Cynarina...No Place To Rest - 04/27/05
I have recently purchased a large red Cynarina that has a deep cone shaped bottom (4 inches from the wide part of the base to the tip). I have a shallow sand bed (~2 inches deep), and I am not able to bury the base in the sand so that the coral is flush with the sand. It is lying on it's side propped up with a piece of rubble. Will it be OK like this? I don't know how it will be able to expand and "Spread out" over the sand bed like my smaller one does. Thanks! Sherry
< Hi Sherry! Why don't you try building a corral on the sand bed with some small rock bits and add some sand to create a special "bed" for your new friend? Eric R. >

Cynarina In Shallow Sand Bed II - 04/28/05
I will try the small rocks to keep the sand in place. I have 2 Seio 1100's along with my return pump (1050 GPH) and a MJ 1200 for water movement in the tank, which is a 125 gallon. Although the flow is pretty gentle where the Cynarina is placed, the sand I tried to mound around the base keeps getting moved away.
< This is to be expected, hence the need for some type of barrier to corral the sand. >
I can use the front and side glass as a barrier, and put some rocks on the other side and back of the coral to see if that works.
< you're not limited to using rocks, though this will give a more natural appearance. Another thought is to sink a suitably sized container (plastic/glass) in the existing sand bed, fill the container with sand, and then disguise the container with the rockwork. >
Thanks :)
< Welcome, Eric R. >

Scolymia
 I have a Scolymia in my 29 gallon reef aquarium. I have had him for about five months, and he doesn't seem to be acting like he used to. I feed him frozen krill. His mouth opens up when he is hungry, but lately, he is constantly keeping it open. After I place a creel in his mouth, he does not want to eat it anymore. He looks a lot skinnier in the mouth area than he usually did. He used to be big and plump in the middle.
Some additional products I add to the tank is Chromaplex, Zooplex, Iodine, Reef Buster, and PhytoPlex. I also have exceptional lighting (Coralife light). What can be making the Scolymia act the way he has been lately? Also, are there any other helpful hints I may need to know about the Scolymia eating habits.
<How large are the krill you're feeding? If you're feeding whole krill, then the animal is probably declining from starvation. Feeding such large portions is unnatural, and is not usually digestible by any Cnidarian. They engulf it, for sure, but expel it later, and acquire virtually nothing from the food item. Feed small minced portions no larger than 1\4" across, and VARY the diet! Try Mysis, prepared foods, scallops, fish, Cyclop-Eeze, etc. Also, soak the food in a HUFA\OMEGA3 supplement such as Selcon>
Thank you,
<You're welcome, and good luck!>
Holly
<M. Maddox> 

Coral Frag Question 4/1/05
I have a question about a coral frag. I am new to coral fragging and farming. I have a question about a specific coral frag I just received. I just got a very rare color form of an Acanthastrea echinata coral.
<Rare is a relative term... it usually means "sucker" BTW (nefarious marketing by unscrupulous vendors.>
The frag is only about 1/2" wide. It is on a rock that is about 3/4" wide and about 3/4" tall. I need to get the coral to grow on other pieces of rock, but I'm not sure what the best approach is.
<Feed it heavily. I target feed my Acans and they double every 2-3 weeks! It is one of the fastest and hardiest corals available. The sales of such fast growing corals at high prices is just embarrassing>
If I set this rock containing the frag on another rock, the frag won't actually touch the bigger rock as it would sit about 3/4" taller than the bigger rock. What would be the best way to position this frag rock to get the Acanthastrea to spread since it is not on a flat piece of rock? Thanks.
<I literally grow mine as free living polyps on oolitic sand. I target feed them daily, and they double almost twice monthly. For more info on the price gouging sellers of these corals... do read my "Reef Trendy" article in February reefkeeping.com e-zine. Kindly, Anthony> 

