Non-Photosynthetic Softies

[windwaterwaves]

I have a newer 75 gallon reef tank that was a migration from a fish only tank (giant lionfish - 14", a clownfish, and a nasotang) 6 months ago. To get started I purchased a Orange Dendronepthya and a Pink Scleronepthya. They did well when my nitrates where high, and before I moved to t5 lighting. I have sheltered them from light in the tank and they seemed to do alright, but as I have been lowering the nitrate level they seem to be shrinking more and more. I am putting phytoplankton in the tank, 2 cap fulls twice a week but they aren't happy. I have added other corals and reduced my fish feeding from using freshwater cichlid pellets (Jumbomin) and now feed silversides to the lion, and just a couple of the Jumbomin every few days.

Any ideas how to help these guys out, other than to put them in another dirty tank...?

Thanks..

 

[returnofsid]

I'd do some research into their feeding needs. I think they're carnivorous, which means you'd need to be feeding Zooplankton instead of Phytoplankton.

 

[quibrzif]

If they still alive, you may try next:

- they should be in a high flow, but not close to the pump/powerhead, 1 ft in direct line from 600 gph is OK, could be higher flow, if reflected from the glass or rock. If powerheads, soft flow is preferable (IMHE), like Koralia or Seio powerheads.

- Wavemaker helped those, who had it.

- Continuous automatized feeding is preferable, or at least very frequent feeding.

- What to feed: check web on "Fauna Marin" recipe and name of coral. Substitutes can be used, but effect is different for different keepers. Something of the size Hikari First Bites, practically powdered food, zoo- and phytoplankton, if phyto - not only nannochloropsis. If you have time, live food could be used too, like SS-type rotifers.

- Filtration / skimmer should be able to handle this amount of food. Possible aiptasia infestation, be ready.

- For dendronephthya, IMHE, was important to get not damaged speciment, otherwise it could die within days. For scleronephthya, even melting blob could be revived, if placed sidewise from a strong pump, away from direct flow. Kent MicroVert may help with starting getting feeding response, but variety of foods will be necessary.

- high light was OK for them, including MH.

Sorry for repeating what you already know, but I couldn't know that and am listing all possible.

You may check:
- GARF for predatory corals,
- Dendronephthya study group, particularly p9 - summary by mcox33. Somewhere in this thread is her recipe for crushed flake food.
- Jens Kallmeyer's tank setup and feedings that works, illustrated, simple solution for prolonged periods of feeding, amount of feeding.
- Danny Dames forum with advice on scleronephthya, his recipe, his tank then.
- C. Stottlemire's article.

This will give a good start and essentials.
Good luck!

 

[Curtswearing]

awesome post!!!

Mike, very few corals ingest phytoplankton. However, many of the non-photosynthetics do.

 

[morgan]

i have seen dendros kept and grown in an aquarium that had a aquamedic dosing pump on a 2L bottle with half nutra-kol complete reef feed microvert and ammino acids this was dosed every 3 hours straight in to a tunze best result i have ever seen with keeping these coral

 

[quibrzif]

morgan:
Can you describe his setup, amount of food, filtration, capable to handle this, and what he is doing to prevent aiptasia from taking over the tank, please? Or ask him to post this info with tank photos?
Every bit of information counts