Pearly Bubble

[jasutton]

OK i recently purchased this coral (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=477) for cheap from the LFS. This is because the coral seems to be doing poorly. My tank is predominantly LPS and i figured i would try to nurse him back to health. My question is this: any advice?? appreciate the help.

[Azurel]

Good water flow, try to feed it a couple time a week, make sure your water parameters are all with in ranges or better.

[CW from the OC]

Bump!

I'm in the same boat, I saved a pearl bubble in poor shape, for free, from an LFS.

I was wondering what is the best to target feed them with? So far I've tried turning off all the pumps and drizzling cyclopseze over it. I think it is eating some of it, but eats so little, I can't be sure. Also how often should I feed it in the initial recovery - more that 2x a week or will that be enough? I was toying with daily feedings until I see some significant signs of recovery.

Any other feeding suggestions?

[Sk8r]

They like chaotic flow, fairly strong flow, and get some regular people-shrimp from the store and give it thin bits: it can deal with about a quarter inch square. When it starts putting up feeding tentacles, it wants more.

Mine is almost as voracious as the neigboring plate. It's set in the sand and keeps trying to reach down to get anything that came up against it. I've wondered about setting it deeper so it can reach stuff. In the rocks it doesn't seem to get enough light.

[CW from the OC]

Thanks Sk8r, I think maybe the cyclopseze is too small. I'll try some small shrimp bits. I've yet to see it put out feeding tentacles, hope he is not gone too far.

[jasutton]

OK i agree with the food, but i disagree with the flow. One must be weary regarding the flow with bubble coral. they have a fairly sharp skeleton that can damage their flesh. Also, use small bits of food for your recovering bubble, as you want to make sure it is able to digest it...undigested food can wreak havoc on the coral. use mysis, and use TINY bits of it. That seemed to work best when i was nursing mine.

I noticed that on mine, one mouth was gone toofar and the bubble seemed to sacrifice that mouth. Everythime i tried feeding it, it shifted the food to the good mouth. It now seems to be growing the opposite way. Make sure you Calcium is adequate (450) watch the flow (not too much) feed 1-2X/week (initially) and give it decent light. it will do well, eventually.

[xcreonx]

No, they definitely do NOT like strong chaotic flow. Look at their morphology. The large exaggerated septa hold up the flesh in the little current the animal receives naturally. To blast it with even moderate current would easily tear the flesh along the sharp septa.

They also need only modest light to survive. fluorescents are perfect.

[Sk8r]

"Strong" is a word of difficult interpretation: do not let any lps get stretched against its skeleton. Shelter it from that sort of current.