Sun coral

Lateralus · 01/03/2010, 12:14 AM

Im gettin a sun coral soon and would like to hear from different people on their experiences with them. I've read up on em quite a bit but would still like advise from the best reef site on the net

. thank yas in advance.

odiest · 01/03/2010, 04:47 PM

I cut off the bottom of a soda bottle and placed the top half over the coral when I was feeding to keep the other fish from stealing the food. I would put a little shrimp juice in there to get the polyps to expand and then add the food.

Dave

Tennyson · 01/03/2010, 05:14 PM

These are really easy and hardy to care for if you're good about keeping them well fed.
They should be fed atleast once a week but really if you want to see their polyps extending really nice than 2-4 times is better, although feeding everyday is best if you have the time.
If youre good about feeding them alot, they can be trained to open up during the day, otherwise they will usually only open up at night to get food, or whenever something that "smells" good is added to the water. But they're non-photosynthetic so they won't open really in the day much.
hope this helps! They're a really rewarding coral!

Lateralus · 01/03/2010, 07:42 PM

Nice! I assume once I get the sun that it should be fun figuring out its habbits.

LouZ · 01/04/2010, 10:06 AM

anyplace have the black variety ?

reindan · 01/07/2010, 12:26 AM

I've had my suns for almost two years and they're one of my favorite corals. I always feed them at the same time every evening and as a result they're on full display by 8 every night. The bright yellow really stands out when they are showing off. My wife calls them 'the fireworks'. I feed mine on average 3 times a week. They eat a bit slow so make sure you can cover them after feeding for a while. I have mine on their own small rock, and I actually take them out and place them in a plastic container when I feed them. They are time consuming but definitely worth the effort.

rowjimmy · 01/08/2010, 09:28 PM

When you get it used to your tank and get it to feed regularly Sun Corals are not that hard to keep. As long as you are dedicated to feeding them regularly they will reward you with not only their beauty, but will also give you many baby polyps as well. They are beautiful and worth the extra effort IMO. Here are some of mine:

Lateralus · 01/08/2010, 10:59 PM

Ok Ive had em for 5 days now. They were opend nicely at the LFS on the outer edge of some metal halide lighting. Picked out the nicest lookin piece they had for 40 bucks. It has about 35-40 polyps on it ranging from tiny to full size. I been feeding them every other day in a separate container hanging inside of the aquarium. What I've been doing is droping some Rods food in there to thaw out and after a few minutes they start openeing up then I use a small droper to swish the food all around till all of em grab a piece. Seems to be working quite effectively. First day only about 10 polyps opened up. Second feeding most of em half-a** opened up. Tonight they are waiting to eat in full glory!! Gotta go I can hear em saying feed me Seymour feed me!

amore169 · 01/09/2010, 10:42 AM

U have to feed them if not they will waste away, I didn't have any luck keeping them, my fishes will steal the food away to the point that they wouldn't open.

Lateralus · 01/09/2010, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowjimmy

As long as you are dedicated to feeding them regularly they will reward you with not only their beauty, but will also give you many baby polyps as well.

Do you notice new ones growing away from the original colony (is it called a colony?) or just build upon it?

SanJuan · 01/09/2010, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lateralus

Do you notice new ones growing away from the original colony (is it called a colony?) or just build upon it?

You will notice both.

Lateralus · 01/09/2010, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanJuan

You will notice both.

Good news!

<--thats me.

au01st · 01/09/2010, 07:33 PM

I hacked up a coke bottle and glued some 1/2" PVC to it. I normally feed my fish with a turkey baster, now I just point the baster down the tube. I give the coral 30min to eat then take the cover off. Keeps my shrimp at bay. Still working on getting it to open more in the day time.

Lateralus · 01/09/2010, 09:06 PM

Lol I see your cleaner shrimp waiting for the cover to come off.

rowjimmy · 01/09/2010, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lateralus

Do you notice new ones growing away from the original colony (is it called a colony?) or just build upon it?

Like SanJuan stated you can see both in healthy specimens.

In my original picture you can see a small solitary polyp growing above the largest colony as well as two smaller solitary ones growing below it. I have many "babies" growing in my tank.

When they "bud" you will notice new growth/polyps around the edges of the base of the coral... as well as new "buds" growing within the existing polyps. You can see new "bud" growth in the 1st picture I added. The small bright orange/yellow polyps near the center of the colony are new "buds" growing within the existing polyps.

They are also capable of producing planulae larvae that can settle throughout your tank (see other pics). They form single solitary polyps, and if conditions are right they can form into new colonies.

rowjimmy · 01/09/2010, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lateralus

Good news!

