Red Chilli Cactus...

[vito is hooked]

LFS just got one, allways wanted one , now I got one. I know they dont need alot of light, I got a nice spot for it under a overhang with pretty good flow. Are they any special needs I dont know about? Thanks. :beachbum:

[superedge88]

I believe that they naturally occur upside down, like hanging under a ledge.

[vito is hooked]

I have the perfect ledge for it if I have to, gonna do a little more research. thanks

[tydtran]

Isn't this a type of non-photosynthetic coral? Are you set up to feed it?

[knockout]

both responses b4 are dead on, they like to hang upside down and you will need to feed it as they gain nothing from lighting, the polyps usually only open while the tank is peach black, good luck with it! they are very nice.

[vito is hooked]

I feed mysiss, brine and cyclopeze and some photo, so target feeding once in awhile should be no prob, I built a nice cave for my gorg... and just traded it for some rics, so its gonna be perfect for it. Ill hang it upsidedown after a couple of days. Im gonna up my CUC this weekend. Thanks! :beachbum:

[GoingPostal]

If keeping them was as easy as spot feeding mysis and cyclops, people would be keeping them no problem. Might want to look into what they really need to survive. Not sure if anybody really knows that yet though. Haven't seen much for long term except for a few dedicated individuals.

[vito is hooked]

No one said anything was gonna be easy, but I think I have pretty good conditions, as far as dedication, Ill be the Judge of that Pal. Thanks for your input, Ill take that with a grain of salt

[leeweber85]

pretty sure your going to have to feed live phyto multiple times a week. I would do some research on wet web media before you purchase one.

[Jessy.]

Yeah I've had one of these. Cool coral but the feeding regime got a little old. I ended up selling mine after a few months.

[Henryreef]

Are those corals at all like sun corals, because from the description it sure sounds like it

[vito is hooked]

Ive been reading up for a while now, Tomorrow Ill hang him in its cave, nice and dark , good flow with a sweeping powerhead. I dont mind feeding, but only time will tell if I get tired of it. Thanks for all your replies, every little bit helps, experience is the best teacher and Im on that road now, so, all help is apreciated.

[Robin764]

Upside down was how I planted mine when I got it... I target fed for the first few weeks. Yes they are non-photosynthetic, however mine has adapted to open when the meaty foods are fed to my tank. He is twice the size of my avatar pic (about 4 inches? I'd say then. He loves cyclopzees. He is about 7 inches now in diameter. He fell from his "upside-down" overhang, and has been on the bottome rightside up, still opens up, and is absolutely gorgeous. The pic in my avatar is him at the 4 inch stage.
I haven't target-fed in probably 3-4 months....he just is open when I feed these days. Great coral! I have always expected him to pass...but 4 months in..good so far.

[Chihuahua6]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13747107#post13747107 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GoingPostal
If keeping them was as easy as spot feeding mysis and cyclops, people would be keeping them no problem. Might want to look into what they really need to survive. Not sure if anybody really knows that yet though. Haven't seen much for long term except for a few dedicated individuals.

Absolutely true. They will live quite a long time seemingly well, then slowly perish.

[vito is hooked]

Kool! At last, a positive story. Ive wanted one for a long time, went to the LFS store and there it was, so now Im the proud owner of one!! For 40 bucks, (with my discount ) It was a steal! Fed it cyclopze this morning and he opened right up, :smoking: Pics soon! Thanks, I feel alot better knowing someone else has one, I thought I was the only one who has one. :cool:

[vito is hooked]

WOOPS.

[DLANDINO]

I have always wanted one too but was fearful about the difficult care and stats on long term survival. From the research that I did it seems that 6 months is about the max. On the other hand I was warned about Sun Corals for the same reasons. I got them to try them out and know on wood, mine are fine. Good luck and hope to hear more about your experience with them.

Dave

[vito is hooked]

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq36/vitoishooked/1115080810.jpg http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq36/vitoishooked/1115080808.jpg Thats him now, be back later with upsidedown shots :beachbum:

[vito is hooked]

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq36/vitoishooked/1115080906a.jpg http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq36/vitoishooked/1115080906.jpg Not a happy clown

[supersurfer12]

I have had one in my tank for ages and before that LFS had it for 5 years cause no one wanted to buy it. I didnt know you spot feed them my LFS said "they thrive on abuse". I havent fed him once and he looks great he just keeps growing. Lol

[supersurfer12]

"For 40 bucks, (with my discount ) It was a steal!"

I got my for $15 buck and they were more than happy to give it away. No offense but u got ripped off..............

[GoBigOrGoHome]

Ha, things definitely have different values in different places. Your LFS couldn't get rid of the thing despite the fact that its a nice coral, so you got it for $15. At vito's LFS, they just got it in, he was excited about it, so they wanted to get the standard mark-up out of it. At the LFS I work at, we had one in a few months ago for about $30, I think. It sat around for a couple months, not doing much, and then one of the guys (aquabucket on RC) took it home for a while, and it got too big with full p.e. in his tank, so he brought it back, then another guy from the store took it home after him. Seems to be doing well, but I think it does get fed in the tank of the guy who has it now.
Good luck with it, its certainly something I'd like to have in the future.

[supersurfer12]

you make a good point

[vito is hooked]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13751716#post13751716 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by supersurfer12
"For 40 bucks, (with my discount ) It was a steal!"

I got my for $15 buck and they were more than happy to give it away. No offense but u got ripped off.............. Well I can say this, for 40 bucks in this hobby, 2- 20's was deffinitly worth it to me! Fedding it cyclopze for now, which real is'nt no troublefor me cause I feed my gorg a couple times a week that suff and the chilli is right next door, but gonna see if I can find some oyster eggs. Read somewhere that others have had good results feeding them these. Under my biue actinic's it has a real deep red color, looks awsome! anybody know where to get oyster eggs? thanks

[supersurfer12]

wait you go 2 for 40 ok thats a good deal. I wasnt trying be offensive or anything so.....

[vito is hooked]

None takeing:cool: Like I said, it was a good deal for me. Peace.

[supersurfer12]

aight