How do I feed Corrailles?

[Chucky]

I have acquired a smallish hunk of soft coral. I understand that they feed on particles, but I don't see any suspended in my water. The food I put in always seems to avoid them.

I'm wondering how I can tell if they're getting enough to eat, and how should I feed them if they might not be - baby brine shrimp with a syringe, I guess?

 

[Anonymous]

What type of coral is it? Some soft coral are photosynthetic, and there is no need for target feeding.

(I hope you are not one of those people trying to feed silvers of fish to your Xenia... )

 

[ReefRian]

Some softies also absorb nutrients from the water and do not need direct feeding.

Rian

 

[Chucky]

Here are the THree types of corals I have; the colors in this image don't match theirs - cheapo camera. They are a lot brighter and intense.

All the big tall ones are one type. Then there are smaller, greenish ones, mostly in the foreground. There are one or two very small pink ones, hard to see. There is a whole btach of them on the other side of the rock - I'm the most worried about those. The large ones occassionally snatch a frozen brine shrimp, or a flake, and they close up, gobbling the piece down I guess, but the small ones don't seem to be able to catch anything. Should I blow a bunch of baby brine shrimp onto them?

 

[ReefRian]

The tall ones look like singularia (sp?) and you don't need to feed directly, they absorb food. The others are zoos/polyps and don't necessarily need to be target fed since they will catch stuff out of the water, but you can feed them. You can blow some of your frozen food at them, just know that the more you feed them the faster they will grow and then they will be everywhere. But don't worry about them, they'll be fine on their own.

Rian

 

[Chucky]

Thanx guys! (and gals, if applicable)

 

[danmhippo]

It will also be very helpful if you have strong lighting in yoru tank, as these also require strong lights to photosynthesis, much like a plant on land.

And, make sure you don't over feed your tank, as corals are sensitive to water quality.

 

[ReefRian]

Thanks for the gals inclusion, I appreciate it

Rian

 

[Anonymous]

The polyps are palythoa sp. They have a very strong neurotoxin, so NO TOUCHY!

They are awesome, and will spread to surrounding rocks you can frag and trade. BUt, again, NO TOUCHY! Use gloves.

They like to be fed peices of food small enough to injest, like finly chopped (kinda pureed(sp) Seafood.

 

[Tackett]

The polyps are palythoa sp. They have a very strong neurotoxin, so NO TOUCHY!

They are awesome, and will spread to surrounding rocks you can frag and trade. BUt, again, NO TOUCHY! Use gloves.

They like to be fed peices of food small enough to injest, like finly chopped (kinda pureed(sp) Seafood.

I know we talked about this in the other forum for a while, but which ones are you referring too? The button polyps or zooanthids? I need to start learning the "real" names of critters.

 

[Anonymous]

How are they toxic? Palythoa sp? Ive heard of this and have touched them many atimes. I would like to know in what ways they are toxic? deadly?

 

[Chucky]

Neurotoxin from THESE?!?!

You're pulling our legs??

 

[ReefRian]

There have been many threads where animals have died and people have ended up in the hospital because of contact with the poison. I don't think it will go through your skin, but if you have a cut or ingest water after one of these has been cut or ripped you can be in serious trouble. Putting your hand in a tank with these won't hurt you, though it is good practice to wear gloves when you are working on your tank. If the search feature is working, do one and you will understand what he is talking about. There might even be a stickly on one of these boards with some info.

Rian

 

[Anonymous]

The larger ones are Palythoa, sp, the smaller are zooanthids. Both are toxic. Palytoxin can be deadly to humans.

Handle all zooanthid like corals with care. I have been poisioned, very slightly before from fragging them. It aint fun, and the fact that 99% of doctors will look at you like you are speaking an unknown tongue when you tell them what happend, it is scarry.

http://www.cbwinfo.com/Biological/Toxins/Palytoxin.html

Read this link, and do a search on the net for palytoxin

 

[Anonymous]

Neurotoxin from THESE?!?!

You're pulling our legs??

I wish I was. Remember, most of the animals in our tanks are toxic to other animals. The leather behing your polyps is also toxic to humans.

Never rub your face after putting your hands in your tank. 8O

 

[Anonymous]

The polyps are palythoa sp. They have a very strong neurotoxin, so NO TOUCHY!

They are awesome, and will spread to surrounding rocks you can frag and trade. BUt, again, NO TOUCHY! Use gloves.

They like to be fed peices of food small enough to injest, like finly chopped (kinda pureed(sp) Seafood.

I know we talked about this in the other forum for a while, but which ones are you referring too? The button polyps or zooanthids? I need to start learning the "real" names of critters.

The tall ones are Protopalythoa sp. the mat of smaller polyps are Zoanthus sp.

A good book to help you with names and such is "Aquarium Corals" by Eric Borneman.

 

[Tackett]

I got a few reads, just have a hard time remembering sci. names, seem like jibberish to me...and I had 5 years of latin classes. scary huh?

 

[Chucky]

Hory clap!! I had no idea!
How do you like that? I had a sweet old lady as a laboratory head at university, and she'd just grab whatever with bare hands, never worried about anything, formaldehyde be damned...

Guess it's not applicable to the whole world, now is it? I thought the biggest risks were well known, like scorpionfishes, jellies, some anemonies, etc...not fraggin' CORALS!

THANX a million for the heads up! We need maybe a big sticky about DANGER! THINGS YOU DIDN'T THINK COULD BE DEADLY!!

 

[danmhippo]

Would someone bold enough to lick test each and every coral for us and give us a heads up?

Reminds me of toad licking back in the high school days.......

 

[HClH2OFish]

Would someone bold enough to lick test each and every coral for us and give us a heads up?

Reminds me of toad licking back in the high school days.......

I was lickin one of the corals on a new piece of LR to test for you and a tiny octupus was a hitchhiker and bit my tongue...now it's getting...foggy..

*thump*