Do we underfeed our corals ?

[SnowManSnow]

I remember an article in advanced aquarist a few months.. there was a featured tank that had awesome looking corals.. better looking than MOST awesome looking corals... the owner made the statement that his corals look great because he feeds them on a regular basis.

I realize most ppl probably feed their corals.. but do you think we feed them as they would have been fed in the wild?

Do our corals experience stunted "aquarium" growth because of the infrequency of feeding?

1) what do you guys think ? do you underfeed?

2) How often DO you feed ?

 

[ChrisRD]

I think you should add another option to the poll. Some people never target feed their corals.
They just rely on fish poop, bacteria, detritus, uneaten fish food, etc. being present.

If feeding the fish counts, then I feed daily.
If not, then I feed never. :wink:

 

[trido]

If feeding the fish counts, then I feed daily.
If not, then I feed never.

Ditto to this statement.

 

[Anonymous]

I think corals do best with a constant supply of phyto and zooplankton. That is what they get in the oceans.

 

[SnowManSnow]

I think you should add another option to the poll. Some people never target feed their corals.
They just rely on fish poop, bacteria, detritus, uneaten fish food, etc. being present.

If feeding the fish counts, then I feed daily.
If not, then I feed never. :wink:

I realize corals get nutrients from a lot of things... light... detrius.. all that sort of thing, but I'm actually curious as to how many actively feed their corals... not their fish.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

I feed some corals, but not all. I feed my LPS daily (frogspawn, bubble, sunpolyps, ect). I also have a hynopora that seems to really expand when I feed it, it's growth rate is striking.

I feed my SPS live BBS enriched with selco. They do seem to grow slow, though...

I am just a bit opposite of the guys above.. My fish get the corals leftovers!

I do have a large system, though so I can feed a bit more than some.

 

[Anonymous]

I have an LPS tank. it's just plain dirty. I feed every couple of days or so. I target feed the sun polyps I'm babysitting, so everything gets lots of food.

B

 

[phattreefrog]

I also target feed several corals: plates, some frilly shrooms, sun polyps, grand polyps, torch, pearl, candy to name most of them. I feed them mysis twice a week and they all are flourishing. I also add photoplankton two to three times per week.

Tim.

 

[mr_X]

i feed everything that has a mouth, and will accept food, weekly :wink:

i use a 30 cc syringe with a nice tasty mixture.
i have noticed accelerated growth since i have started this. however, i don't think that corals in the ocean get this much food.

 

[bleedingthought]

I think you should add another option to the poll. Some people never target feed their corals.
They just rely on fish poop, bacteria, detritus, uneaten fish food, etc. being present.

If feeding the fish counts, then I feed daily.
If not, then I feed never. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

I'd like someone to comment on what I do (still learning)...

2 x a week I add phyto and zoo (Kent's)
2 x a week I target feed with cyclopeeze (frozen) and selco.

I think from what I read is that cyclopeeze is too large for sps? A local reefer I know does the blue coral method without the hormones and his tank looks great. As far as adding phyto and zooplankton. Is it necessary to add these to well established tanks? My tank is still young so I was thinking I can benefit from "supplementing."

Any good links on this will be appreciated. thanks

 

[SnowManSnow]

i LOVE cyclop eeze for LPS and things.. but yes they are too large for sps corals.

I've never used the bottled stuff from Kent for coral food. I feel like live is best.. then frozen.. im not much for the preserved stuff. I would still advise you to spotfeed your corals .. and not the entire tank with the zooplankton and so forth.

Just MHO

good luck!!!

b

 

[Anonymous]

i LOVE cyclop eeze for LPS and things.. but yes they are too large for sps corals.

I've never used the bottled stuff from Kent for coral food. I feel like live is best.. then frozen.. im not much for the preserved stuff. I would still advise you to spotfeed your corals .. and not the entire tank with the zooplankton and so forth.

Just MHO

good luck!!!

b

I sometimes do both. Spotfeed or when I'm lazy I just throw it in. I'll try not to be lazy then I'll switch back to DT's plankton. thanks for the advice