Info on Sun Coral

[ReefSteve]

Anyone give me some pointers on Sun Corals as my LFS is tempting me with a 3" colony for a very reasonable price although I haven't seen it open at the LFS yet!.

I have heard from several sources that it is quite an easy coral to keep and several others saying the opposite and just wanted an opinion from you guys out there.

I understand that it prefers lower light and that the polyps normally extend only at night and because it has no algae for food you have to feed each polyp and if so what with/how often.

Would it be OK sat under a large toadstool or are there going to be fighting problems?

Any input at all is much appriecaited before I decide to get it or not.

Thanks
Steve

[tentacle]

Hi ReefSteve, there's a good way to feed Tubastrea sp. corals listed at Reefrancher's site here, and there's also some good tips at the bottom of that page from another of our members, Cakepro, who's had good success with species of Tubastra.

[Cakepro]

I *thought* I felt my ears burning.

Here's a link to a thread about them (what's worked for me): http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbull...threadid=71310

If you're dedicated, they'll thrive and you'll be richly rewarded with a gorgeous coral!

I bought one awhile back (another black one) that is incredible...it's bifurcated into two branches and stretches 6" across. It's in a tank with an emperor angel who, if I feed him heavily, doesn't mess with the sun coral, so I don't have to use the feeding hat (actually a big Rubbermaid cereal keeper). I just shoot him up with a syringe loaded with mysis and Formula 1, sans feeding hat.

~ Sherri

[undrwata]

I put mine under a shlef and it does very well there

[ReefSteve]

Thanks for the info and links and love the 'hat' method

Hmmm...think I may have to swing by the LFS on the way home and snap it up (the only reason I didn't yesterday is because I had just bought a large/expensive toadstool softie and also becasue I was unsure of exact needs of Sun Coral). Theirs looks in good condition but had no polyps open but it was in full light.

This store runs with high nitrates (typically 80+ppm) and most of their stuff looks pretty good and is considerably cheaper than most other stores but tends to look even better after being dropped into my tank with much lower nitrates...I think I will have to 'rescue' that beauty before someone else does!

My tank has water from a spray bar being pushed from front to back at the base of the tank and then exits upwards through the plastic lattice rock support so the 'feeding hat' method should work well!

- Must remember to get a big bottle of Coke on the way back as well (won't make a lot of sense unless you have read the above links!)

Thanks again
Steve

[Cakepro]

Awesome, undrwata!

Do post a pic when you get a chance, Steve.

~ Sherri

[Randy V]

Hi Steve,

I'm sure this was covered in the links people have already given but, if not, keep in mind that they don't mind light at all so it isn't necessary to shade them unless you want to. The reason they are found primarily under overhangs in nature is that they don't have much competition in that location and many overhangs act like a funnel for plankton feeders.

I have mine out in the open because it's easier to feed it that way. You can train it to open during the day if you feed it at a certain time consistently. Sometimes it's necessary to blow a little juice across the closed polyps before it will start to respond.

If I feed heavy then I feed every other day. If I feed lightly then I feed it every day. You can tell if you're feeding enough by looking at the polyps when they are retracted. A well fed tubastrea polyp will look pudgy. An underfed one will be deeply cupped.

Good luck.

[pcmankey]

I recently got one and it opens in the day but not as large as it does at night. It readily accepts food and is easy to feed. Mine is growing already--after two weeks it looks much better than when I got it. There are new polyps and the originals are growing.

[ReefSteve]

Right, thats it!

You lot have talked me into it I am DEFINITELY going to get it this evening (bit difficult to hide from the wife though when it decides to open up! )

[ReefSteve]

Well it was still at the LFS when I got there saturday AM and the special offer price still stood!!!

Got it home and acclimatised it for around 5 hours before putting at the bottom of the tank and it started to open slightly within 1 hour and after 30 mins of lights out it was fully open...fantastic looking coral

Thanks for all the info

Steve

[tentacle]

Cool ReefSteve, congrats! Try to post a pic of it when you can. Good luck with it.