Training Dendro To Stay Open During The Day

Discussion in 'NPS Corals' started by Romulox234, Jul 6, 2009.

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  1. Romulox234

    Romulox234 Astrea Snail

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    Can anybody with experience getting dendros and sun corals to stay open all day long tell me how they did it. And if lighting matters to them. I heard they like dark places but it doesnt seem like itd matter because there non photosythetic, because i had them in this rock with a cave that he opened up in within 2 hours of hitting my tank but last night i moved it onto a rock outfront because i want to be able to see the polyps when there extended
     
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  3. Dr.Fragenstein

    Dr.Fragenstein Panda Puffer

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    The best way is to keep them shaded but mainly to feed them during the day... The polyps wont stay open all that long but they will come out more.

    If you really want them out all the time, feed HEAVILY, and have the tank very dimly lit. To dim for any other photosynthetic corals.

    In Coral magazine, there is a 600 gal+ system in I want to say California that is a deep water non photosynthetic coral tank.... Mostly deep water anthias, dendros, tubastreas, and carnation corals.... The tank is feed constantly, there is only a half a watt per gal of light, but with all the feeding comes daily water changes and the NO3 are still more than they should be...

    Best thing I could suggest as a compromise is to put it in the darkest place in the tank and feed at the same time daily..

    Good luck!
     
  4. Romulox234

    Romulox234 Astrea Snail

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    Its just the darkest part of my tank is this big centerpiece i have and when its in there you can barely see it at all, but i moved out front in a more shady area, and im just gonna see what happens.

    Problem is i just cant really get the polyps to open up when the lights are on even if i wiggle food in its face
     
  5. Dr.Fragenstein

    Dr.Fragenstein Panda Puffer

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    Look around for frozen fish eggs, capelin roe... If your LFS doesn't carry it, ask them to. OR there is a seafood site online that sells it, its for sushi but fish and corals love it!!

    Thats what I feed all the LPS at the shop and at home. My planktivorous fish love it as well!
     
  6. Romulox234

    Romulox234 Astrea Snail

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    alrite thanks ill check that out
     
  7. sharoleb

    sharoleb Bristle Worm

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    My dendro is not shaded, is always open and a voracious eater. The first time I fed him I put some phytoplankton in w/ a my small medicine dropper thing. That coaxed him out, I started out feeding brine, then later moved to chopped up silversides that I feed w/ tweezers. It's open pretty much whenever I look at him, night and day. Good luck, they are beautiful.
     
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  9. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    I'm thinking you may be talking about Jens Kallmeyer's tank in Germany? If you are, that is one kickbutt set up for sure.
     
  10. blumoon reefers

    blumoon reefers Millepora

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    I usually have to feed my tank first...then wait about 15 minutes then the sun corals will start coming out. That is when I can spot feed them.
     
  11. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

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    What kind of lights are you running and how deep is the dendro?

    Mine insists on being in the darkest spot I can find... Seems to have taken well to cyclopleeze.
     
  12. sharoleb

    sharoleb Bristle Worm

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    Ok, I'm sure this sounds horribly naive, but I've only had my tank for 6 months. My LFS picked out my lights, and I have not put a ton of research yet into all the lighting options. So, I have the 10000K and blue atinic. I'm sure if I had the box I could give you more specific answers. My tank is a 36 gallon bowfront, and the dendro is on the bottom of the tank in front.

    My Dendro was also tank raised, and was under Metal Halides before I rec'd him. I'm sure that must be a big difference over one that was taken from the ocean. Just a thought?
     

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