Feeding Ideas?

BigAl07 · 07-17-2007, 11:32 AM

My wife surprised Me with a Sun Flower Coral last Friday. She knew that I've been looking at them and was going to ORDER one Friday night. On her way home she stopped at a distant LFS and picked one up. He sold it to her at a discount because he's had it a few weeks and no one is willing to take on the responsibility of feeding them. So here I am with one..

It opens up every day mid-evening. Such a pretty critter. The problem is my Skunk Cleanr Shrimp wont leave it alone when I feed it. No matter how MUCH I feed him before hand he can't help himself but to come over and take the Mysis from each and every polyp. Any ideas? It's NOT easy to feed and impossible to feed with a bottomless pit for a stomach shrimp climbing all over.

Allen

lcstorc · 07-17-2007, 12:24 PM

I had the same problem with my cleaner shrimp. Boy are they pigs.
Cut the top half off of a 2 liter bottle and put it over the coral. Then gently squirt some mysis into the top of the bottle. It should float around and get grabbed by the coral while mr shrimpy will grab the few mysis that float out the top.

BigAl07 · 07-17-2007, 12:27 PM

now THAT'S a good idea. I may try that tonight when I get home.

Thanks Lynn!

BigAl07 · 07-19-2007, 08:01 AM

I used this idea last night. Some of the polyps were able to eat. That dang cleaner was determined to get INSIDE of the bottle but alas could only get a leg in there... no big deal.....

Lynn, do Mysis always float? Mine do....

mps9506 · 07-19-2007, 08:17 AM

Is that Tubastrea?

BigAl07 · 07-19-2007, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mps9506

Is that Tubastrea?

Yes I think it is.

Allen

Dentoid · 07-19-2007, 08:44 AM

I stand guard with a wooden skewer and shoo any mysis bandit that tries to steal from my corals! Fish will do the same thing.

caitrina · 07-19-2007, 10:00 AM

Image:

Scott standing guard with his mighty skewer! Shishkabob tonight?

Melanie · 07-19-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcstorc

I had the same problem with my cleaner shrimp. Boy are they pigs.
Cut the top half off of a 2 liter bottle and put it over the coral. Then gently squirt some mysis into the top of the bottle. It should float around and get grabbed by the coral while mr shrimpy will grab the few mysis that float out the top.

You are a GENIUS!

lcstorc · 07-19-2007, 01:15 PM

I wish I could take credit but this is one of those tips I have heard repeatedly elsewhere and have tried with success myself.

As far as they mysis floating out they key is to add them very very slowly to the bottle. If you squirt them in with a turkey baster type implement then do it very very slowly. The volume of water you add causes the same amount of water to go out the top of the bottle and some of the shrimp go with it. The more slowly you add them the less likely they are to float out. Just had an idea though but have not tried it since it just occurred to me. You could try putting a small hole or two in the bottom of the bottle. That might give the extra water a place to exit without going out the top with the mysis. Cheap and easy enough to try IMO.

Dentoid · 07-19-2007, 04:09 PM

You go Lynn! Thinking like an engineer!

lcstorc · 07-21-2007, 10:39 PM

Oh no! My husband must have much more influence on me than I thought. He is the engineer in the family.

Of course I let him read the post and he had about 20 other things that might work. Geez. I still think it might work and will probably try it this weekend myself.

caitrina · 07-27-2007, 02:03 AM

How long did it take for yours to open fully?

caitrina · 07-27-2007, 02:04 AM

How long did it take for yours to open fully?

SoccerBum474 · 07-27-2007, 02:15 AM

along with the half bottle trick, i saw someone glue small rocks aroung the base of the bottle to keep it down and then they drilled a hole in the cap and put air-line tubing in it and hooked the tubing to a funnel then added the shrimp that way.. then when donew you put the bottle up with the tubing.. good idea but i dont know how you would get a funnel that would work for that small of tubing...

