NPS Coral diet

[Jeremy K.A.]

Hey guys and girls of reef2reef, todays question involves the always daunting, but absolutely stunning.... Non-Photosynthetic Coral! Weather it's an LPS such as Tubastrea "Sun coral" and Dendrophyllia, Softies such as Dendronepthya, or Gorgonians, they all have to eat, and all have their own somewhat unique diets. That being said my question to all of you is this, what do *YOU* feed your NPS corals, and specifically what foods do you use for different varieties of these corals; to break it down, what do you feed filter feeders, as well as those which are more capable of eating larger particles etc?

Then finally how often do you feed them for best results?

I've had Sun corals and wasn't able to successfully keep them alive very long, probably 4-6 months. I've found they're not all that difficult in concern of water parameters but instead become difficult due to their everlasting hunger for food and therefore needing to be fed quite frequently. When I had them I fed them Fauna Marin LPS pellets, and today while I do not have any Tubastrea in any of my tanks, I still use the FM LPS Pellets to feed my Dendrophyllia.

Dendros seem to be a far easier NPS coral to keep alive and even thrive. They don't seem to be particularly picky about water parameters, nor do they perish quickly if you can not frequently feed them. I try and feed them at least once a week if I can, but ideally I've heard you should try and feed them 2-3 times a week. They can be fed mysis, brine shrimp, pellets, and much more but Pellets have been my preference due to its high level of protein as well as easiness to feed.

Now that I've shared my experience, lets hear yours!

 

[chefjpaul]

Im tagging along with this one.
Want to learn more, and have an extra tank.

 

[WavesAreMyMantra]

DANG! Still no experienced answers....... I will say this! I broadcast feed my tank marine snow once a day. Once the product is opened it has to be refrigerated. When putting into your tank turn off mechanical filters and skimmer as such, but leave powerhead on for an hour. I target feed my carnation tree with the frozen phytoplankton and zooplankton. I cut a small portion of the frozen cube off then place it in a small bowl with tank water to let it defrost. THEN I just take a syringe and pull the mixture through and target feed the little guys. I usually do the first feeding when I add the marine snow, then the second in the evening because I turn everything off except the powerhead for an hour. So far my carnation tree is growing like crazy! OH! I forgot to mention. I do also take a small chunk from the frozen brine shrimp every other day and mix with my main concoction, but just at one feeding. The fish love it when I do that although they get their feeding of that as well, just not every day. I hope this helps!

 

[Jeremy K.A.]

DANG! Still no experienced answers....... I will say this! I broadcast feed my tank marine snow once a day. Once the product is opened it has to be refrigerated. When putting into your tank turn off mechanical filters and skimmer as such, but leave powerhead on for an hour. I target feed my carnation tree with the frozen phytoplankton and zooplankton. I cut a small portion of the frozen cube off then place it in a small bowl with tank water to let it defrost. THEN I just take a syringe and pull the mixture through and target feed the little guys. I usually do the first feeding when I add the marine snow, then the second in the evening because I turn everything off except the powerhead for an hour. So far my carnation tree is growing like crazy! OH! I forgot to mention. I do also take a small chunk from the frozen brine shrimp every other day and mix with my main concoction, but just at one feeding. The fish love it when I do that although they get their feeding of that as well, just not every day. I hope this helps!

Thank you for the reply! Perhaps I posted this in the wrong section lol was expecting far more replies. I've thought of using marine snow but never have, how do you like it, and how do corals seem to like it? Also how long have you had the carnation!? I love those but have never attempted one due to them being so difficult from everything I've read about them

 

[WavesAreMyMantra]

Thank you for the reply! Perhaps I posted this in the wrong section lol was expecting far more replies. I've thought of using marine snow but never have, how do you like it, and how do corals seem to like it? Also how long have you had the carnation!? I love those but have never attempted one due to them being so difficult from everything I've read about them

I do not think you posted in the wrong section. I have heard that they are not popular due to their needs and being target fed. LOVE the marine snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So far the corals are loving it! I have had the carnation tree for about a week and there is already growth, even my daughter has noticed. I have made a mix of the zooplankton and all that along with some brine shrimp and see how that goes. Let me add that the marine snow does wonders for many things in the tank!!!! SO if feeding them twice a day with a little mixture of what I have mentioned or come up with your own then that is all thats needed to care for them. They need no light to survive!!!!! I have an orange and yellow one. The base is orange and extends into a yellow coral. I say it is worth it to me! Its a beautiful coral. I will show you a pic, just give me one sec.....

