Need Parameters for Chili Cactus,Please.

[reefdiva]

Can someone please tell me the tank conditions this Chili Coral needs. As you see he is very limp,,first 3 days he opened after lights were out, and then was limp as this during daylights. Moved him to bottom of tank and over in Actinic lighting side of tank,thinking maybe the lower lighting would make him open during the day, or at least stay upright. He now has been in the state for 24 hrs and day for the last 3 days. What to Do? Help please.http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/97516ChiliCoral.jpg

[keinreis]

Mine never open during the day but always at night

[reefdiva]

Hi Keireis,,Thanks for repling..I figured it was one of the night owls so to speak,,Cause When I first brought it home,,it only opened during the night,,But if you see he looks pretty limp during the day,,he was that way when I traded for him..just thought he would stay perky at least in daylight. So just tring to figure out if he will always look so sick or if after time goes by he will eventually perk up in the day,I know he should exspand his polps and all only at night. I did have some Zoe's close to him,,like an inch away when he fell flat as in the pic. In fact the zoe's should be visible down to his right.. any suggestions on feeding? Thanks again..

[BrokkenTWolf]

Several things: You want to hang your chilli coral upside down. This is a 'hanging' coral and will eventually die if you leave it in it's current orientation. (the photo doesn't make it clear if it's hanging upside down. If it is, then kudos to you)
Second: He doesn't care about light at all. It's not photosynthetic. You should take care to feed it at night - when the polyps are open. They can be trained to open during the day, however. The key is a consistent feeding schedule. Put him in a shady overhang with reasonable, non-laminar flow. He should do fine there.

[reefdiva]

Thanks for that reply: I currently have it wedge in the side as if he was on the inside of a cave on the wall,not actually hanging. So now to figure away to attach it so it will hang (Like a pinata?) lol..any quick suggestions on that? what would I use..a superglue "Gel".? darn ...He hasn't opened in about 5 or 6 days now. I do target feed him a mix of phyto and Zoo.until I know for sure what to feed him. Thanks for the help..getting a figureing out how to hang him now..

[reefdiva]

Thanks again BrokkenWolf: I sure hope this is what you meant by Hanging him,,cause He diffently is just hangin around the cave now..I attaced the photo so you could see,,seems diffently to shade him even more..flow should be pretty good.."I hope" cause the lower power head in that back right corner blows into the rocks which creates a flow thru his little cave.? should I change it? Thanks again for the help,,never knew to hang him..just found out he like cave type dwellings..Thanks again. live saver..ie. coral saver,,lol..ciaohttp://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/97516HanginChili.jpg Dark due to cave and actinic lighting

[BrokkenTWolf]

That's EXACTLY what I meant. :)

Good job.

[reefdiva]

Well,,still a bit concerned..It's now day three since I hung him upside down..and He still has not opened,,even at night? Do you think he is just way to stressed out..i.e. a gonner now? Or will he open sometime soon? Used a syringe to target feed around him some Zoo and phyto mix,but no reaction. Anything else I can do? Thanks again for taking the time with me..ciao

[BrokkenTWolf]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7672193#post7672193 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefdiva
Well,,still a bit concerned..It's now day three since I hung him upside down..and He still has not opened,,even at night? Do you think he is just way to stressed out..i.e. a gonner now? Or will he open sometime soon? Used a syringe to target feed around him some Zoo and phyto mix,but no reaction. Anything else I can do? Thanks again for taking the time with me..ciao

Give it a little time. He'll come around. I'm pretty sure that he's not a goner - otherwise he'd have started disintegrating within a matter of hours.
As you say - you can try to entice him with zooplankton - probably at night.

[reefdiva]

Well I really do appreciate you taken the time to answer what may seem a bit foolish,With only three years into Reef tanks,,this diffently may have been something a little more complex for me to deal with...lol..My right side of the tank is pretty much more of a deep reef side,,you know the lower light fellows,,Gorg. and such then of course moving to the left goes into the brighter,,65k and 10k for more light demanding softies.. I knew the Chili was a little cave guy,but really didn't realize he needed to hang upside down..kinda of funny..Once again Thanks a bunches.