07-17-2007, 11:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Feeding Ideas? My wife surprised Me with a Sun Flower Coral last Friday. She knew that I've been looking at them and was going to ORDER one Friday night. On her way home she stopped at a distant LFS and picked one up. He sold it to her at a discount because he's had it a few weeks and no one is willing to take on the responsibility of feeding them. So here I am with one.. It opens up every day mid-evening. Such a pretty critter. The problem is my Skunk Cleanr Shrimp wont leave it alone when I feed it. No matter how MUCH I feed him before hand he can't help himself but to come over and take the Mysis from each and every polyp. Any ideas? It's NOT easy to feed and impossible to feed with a bottomless pit for a stomach shrimp climbing all over. Allen __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

07-17-2007, 12:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,433 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Feeding Ideas? I had the same problem with my cleaner shrimp. Boy are they pigs. Cut the top half off of a 2 liter bottle and put it over the coral. Then gently squirt some mysis into the top of the bottle. It should float around and get grabbed by the coral while mr shrimpy will grab the few mysis that float out the top. __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

07-17-2007, 12:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Feeding Ideas? now THAT'S a good idea. I may try that tonight when I get home. Thanks Lynn! __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

07-19-2007, 08:01 AM	#4 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Feeding Ideas? I used this idea last night. Some of the polyps were able to eat. That dang cleaner was determined to get INSIDE of the bottle but alas could only get a leg in there... no big deal..... Lynn, do Mysis always float? Mine do.... __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

07-19-2007, 08:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
mps9506 Totally back Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 8,525 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Feeding Ideas? Is that Tubastrea? __________________ Mike Reefkeeping Since '99 Help Build Reefpedia Premium Memberships Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

07-19-2007, 10:00 AM	#8 (permalink)
caitrina Golden Moray Join Date: May 2007 Location: Somewhere in Florida Posts: 2,700 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Feeding Ideas? Image: Scott standing guard with his mighty skewer! Shishkabob tonight? __________________ A reef tank is like a potato chip, you can't have just one! Chronicles Cat's Healing Gift: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ling-gift.html Cat’s 90 Gallon Toy: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...allon-toy.html 24 G Mystery Pod: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...stery-pod.html

07-19-2007, 01:15 PM	#10 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,433 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Feeding Ideas? I wish I could take credit but this is one of those tips I have heard repeatedly elsewhere and have tried with success myself. As far as they mysis floating out they key is to add them very very slowly to the bottle. If you squirt them in with a turkey baster type implement then do it very very slowly. The volume of water you add causes the same amount of water to go out the top of the bottle and some of the shrimp go with it. The more slowly you add them the less likely they are to float out. Just had an idea though but have not tried it since it just occurred to me. You could try putting a small hole or two in the bottom of the bottle. That might give the extra water a place to exit without going out the top with the mysis. Cheap and easy enough to try IMO. __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

07-21-2007, 10:39 PM	#12 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,433 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Feeding Ideas? Oh no! My husband must have much more influence on me than I thought. He is the engineer in the family. Of course I let him read the post and he had about 20 other things that might work. Geez. I still think it might work and will probably try it this weekend myself. __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

07-27-2007, 02:03 AM	#13 (permalink)
caitrina Golden Moray Join Date: May 2007 Location: Somewhere in Florida Posts: 2,700 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Feeding Ideas? How long did it take for yours to open fully? __________________ A reef tank is like a potato chip, you can't have just one! Chronicles Cat's Healing Gift: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ling-gift.html Cat’s 90 Gallon Toy: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...allon-toy.html 24 G Mystery Pod: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...stery-pod.html

07-27-2007, 02:04 AM	#14 (permalink)
caitrina Golden Moray Join Date: May 2007 Location: Somewhere in Florida Posts: 2,700 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Feeding Ideas? How long did it take for yours to open fully? __________________ A reef tank is like a potato chip, you can't have just one! Chronicles Cat's Healing Gift: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ling-gift.html Cat’s 90 Gallon Toy: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...allon-toy.html 24 G Mystery Pod: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...stery-pod.html

07-27-2007, 02:15 AM	#15 (permalink)
SoccerBum474 Scopas Tang Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: San Luis Obispo, Ca Posts: 457 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Feeding Ideas? along with the half bottle trick, i saw someone glue small rocks aroung the base of the bottle to keep it down and then they drilled a hole in the cap and put air-line tubing in it and hooked the tubing to a funnel then added the shrimp that way.. then when donew you put the bottle up with the tubing.. good idea but i dont know how you would get a funnel that would work for that small of tubing...

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