 

[WavesAreMyMantra]

The tallest branch has at least grown a little under a half an inch in a week!

 

[GoVols]

Does this help?

Red Sea "Reef Energy" may do the job too.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/12/corals

 

[WavesAreMyMantra]

And let me say, the tree really likes the brine shrimp along with others in my tank! It’s a win, win!!!!

 

[HolisticBear]

@GoVols you've seen this amazing NPS tank, yes?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/marks-rimless-nps-paradise.256387/

 

[Jeremy K.A.]

The tallest branch has at least grown a little under a half an inch in a week!

Love it! Beautiful coral is right haha I'll have to look into the marine snow and maybe give it a shot!

 

[Jeremy K.A.]

@GoVols you've seen this amazing NPS tank, yes?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/marks-rimless-nps-paradise.256387/

I've seen that tank before while researching info about nps online and it's absolutely incredible

 

[Jeremy K.A.]

Does this help?

Red Sea "Reef Energy" may do the job too.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/12/corals

Looks good, I'll have to read the article! Thank you

 

[GoVols]

Looks good, I'll have to read the article! Thank you

Well,
Thanks to this thread... and @HolisticBear

I just bought a colony of Flathead Dendros

;Wacky

 

[Porpoise Hork]

I have tried multiple methods of feeding my corals and most of them yielded little to minimal results. I tried brine shrimp both nano and full grown, frozen mysis mixed with Rod's Food, coral pellets, phyto and zoo plankton and noted a range of no feeding response to aggressive but inconsistent response in my LPS (including a Sun Coral) and soft corals. It wasn't until I stumbled across this video and after adopting this method I have seen amazing results. Since I started using this method two months ago to target feed, all of my corals, even my zoas now have a very active and aggressive feeding response. I have also seen significant increases in growth, polyp extension, and increased color intensity as well. My small Sun Coral that was struggling before is bouncing back and looking better than when I first got it. I feed them every third day, and even ricordea coral that would never give and response to anything I fed them, now are instantly rolling up and swallowing every bit I put on them. It's simply amazing to watch. It takes about 10 minutes once all are fed for them to all fully consume their dinner and the best part is the fish ignore the corals. Unlike when I fed them pellets or other foods that forced me to try to isolate them with a water bottle. Here I can feed them all and all are able to eat in peace.



Basically this guy makes a thick slurry with the reef-roids and target feeds with a monoject dental syringe. I did have to clip the tip off a little to make feeding easier because getting the thickness just right so it will flow out and not clog was rather challenging.

 

[thunderdood]

Hey guys and girls of reef2reef, todays question involves the always daunting, but absolutely stunning.... Non-Photosynthetic Coral! Weather it's an LPS such as Tubastrea "Sun coral" and Dendrophyllia, Softies such as Dendronepthya, or Gorgonians, they all have to eat, and all have their own somewhat unique diets. That being said my question to all of you is this, what do *YOU* feed your NPS corals, and specifically what foods do you use for different varieties of these corals; to break it down, what do you feed filter feeders, as well as those which are more capable of eating larger particles etc?

Then finally how often do you feed them for best results?

I've had Sun corals and wasn't able to successfully keep them alive very long, probably 4-6 months. I've found they're not all that difficult in concern of water parameters but instead become difficult due to their everlasting hunger for food and therefore needing to be fed quite frequently. When I had them I fed them Fauna Marin LPS pellets, and today while I do not have any Tubastrea in any of my tanks, I still use the FM LPS Pellets to feed my Dendrophyllia.

Dendros seem to be a far easier NPS coral to keep alive and even thrive. They don't seem to be particularly picky about water parameters, nor do they perish quickly if you can not frequently feed them. I try and feed them at least once a week if I can, but ideally I've heard you should try and feed them 2-3 times a week. They can be fed mysis, brine shrimp, pellets, and much more but Pellets have been my preference due to its high level of protein as well as easiness to feed.

Now that I've shared my experience, lets hear yours!

I feed my Dendros and Black Sun Corals primarily Fauna Marin pellets a couple times a week. I feed maybe once a week a rotation between frozen PE Mysis, Omega enriched brine shrimp, and the PE Cyclops. For baby Dendro heads, I will feed 0.5mm Spectrum Thera A+ pellets until they get big enough to eat the Fauna Marin pellets.

My current setup is a 20g with 10g fuge and I have a colony and frags of at least 20 Dendro heads total and a colony of 12+ heads of Black Sun Corals.

