Should I feed my coral and anemone?

[DeLegge90]

Hello, I'm fairly new to the hobby and I just got my first batch of coral (GSP, Pulsing Xenia, Duncan, Zoas, Hammer) and also my first bubble tip anemone. I bought some reef roids for my coral and a can of shrimp from my LFS to feed my BTA. When I told my buddy about me buying the reef roids and feeding my anemone his first piece of shrimp, he said:

"Be careful feeding bro if you cause a cycle your gunna kill everything. I wouldn't recommend feeding. the tiniest little mistake and your tank is gone."

Should I leave my coral/BTA alone and just give them light? I want them to flourish but I certainly dont want to mess up my tank, overfeeding them or something. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[homer1475]

Most things will only require light for food(photosynthesis), they will benefit from feeding, but it's certainly not needed.

And yes he's right, be careful feeding, you can quickly foul your water.

 

[Subsea]

I totally disagree with one little mistake and you gunno kill everything. After 50 years as a reef keeper, I run high nutrient systems & I feed heavy.

Every one of the corals you mentioned like high nutrients & will feed heavily. The Duncan is considered an NPS: non photosynthetic.

When reef tanks are mature, the more you feed the more the inhabitants grow.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/wet-salty-for-christmas-2017.428100/

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/2...m-on-top-with-30g-ecosystem-mud-macro.421526/

 

[DeLegge90]

My plan originally was to wait until I hit the 6 month mark to start target feeding my coral once a week. As far as the anemone, I've done little research and found no issue with feeding, just not needed everyday usually (so I was thinking I'd feed the BTA twice/three times a week?) Does that sound like a safe plan to start?

 

[homer1475]

Sounds like a fine plan. You can even do just once a week for the BTA.

Like I said, they get most of their nutritional needs from light. Thats why lights are so important in a reef tank.

 

[DeLegge90]

Sounds like a fine plan. You can even do just once a week for the BTA.

Like I said, they get most of their nutritional needs from light. Thats why lights are so important in a reef tank.

Okay. I did see that a lot of people say once a week. I think I'll go with that. The BTA was just introduced on Tuesday night, and it slipped into a crevice between two live rocks immediately after adding him to the tank. It has been there ever since. I can see him through a little hole and I see him opening up at least, and if he leans out from the rock the bubble tips still get a little bit of light, just not very much. It's about 80%in the dark. I fed him one piece of shrimp which it ate quickly (though one of my peppermint shrimp tried to fight him for it at first until I scared it off. Was worried the shrimp would tear him apart to get at it). Should i try and pull him back out with ice cubes or something or should I just wait and let him be?

 

[homer1475]

Leave it be. It's stressed from being introduced to a new environment. It will move to where it's happy eventually. It's just stressed right now, so give it some time to adjust. Don't try feeding it for a few days, let it settle in. You can actually stress it more by trying to force it to eat.

 

[SeaJay]

Okay. I did see that a lot of people say once a week. I think I'll go with that. The BTA was just introduced on Tuesday night, and it slipped into a crevice between two live rocks immediately after adding him to the tank. It has been there ever since. I can see him through a little hole and I see him opening up at least, and if he leans out from the rock the bubble tips still get a little bit of light, just not very much. It's about 80%in the dark. I fed him one piece of shrimp which it ate quickly (though one of my peppermint shrimp tried to fight him for it at first until I scared it off. Was worried the shrimp would tear him apart to get at it). Should i try and pull him back out with ice cubes or something or should I just wait and let him be?

Just let him be. Mine took about 3 weeks to come out and find a spot. From everything I read, I gather that’s normal.

 

[SplitBumper-70]

My duncans love to be feed. Frozen shrimp, silver sides or anything else meaty

 

[Subsea]

https://www.redseafish.com/coral-nutrition-program/

“The amount of coral nutrients required will be dependent on the type of corals stocked. The nutritional requirements of SPS corals in particular are also dependent on the levels of algae nutrients (nitrate & phosphate) in the water. In reduced algae nutrient systems e.g. when using Red Sea’s NO3: PO4-X, the amount of energy the corals receive from the Zooxanthellae is significantly reduced and therefore higher levels of coral nutrients must be provided to meet the corals energy demands”

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/week-39-feeding-corals/
For those that feel coral need little nutrition, I suggest watching BRS TV Video.

Or see what a scientist says about coral nutrition.
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2014/11/aafeature

 

[jd371]

Never spot fed any of my corals or nems, they get everything they need from the lighting and broadcast feeding.

 

[Subsea]

Never spot fed any of my corals or nems, they get everything they need from the lighting and broadcast feeding.

Most of my broadcast feeding is in the form of live food webs in the tank. Most of my LPS capture flake food. They gorge on chopped up live mussels feed to tank daily.

 

[DeLegge90]

Leave it be. It's stressed from being introduced to a new environment. It will move to where it's happy eventually. It's just stressed right now, so give it some time to adjust. Don't try feeding it for a few days, let it settle in. You can actually stress it more by trying to force it to eat.

He came out finally. Looks pretty happy, too!

 

[SeaJay]

He came out finally. Looks pretty happy, too!

Awesome. That’s a nice looking nem.

I’m about 5 weeks or so in and mine is finally starting to look happier. Shipping, two weeks in quarantine with crappy light and then two weeks hiding under a rock got him kinda shriveled up and bleached. Just this week he’s starting to open up more, get his color back and he even snagged a shrimp today. I’m really happy for my first nem.

Also had to turn white light down and crank up the blue.

My lights are insufficient. I was about to pull the trigger on an aquatic life hybrid, but they said their new controllable model will be out within a month, so I’m waiting for that.

 

[Mical]

After I add a nem or coral I let them get accustomed to their surroundings. After that I feed them lightly and see how they respond. Every tank is different IE: temps, ph , etc... Go slowly in small increments and note changes in your livestock and parameters.