<--thats me.

It's not always "good news". Sometimes the settling planulae can be a PITA. Just found this guy under the mantle of my crocea clam.

Lateralus · 01/09/2010, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowjimmy

It's not always "good news". Sometimes the settling planulae can be a PITA. Just found this guy under the mantle of my crocea clam.

Hes got the right idea! found a little shady spot.

rowjimmy · 01/09/2010, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lateralus

Hes got the right idea! found a little shady spot.

I know...can't blame the poor guy for trying, but I gotta snuff 'em. It won't be the first, and it won't be the last time I've had to kill off a baby Sun Coral that has landed in the wrong spot in my tank.

01/03/2010, 12:14 AM	#1
Lateralus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: St. Charles mo. Posts: 756	Sun coral Im gettin a sun coral soon and would like to hear from different people on their experiences with them. I've read up on em quite a bit but would still like advise from the best reef site on the net . thank yas in advance.

01/08/2010, 10:59 PM	#8
Lateralus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: St. Charles mo. Posts: 756	Ok Ive had em for 5 days now. They were opend nicely at the LFS on the outer edge of some metal halide lighting. Picked out the nicest lookin piece they had for 40 bucks. It has about 35-40 polyps on it ranging from tiny to full size. I been feeding them every other day in a separate container hanging inside of the aquarium. What I've been doing is droping some Rods food in there to thaw out and after a few minutes they start openeing up then I use a small droper to swish the food all around till all of em grab a piece. Seems to be working quite effectively. First day only about 10 polyps opened up. Second feeding most of em half-a** opened up. Tonight they are waiting to eat in full glory!! Gotta go I can hear em saying feed me Seymour feed me! __________________ Mike Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef/ 40 gal sump. Born on 5/30/13.

01/09/2010, 10:42 AM	#9
amore169 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,250	U have to feed them if not they will waste away, I didn't have any luck keeping them, my fishes will steal the food away to the point that they wouldn't open. __________________ Arnie. Current Tank Info: 400 Gallon Starphire Rimless. 8 A360WE Kessils with controller. Sfiligoi Infinity DDE 6X250 light fixture. Bubble King Internal 300 Deluxe. 215 Gallon Oceanic Starphire Ultimate FOWRL. 34 Gallon Solana.

01/09/2010, 07:33 PM	#13
au01st Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Auburn, AL Posts: 158	I hacked up a coke bottle and glued some 1/2" PVC to it. I normally feed my fish with a turkey baster, now I just point the baster down the tube. I give the coral 30min to eat then take the cover off. Keeps my shrimp at bay. Still working on getting it to open more in the day time. __________________ Ask me where to get reasonably priced 1/4" clear netting for DIY screen tops! Current Tank Info: 90g Reef, 120 Rimless Starfire in the works

01/09/2010, 09:06 PM	#14
Lateralus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: St. Charles mo. Posts: 756	Lol I see your cleaner shrimp waiting for the cover to come off. __________________ Mike Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef/ 40 gal sump. Born on 5/30/13.

01/03/2010, 04:47 PM	#2
odiest Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 72	I cut off the bottom of a soda bottle and placed the top half over the coral when I was feeding to keep the other fish from stealing the food. I would put a little shrimp juice in there to get the polyps to expand and then add the food. Dave

01/03/2010, 05:14 PM	#3
Tennyson Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,353	These are really easy and hardy to care for if you're good about keeping them well fed. They should be fed atleast once a week but really if you want to see their polyps extending really nice than 2-4 times is better, although feeding everyday is best if you have the time. If youre good about feeding them alot, they can be trained to open up during the day, otherwise they will usually only open up at night to get food, or whenever something that "smells" good is added to the water. But they're non-photosynthetic so they won't open really in the day much. hope this helps! They're a really rewarding coral!

01/03/2010, 07:42 PM	#4
Lateralus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: St. Charles mo. Posts: 756	Nice! I assume once I get the sun that it should be fun figuring out its habbits.

01/04/2010, 10:06 AM	#5
LouZ Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NY Posts: 121	anyplace have the black variety ?

01/07/2010, 12:26 AM	#6
reindan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Chico, California Posts: 70	I've had my suns for almost two years and they're one of my favorite corals. I always feed them at the same time every evening and as a result they're on full display by 8 every night. The bright yellow really stands out when they are showing off. My wife calls them 'the fireworks'. I feed mine on average 3 times a week. They eat a bit slow so make sure you can cover them after feeding for a while. I have mine on their own small rock, and I actually take them out and place them in a plastic container when I feed them. They are time consuming but definitely worth the effort.