Tbittner's Sun Coral Q & A and Opinions

[caitrina]

Hope I did not offend you with the thread subject, was just trying to get your attention without high jacking the photo thread as our statements could have turned into a fairly large post.

In reference to your statement in the Sept 07 photo section this is a little about my research and my own findings of the sun coral.

I have found out so much about these corals through having one. I did keep mine in a shaded area and then I saw others who had theirs right under bright lights. Dentoid appears to be having success with his right out in the open and I do believe under MH lighting. (Scott, if you read this, correct me if I am wrong.)

After seeing this I moved mine out so I was able to feed it better and it really didn't seem to be bothered at all by the light once I "conditioned" him to be in full bloom with lights, which I did while he was under his shaded area. I, however, do not have MH lighting, in fact I did not get this coral at first because I thought my lighting would not accomodate this coral and then I began the research on it and I thought I could at least try it and take it back or give it to someone who might have better success with it if he began showing any signs of being in trouble.

I read that these corals can and will live under any lighting condition from really bright to darkness. From what I understand the reason they are found in caves and dark areas is because they can't keep up with growth rates as a symbiotic coral so basically what is being said is that they are not able to get the areas where they would like to live because they can't compete, so they are usually not seen where symbiotic corals are .

I don't know that I would put it right into the bright lights or directly under them (particularly MH's), but I do believe that you could begin conditioning it to open during daylight hours and then slowly move him a little bit from his shaded area.

Mine is doing great and is right out there in the open right smack dab in the middle of the flow and loves every minute of it. At least I think he does, he certainly isn't closed so he must be happy.

This is mine about a week or so after I got it, this was during one of his training periods and he was a little timid here. Now he opens much fuller than this, he goes in full bloom.

[sasquatch]

I read pretty much the same thing except having them in bright lights exposes them to nuisance algae growth on the body?

[caitrina]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

I read pretty much the same thing except having them in bright lights exposes them to nuisance algae growth on the body?

See, that I didn't read, so I have learned something as well. I have mine in full rate of flow also, but then again I have PC lighting so that could make a difference also.

I did read that they can live in moderte rates of flow but like a higher flow rate, which is where mine is at.

[sasquatch]

beautiful looking coral!

[caitrina]

Thanks!

[tbittner]

No offense taken what so ever! In fact, I appreciate it. These really are beautiful and fascinating corals and there does seem to be a fair amount of mixed information on the internet about them.

In the picture I had posted, it wasn't even fully open. When I take a peek at it when I go to bed, usually around 11 or 12, you can't see it's base at all because the pulips are so full. It's also grown 4 new heads since I bought it so apparently it's pretty happy where it is.

[GeeWizzItsMe]

Other than feeding each mouth, what else is so difficult about taking care of sun corals?

[bluespotjawfish]

I had mine in the shade, but recently moved it out into lights. I have 250w 13k HQI MHs and it is currently on the bottom. When it was in the shade, sponges overtook it, before I moved it I fragged it up a bit and removed as much sponge from it as I could. It is much happier now.

[caitrina]

Originally Posted by bluespotjawfish

I had mine in the shade, but recently moved it out into lights. I have 250w 13k HQI MHs and it is currently on the bottom. When it was in the shade, sponges overtook it, before I moved it I fragged it up a bit and removed as much sponge from it as I could. It is much happier now.

You can frag these? How?

[bluespotjawfish]

I basically just broke the rock that they were on. It broke into 3 pieces, I kept the largest piece, put a very small piece in my daughter's tank (that has very poor lighting), and gave the other piece away.

If yours are still as tightly together as your first pic I wouldn't do this. If they have receeded some so that there is some separation between some of them it would work fine. You would want to focus the break in the rock to that area.

[caitrina]

ohhhh, ok, nice to know for future use....mine are still a tight knit family. maybe one day they will seperate a little. Thanks for sharing. .

[tbittner]

Will they keep adding new pulips and expanding onto other rock work?

[Dentoid]

Cat you are right, I had mine directly under 150W MH without any problems. I just moved it to the bottom, because I got a new Bird's Nest coral that I wanted to put in its place. It actually looks better on the bottom. The reason I had mine so far up on the reef was to make feeding easier. I bought a Nautilus Sea Squirt by Kent Marine. It's a bulb feeder that extends to 35", so feeding should be easier than before. Mine is closed most of the time until I put food in the tank, then they all open up. I also just got some brine shrimp eggs and a hatchery set up. I'm going to hatch brine shrimp and start feeding them while they still have their yolk sacs, to my tank. See if it makes a difference.