Struggling Fox Coral

[Colin Harbut]

Hey guys,
I made the mistake of moving my Fox Coral after it had been acclimated. Because it didn't like it's change of location (too much light), I moved it back and now it has hardly opened for 2 weeks. My water tests are fine.

I can still see the green but only by a tiny amount. Is dead, or is there a chance it will start opening? Also, do reef keepers have more success placing Fox Corals in high or low light?

Thanks.

 

[DaisyPolyp]

Nemenzophyllia definately prefers lower light levels, but the key here is the feeding. Since they do not have high photsynthetic rates, they must be fed via the water column. This is difficult as Fox corals do not have a developed digestive system, they feed mainly by "Absorption"... this means that if you have low nutrient levels in your tank (read: crystal clear water) it's not going to be happy. This is probably what you are seeing; the slow dying back of the tissue as it starves to death.

 

[Colin Harbut]

You say they must be fed via the water column - can you please explain for me?

Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

I was under the impression that fox corals would eat meaty food like any other LPS coral would.

I have never heard that they absorb their nutrition from the water, but I would like to know more.

 

[Colin Harbut]

When you say that they will eat meaty foods, how do you go about getting 'meaty foods' into the actual coral?

What kind of meaty foods?

 

[Anonymous]

I feed my large polyp stony corals raw shrimp from the grocery store cut into tiny bits, or frozen silversides from the pet store.

Make sure the food is thoroughly thawed in a little cup of tank water, and place a small bit in the middle of each polyp, where the mouth is.

Now, if your coral has not eaten for a very long time, it will probably have a poor feeding response and not grab the food quickly. If it has degenerated greatly, unfortunatly it may not be able to eat anymore, but is certainly worth a try. You can help it along by blowing a little of the water you defrosted the food in at the coral gently with a turkey baster. This will help it realize that food is comeing. I don't know if fox coral have feeder tentacles, most large polyp stony corals do, but I have never had the fox coral in my own tanks.

It may be easier to feed at night, large polyp stony corals tend to seem to want to eat at night and will often put out their feeder tentacles then.

This is the coral you have, right?Nemenzophyllia turbida

 

[Colin Harbut]

Yes, that is the coral I have.

I am going to try feeding it right now the way you explained. Thank you so much for the advice. Your help's apprecaited!

 

[Anonymous]

Good luck, if it has not eaten in a good while you may have to try for several nights before you see a response.

 

[Colin Harbut]

OK Laura,
I put a few small pieces of shrimp in about 3 spots where mouths are. Im not sure if it will eventually eat it but I hope so.

Should I put a piece of shrimp in each mouth or will the food spread to all of the animals system?

Thanks again.

 

[Anonymous]

I would feed any mouth that will take food.

Once it is healthy and vigorous, I don't think you need to worry about feeding every mouth as they are typically connected.

Does it look like it is reacting to the food?

 

[Colin Harbut]

Its hard to tell if its reacting but the shrimp is not floating away. I know it may just be the outer skeleton that is holding on to the shrimp but it may also be the mouth forming around it.

Im going to keep an eye on it for a while to see the coral comsumes the shrimp.

 

[DaisyPolyp]

You say they must be fed via the water column - can you please explain for me?

Thanks.

Basically, we are looking for complex sugars and similar molecular DOC's (dissolved organic compounds) that are available in the water column as leftovers from the feeding activities of higher organisms. This can be as simple as partially digested food that has passed through the digestive system of a fish, or as the result of enzymes breaking down detritus on your sandbed. Your fox coral lacks the physiological ability to digest things like shrimp, and must rely on the first stages of digestion to occur elsewhere. This seems like a disadvantage, but eating this way is much more efficient (as long as it can get to food) as it does not have to expel the energy to break down the solid foods.
Dosing phytoplankton might be enough, or even just stirring up your sandbed regularly... I would keep it low in the reef, both to shield it from light and to place it near the decomposition areas of your tank.

...sorry for not getting back to you sooner on this.

 

[Anonymous]

Did you change current / flow? These seem to like very calm water in my experience and lower lighting.

 

[drywallguy29]

I have to say this was a highly informative topic,thank you DaisyPolyp and Laura D for the excellent info . Learn something new every day.