during the day and the coral will begin to open during the day.

 

It will only open during the day if you teach it to open during the day. I feed mine using a plastic cup that has a small hole cut in the top. I then feed using a syringe through the hole. I feed a variety of mysis/brine/lobster eggs/ rotifers etc as well as reef snow and reef roids. I feed my sun corals daily.

I do not agree with putting it in a shaded spot. This is a common mis conception with sun coral. As they are NPS, they do not photosynthesise like other corals and thus some aquarists put them under ledges etc because they can to make room for other non-NPS coral.

Indeed, the most underrated element of sun coral and NPS in general is flow. A common cause of NPS death is when people put them out of the light in a shaded area such as an overhang or cave they do not get adequate flow and perish -> Regardless of feeding.

So IMO and experience, keep them where ever in the tank is easiest to feed and where they have med-high flow. If this can be achieved in an area of low light great, but don't worry about that to much.

P.S For a video on feeding sun coral, look at the first post of on my build thread. Its an old video, but you still see my sun coral. (In full sun...)

 

Awesome info! Thanks! Will try the cup method!

 

It takes a little while for them to come out during the day sometimes, I fed mine when the lights were just coming on and that seemed to help train them to be open during the day. I don't use the cup method yet, but have been target feeding with a syringe. It seems to work so far, but i have to shoo away crabs every once in a while. Nice polyp extension BTW, my black one does that but im still trying to get my orange to open up fully

 

Yea I was impressed by tge extension. Has been un b tank for only about 4 days. Ill try feeding inbthe morning its c a beautifull coral. Woud love to be able to enjoy ut!

 

Agreed...they're fine in brighter lighting out in the open, and you CAN teach them to open during the day. Ours would open up whenever they sensed my hand in the tank.