How to get sun coral to open up

[TRDfan]

I recently got a sun coral from LA which I always wanted. The bad news is that it won't open up. I placed it on the sand bed the first couple of days cuz I knew it needed low lighting and moderate-high flow. I tried feeding it reef frenzy the second day and it stuck it's polyps out abit but did not fully open.

After a couple days of that I figured it was getting too much light and I elevated a inch off the sand bed onto a rock partially shaded under a monti cap. Kept on trying to feed it every other day where it would partially open up but not fully

Any advice? Maybe it's still too much light? I have a 65g with a current nova 6 bulb fixture

 

[Tonyscoots84]

try putting it in shade like an overhang and try feeding it then. cut off all flow in the tank let the food hang around it. once polyps come out then gently place food all around it.. good luck

 

[TRDfan]

Thanks man. I guess I will continue to do what I'm doing and hope it opens up fully eventually

 

[Waleedwale1]

I had a sun coral that only opened up in the middle of the night. Tank lights would go off at 11 pm and the sun coral would open at around 2 am, when I would try to feed it. Does it open at night.

 

[tomtoothdoc]

shut off the flow and gently squirting thawed mysis shrimp juice around it @ the same time every night after the light goes out....just the juice... feed the rest to the fish. actually feed the fish and inverts like cleaner shrimp and hermit first so they don't try to steal the food and disturb the sun coral trying to open. it should learn and open after several tries....might take days or weeks but be persistent.
i had trained the dendro to response to every feeding. they may not remain open all the time but once they learned when the feeding time is, they tend to stay open more often. also dendro tend to be easier to get to feed, imo.

they don't need light. place them under a shade with gentle flow.

 

[KathyC]

They can be trained to eat during the day.
Take a 2 liter soda bottle, cut off the top 5 inches or so. Place it over the sun coral at the time you want it to eat and squirt the food in through where the 'cap' would be. This way the fish don't steal the food and the flow rate is cut down. Do this for a week or 2 straight daily (DO take the bottle top off after a little while!) nd eventually you can train it to open during the day.
Sun corals can live in a lit area of the tank - not high up or in really intense light. They do not need to be kept in total shade.

You may need to hot glue some pieces of rock rubble onto the soda bottle piece to keep it from floating away

 

[Dre]

Not for beginners even advanced reefers have trouble with them. I would never buy another one. Dendros are much easier IMO.

 

[Waleedwale1]

Not for beginners even advanced reefers have trouble with them. I would never buy another one. Dendros are much easier IMO.

+1 I have kept a few mini dendros and those guys are hardier. I fed them every 4/5 days and they did great for about a year until I traded them.

 

[Ariel110G]

What I can tell you about my sun coral is that when I got it opened when the lights went off, I feed every other day about, when the lights are on he is all closed up, I don?t find them to be difficult at all!!!

 

[TRDfan]

I had a sun coral that only opened up in the middle of the night. Tank lights would go off at 11 pm and the sun coral would open at around 2 am, when I would try to feed it. Does it open at night.

I haven't check to see if they open up in the middle of the night. DT lights shut off at 11 and normally that's the time I catch some sleep. I guess I'll try to check it out past midnight

shut off the flow and gently squirting thawed mysis shrimp juice around it @ the same time every night after the light goes out....just the juice... feed the rest to the fish. actually feed the fish and inverts like cleaner shrimp and hermit first so they don't try to steal the food and disturb the sun coral trying to open. it should learn and open after several tries....might take days or weeks but be persistent.
i had trained the dendro to response to every feeding. they may not remain open all the time but once they learned when the feeding time is, they tend to stay open more often. also dendro tend to be easier to get to feed, imo.

they don't need light. place them under a shade with gentle flow.

I shall try just the mysis juice

They can be trained to eat during the day.
Take a 2 liter soda bottle, cut off the top 5 inches or so. Place it over the sun coral at the time you want it to eat and squirt the food in through where the 'cap' would be. This way the fish don't steal the food and the flow rate is cut down. Do this for a week or 2 straight daily (DO take the bottle top off after a little while!) nd eventually you can train it to open during the day.
Sun corals can live in a lit area of the tank - not high up or in really intense light. They do not need to be kept in total shade.

You may need to hot glue some pieces of rock rubble onto the soda bottle piece to keep it from floating away

Thanks for the tip. I will definitely try this out

 

[TRDfan]

Yea i will be abit disappointed if it only opens up at night.... What's the point of that .,...lol

 

[Dre]

Reverse the light cycle...

 

[TRDfan]

As per Kathy's tip, I tried feeding it with a cut 32ounch Gatorade bottle. Within one feeding ALL the polys opened up 1/2 way. I moved it onto the sand for better viewing. it's staying open with all my lights on!!!!

I'm pretty sure after a couple feedings, it should stay fully open once the lights come on

Thanks Kathy!!!