IME Dendros are extremely hardy and can tolerate wide fluctuations in water quality and temperature. Several years ago I had a chiller that malfunctioned and never shut off ended up bringing my tank down to 40-45'F. Dendros survived. I lost a couple heads but they left behind baby heads and had a little skin recession but have come back nicely.

 

[Jeremy K.A.]

Well,
Thanks to this thread... and @HolisticBear

I just bought a colony of Flathead Dendros

;Wacky

Alriiighhtt!!! Glad to hear that, Dendros are awesome, very beautiful NPS corals and in my experience the easiest of the bunch!

 

[Jeremy K.A.]

I have tried multiple methods of feeding my corals and most of them yielded little to minimal results. I tried brine shrimp both nano and full grown, frozen mysis mixed with Rod's Food, coral pellets, phyto and zoo plankton and noted a range of no feeding response to aggressive but inconsistent response in my LPS (including a Sun Coral) and soft corals. It wasn't until I stumbled across this video and after adopting this method I have seen amazing results. Since I started using this method two months ago to target feed, all of my corals, even my zoas now have a very active and aggressive feeding response. I have also seen significant increases in growth, polyp extension, and increased color intensity as well. My small Sun Coral that was struggling before is bouncing back and looking better than when I first got it. I feed them every third day, and even ricordea coral that would never give and response to anything I fed them, now are instantly rolling up and swallowing every bit I put on them. It's simply amazing to watch. It takes about 10 minutes once all are fed for them to all fully consume their dinner and the best part is the fish ignore the corals. Unlike when I fed them pellets or other foods that forced me to try to isolate them with a water bottle. Here I can feed them all and all are able to eat in peace.



Basically this guy makes a thick slurry with the reef-roids and target feeds with a monoject dental syringe. I did have to clip the tip off a little to make feeding easier because getting the thickness just right so it will flow out and not clog was rather challenging.

I've watched that video 2 or 3 times just because it's so satisfying to watch corals being fed but also he has some stunning pieces haha. I've started doing that method now as well on my LPS as well as Fauna Marin pellets

 

[Jeremy K.A.]

I feed my Dendros and Black Sun Corals primarily Fauna Marin pellets a couple times a week. I feed maybe once a week a rotation between frozen PE Mysis, Omega enriched brine shrimp, and the PE Cyclops. For baby Dendro heads, I will feed 0.5mm Spectrum Thera A+ pellets until they get big enough to eat the Fauna Marin pellets.

My current setup is a 20g with 10g fuge and I have a colony and frags of at least 20 Dendro heads total and a colony of 12+ heads of Black Sun Corals.

IME Dendros are extremely hardy and can tolerate wide fluctuations in water quality and temperature. Several years ago I had a chiller that malfunctioned and never shut off ended up bringing my tank down to 40-45'F. Dendros survived. I lost a couple heads but they left behind baby heads and had a little skin recession but have come back nicely.

Thats awesome, yes dendros are the bomb, I currently have one frag that contains the mother and 3 babies now. I'm looking to get more soon if I can find them for a reasonable price

 

[danielsalt]

I love nps and watching tanks like Marks..so far all I have is Tubastrea but I am superfocused on expanding into automating for filterfeeders when i upgrade, I am too chicken to try yet
I have tried pellets but only one type and it didnt take it. Liquid brine from Nyos worked alright but it really started loving life when I ran out and switched to liquid goldpods instead, also from Nyos. It is insanly capable of eating huge amounts without expelling and oh so satisfying to feed them

I also broadcast some sps powder from Brightwell and while tubastrea does react to it, I sure wouldnt want to let them feed on that only.
In my experience they are quite hardy and a week without food is no issue. I usually spotfeed 4-5 days/week though.

 

[GoVols]

I love nps and watching tanks like Marks..so far all I have is Tubastrea but I am superfocused on expanding into automating for filterfeeders when i upgrade, I am too chicken to try yet
I have tried pellets but only one type and it didnt take it. Liquid brine from Nyos worked alright but it really started loving life when I ran out and switched to liquid goldpods instead, also from Nyos. It is insanly capable of eating huge amounts without expelling and oh so satisfying to feed them

I also broadcast some sps powder from Brightwell and while tubastrea does react to it, I sure wouldnt want to let them feed on that only.
In my experience they are quite hardy and a week without food is no issue. I usually spotfeed 4-5 days/week though.

Looks Great!!!

I tried to feed my Dendro colony pellets and they just made it sad
Still waiting for it's polyps to fully come back out ;Nailbiting