Candy Cane Coral

[Pterois2004]

Hi,

I have my first Candy Cane coral. It has 6 heads. I know what to feed (frozen mysis, cyplopeze and DT's that I feed to my tank already). The problem is how. When I feed the tank, I turn off all pumps and circulation. I feed when the actinics come on (about 10:00 pm). The blasted fish are attacking the mysis before it gets to the tentacles of the Candy Cane. I tried a turkey baster, and it pulled in the tentacles. The turkey baster works fine for the plate and the bubble. When I tried to gently release the mysis, they dropped to the bottom of the tank before the tentacles could catch any due to the fish stirring them up.

I'm in need of tips please. I'm worried it's starving, even though it's plump.

Angela

[Smo]

You can use a plastic collander (ya know, what you drain pasta in) and cut a hole in it for the turkey baster to fit thru. You cover the candy coral with this contraption and squirt the food through the turkey baster. You could also attach a piece of tubing to the turkey baster and then insert it with a smaller hole being used this time.
Another option, is to use clear or somewhat see-through plastic containers. Glad, Zip-Lock, Tupperware......................

[Jus Reefin]

They DO NOT need to be fed to live,thrive and grow. I have had a colony for about 3 years and have never fed it. It has at least tripled in size since then

[ReefHippys]

I also have a colony 30+ heads now and i've never target fed it

[bad coffee]

I target feed mine. Just so they grow faster and I have more to trade!

Try sucking in a whole turkey baster full of tank water and then let the mysis just 'fall' out of the turkeybaster onto the corals. Also, if you wait 1/2 hour or so after the lights go out, the feeding tenticles are out and ready to catch the food.

BC

[Pterois2004]

Thanks for the tips! I'll try feeding later with tubing first.

I'll try not to worry so much, since it doesn't seem like they will starve if not target fed. You know us moms, always trying to stuff food in our children's mouths. LOL

[waterdog1]

I have fed and not fed my candy canes. I saw no growth difference over 6 month period(6 m no feed , 6mfeed)