Sun Polyps - Feeding?

[Ruge13]

I've had sun polyps for about 6 months now. I keep them under a ledge so they don't get direct light, but they get a little by way of reflection, refraction etc. I rarely see them open. I mean maybe once a month no rhyme or reason as to when. Sometimes at night, sometimes middle of the day. Sometimes when I am feeding the fish, sometimes when no food has been in the tank for a while. I can't figure them out.

Bottom line is I would like to target feed them but they have a personality of their own. When I see them out, I target feed and take advantage of the opportunity. They seem to be surviving, no losses, but certainly no growth. I would be happier if I saw more signs of growth rather than just living. Never seeing them out (and I do frequently look in the middle of the night) makes me think they are unhealthy.

Any suggestions to make them happier? I just assumed with the amount of food I add (cause who doesn't like to feed fish ) that they are staying fed when when needed. Thus far I've fed them maybe 5-7 times since I got them 6 months ago and one of them was the day I put them in...

Mixed reef tank:
1.025
Phosphates undetectable
Trates 0
Trites 0
Calc 410-420
Mg 1200
PH 7.9 - 8.0
Alk 9.0 (was up around 10-12 but I dialed it back the past couple weeks)

 

[cstmpprl]

What are you feeding your tank. Ours LOVE mysis. They come out all the time, day or night. As soon as they know food is in the tank they open right up. I'll blast them with a little of the water I use to rinse the mysis in, and with in a couple minutes they are open and waiting for food. They dont seem to to like any thing but the mysis. Just my observation any way.

 

[jarrodsanborn]

+1 i spray them with food then wait 2-5 mins. they come out AFTER they smell the food. then i feed them and the tank again.

 

[pallobi]

+2... Gl

 

[Andy V]

What everyone else said. And I am amazed they are alive after only five feedings in six months. I don't want to crush your hopes, but it's possible that you don't see the polyps coming out because they are too far gone from lack of food. I could definitely be wrong, but I have had this happen myself years ago.

 

[Ruge13]

Yah I am shocked too, which is why I asked about feeding. I expected them to be higher maintenance critters. I always dump a cup of the thawed water back in the tank for the filter feeders to open up, softies etc... and them. Sometimes they react by sticking just their mouths out, sometimes no. Occasionally one out of the bunch of 10 or 12 of them opens up.

I feed the tank a mix of foods over the course of a week. Frozen Mysis, frozen marine cuisine, a variety of ground or finely chopped stuff (fish, muscles, clams, shrimp (fresh not store bought), flake and pellet food. Obviously not all in the same week but the foods vary. Mysis and pellets are a basic staple. All of which I put in a little at a time over a 10-30 minute period typically. Its my way of tank tinkering every day. I even tried feeding the tank this way after the lights were out to get a reaction out of them. Last time I saw them open, all of them showed signs of life but I have never seen all of them open at the same time.

To me they appear healthy, their behavior is just odd.

 

[Andy V]

I am not sure why you would want to put the rinse water in the tank...it kind of defeats the entire purpose of rinsing. You are going to end up with phosphate/algae issues down the road.

The polyps will open when they smell what you actually want in the tank...the food. The polyps don't need something to be squirted right on top of them to come out either. Usually they will open when food is anywhere in the tank.

 

[pallobi]

not a good idea to put the rinsed water in your tank... defeats the purpose of rinsing... bad for phosphates and other nasties... jus add the food, they will open if they want it, as it will still "smell" jus as much, if not more... again, not a good call to add rinsed water... GL

 

[Ruge13]

Should have clarified... not the thawed rinsed water, but water mixed with the thawed, previously rinsed food. I try not to feed the tank frozen as much as possible. I have easy access to live stuff. I meant tank water I put in the cup with the ground or thawed food before I toss it in with the baster. I am familiar with rinsing and I intend to keep the tank as algae free as possible for as long as I can.

Ironically, this AM they were open and got fed. I guess just talking about them got their attention.

 

[martine&maribeth]

good lord, those frozen mysis cubes need to be rinsed after thawing? we were told to just put the cube in a cup w/a little tank water and pour it in (or baster for target). So after they're thawed, we're supposed to strain out the water and just use the shrimp? sorry if dumb question- we're still new at this. ty

 

[pallobi]

good lord, those frozen mysis cubes need to be rinsed after thawing? we were told to just put the cube in a cup w/a little tank water and pour it in (or baster for target). So after they're thawed, we're supposed to strain out the water and just use the shrimp? sorry if dumb question- we're still new at this. ty

absolutely, and always... you dont want your tank being polluted with the water that they are packaged in... very high in phosphates and other garbage, and proven to be... i use a tea strainer when i feed mysis, and jus rinse them under hot water to thaw them fast... nice and clean and in the tank they go

 

[RadReefer]

Great idea with the tea strainer, I'm gonna steal that idea...

 

[pallobi]

Great idea with the tea strainer, I'm gonna steal that idea...

really works well...

 

[martine&maribeth]

excellent, thank you! my water babies thank you for all of your advice- you're a life saver... literally!

 

[pallobi]

excellent, thank you! my water babies thank you for all of your advice- you're a life saver... literally!

we all love our water babies! enjoy our shared passion!