Sun Polyp

I do have a sun coral and it is one of my favorite corals. The do require special care. They aren't photosynthetic so they do require feedings about 3 times a week. You can feed it anything meaty (brine shrimp, mysis, clam, fish) It obviously has to fit in its mouth. My favorite food is Mysis as it has good nutritional value and is small enough for the coral to eat. Start feeding right after the lights go out for best results. Once it gets used to the tank you may be able to feed during the day but that depends on the coral. I use a 3 liter bottle because my coral is so big. Just cut the bottom off and invert the bottle over the sun polyp. It is best to keep this coral in the sand for ease of feeding. I also keep a large clean-up crew around because of the messy feedings. If you don't feed the coral regularly it will suck in and then it will stop opening. The coral should look plump when closed. Gool luck and let me know if I can help out.

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Awesome Macro's!!!

 

For what its worth Fletch, A Orange cup coral and a sun coral is the same thing. They are all a member of the genus Tubastraea. Although yours seems to be a different species. And by the looks of that picture you need to feed it a little more often.

 

Thanks Somthingfishy I thought that they were one and the same but I was not 100% sure so I did not want to imply that they were. The picture I posted was when I first recieved the coral, I have been feeding it the same as you, 2 liter bottle cut off and mysis and cyclopeze mix. It seems to be doing well. John

 

A portion of my sun coral is beginning to turn white. Some of the cups were already white skeletens when I bought it. Somethingfishy thought there could be some kind of infection going on? Or just the stress of being moved about during transport may have killed some of it off. I do have several polyps that are out and eating and I can see new ones starting to come in. What do you think?

 

Any ideas anyone?

 

yea, make sure you didn't bury any of the polyps in the sand. Look out for algae, slime, or infections, growing on the live skeleton, keep it in as low light as possible. I had black slime kill off a whole colony. Still my favorite coral tho.

 

ya, i love the sun corals 2 , they r one of the only corals i can get nowadays because they hardly grow

 

I have a nice sun coral that is new to my collection.
I use a blender we have and take the 'pitcher' part and unscrew the bottom; invert it, place it over the coral and use a sea squirt to slowly surround the coral with food.
I use Cyclopeeze bar to feed them, and clams, plates, Duncans and such that needs target fed.
They are harvested in caves and usually only fed at night and thats when they come out the most. Shaded area, a little squirt of food and patience. ;D