Sun Coral Not Feeding (That I Am Aware Of)

[sorgan]

I got a sun coral last week and have yet to see it fully extended, this is a worry as I'm not sure if it's feeding.
I've tried the bottle feeding appoach, spot feeding with a syringe and even went so far as taking it out if the tank and putting it in a bowl flooded with food.
My lfs said it may be taking food from the water column during the night, he also said that when it's hungry (if it's healthy) it will extend.

It has good flow and is on the bottom of my tank.

Any thoughts?

 

[Morri]

Take it out of the tank add it to a small bucket of tank water add phyto and Cycloplese and it will open up

 

[steelhealr]

Sun corals can be finicky and they may also be in 'shock'. They WILL open when hungry and feed at night. Mine usually opened after lights out. Food in the water column is the stimulus for them to open. I used to swirl the water sometimes and that would also open them up. SH

 

[milkton]

my sun coral didnt come out for the first few days, i got a bit worried (i know i shouldn't but i always think of the worst for some reason lol). I found one of the polyps partly open so i quickly fed it some uvx brine shrimp and all of a sudden the other polyps all extended out, been eating well ever since. I guess it somehow "smells" food?? lol. Good luck.

 

[simonas]

I love these

any pics Sorgan if its open yet?

 

[sorgan]

Hasn't fully opened yet and it's been 2 weeks.
Strange thing Is it seems to be growing, there is small yellow versions of the adult polyps around the base.

Dunno what's happening but I'm keeping my eye on it.

 

[steelhealr]

Signs of starvation including withering and regression near the perimeter. If you see some corallite skeleton showing (looks like a bicycle rim), then, you know they are hurting.

Are you're parameters OK? What are they?

SH

 

[sorgan]

Ummmm salinity Is 1.026, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5ish, calcium was 440 a few days ago and magnesium was a bit high at 1400-1500 (Im having trouble with this test as it's a bit technical) temp Is 25c and the coral is in good flow at the bottom off the tank.

They don't look like rims but more like buds (the little ones at the base) I've noticed no flesh withdrawing and the polyps make it to almost opening whenever I try to feed. Most of the time they look like pink tubes(indented at the top when not swollen) with a small orange 'mouth' in the centre.
All other coral (torch, slipper, xenia, leather toad, GSP, green polyps of some variety) are all healthy.

 

[simonas]

how is the sun coral now Sorgan?

the feeding of these is quite intensive and to make sure every polyp gets some food is quite a task

 

[sorgan]

It still isn't feeding but is thriving, i might buy another small one and see how that one behaves in comparision.