Lobophyllia tissue recession 3/31/05
Hello, I have a Lobophyllia spp. For 2 months and never has been very healthy, firstly started with a small body reduction in the upper part (it was inclined in the aquarium) so I moved it down. But 2 weeks ago it started to have a severe body depletion, I have read different articles about corals, bleaching etc and I would like to know if I should move it down a bit more or any other tip. Thanks very much. 
<"Tissue recession" is the most common term for this. Bleaching refers to the loss of Zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae) and color from otherwise normal healthy tissue. Lobophyllia is quite adaptable to different lighting conditions, but in my experience it is quite sensitive to water quality and the defensive chemicals produced by other corals. I would suggest thoroughly testing your water and making sure the following parameters are in the proper range: pH 8.0-8.4, Alkalinity 2.75-4.0 mEq (9-12 dKH), Salinity 1.025, Calcium 350-450, temp 79-82. If you have soft corals (especially leathers or mushrooms), it would be a good idea to run small amounts of carbon and change it weekly and perform 20% monthly water changes. Best Regards! AdamC.>

Symphyllia recta Brain Coral
Hi
I'm getting conflicting information on what the best conditions are for Symphyllia recta. I have bought a piece and placed it quite high up in the tank on a flat piece of live rock. I have put it high up as I was told it needs strong light and I have T5's rather than halides (too expensive on the electricity). So the brain coral is about 4-5 inches from the water surface. I know some corals need to placed on sand - is this the case with this coral - it looks a little awkward.
<These corals are usually found on the mid levels on reefs.> 
Otherwise what about water flow - moderate is what I thought.
<You need 10x tank volume total flow.> 
I feed all my coral by putting a phytoplankton/coral food type stuff straight into the water - a little twice a day. Will this coral need direct feeding and if so what should I feed it and when?
<Feeding twice a day is a little much, adds excess nutrients to the system. These corals do produce most of their food, but weekly supplemental feedings will aid in maintaining the coral.> 
Sorry to ask so many basic questions, I can't find out much on this coral and the two so called experts and the aquarium shops gave me contradictory info. I can't find much on your website.
<I did a Google search and came up with all sorts of hits.> 
Also I need some advice on a bubble anemone. My LFS has a bubble anemone which was found under a rock - where it had been trapped for a while and has seemingly lost it's colour. It still seems quite healthy and I have seen it eat ( a bit of squid or something). The LFS is willing to sell it very cheaply as it is now a white bubble anemone rather than green! If I buy it and put it in my aquarium is there any chance it will recover given good lighting and feeding? 
<You don't want to get into that> 
I have a maroon clown so it may be a good home for him. By the way how do you get a clown to take to an anemone - It hasn't taken to anything yet.
<Maroon clowns prefer the Ritteri, bubble and long tentacle, in that order of preference. No guarantee any clown is going to take to an anemone though.> 
The lighting in the LFS is just ordinary fluorescents - so the anemone is pretty doomed if it stays there anyway. Is it wise to keep an anemone with corals? 
<Better not to> 
( I have mostly soft corals, African tree, mushrooms, xenia etc.) Finally just a quick question: I am planning (dreaming) of building a much bigger aquarium - fish only. What is the most important dimension to keep bigger fish, is it length of the tank - or height or depth, from front to back. Or is it more a matter of having as many gallons as possible. I'm
thinking in terms of a 6ft long by 3ft high by 20inch (front to back) wide tank for housing tangs, trigger fish etc - would putting a really big sump on this be crucial - or is swimming space most important. 
<The area of the tank is more important than height. I'd just size the sump for the tank in mind.>
Just realized I wrote a hugely long e-mail - thanks for any help you can give me.
<James (Salty Dog)> 

Saving Lobophyllia (not Silverman) 10/3/04
I hope all is well with you today.  
<and with hope for you in kind>
I do need some help in saving my Lobophyllia.  My flame angel was nipping at it continuously and causing it to recede to not much more than a skeleton.  Since I have a 180g tank with much
live rock, catching the flame angel was nearly impossible until I recently moved and had to drain the tank.  Since that time the Lobophyllia has expanded from about 2.5” in diameter to over 7”!
Just when I thought all was perfect (for over a month), now my purple tang has apparently grown to love the taste of the Lobophyllia.  
<heehee...>
The coral has once again deflated to a little more than a skeleton.  I really like the purple tang and prefer to leave it in the tank (not to mention I do not plan to drain 180 gallons of water again!).  Is there anything that can be done
to stop the tang from nipping at the Lobophyllia and to keep the both healthy in the same tank? --Greg
<nothing at all... really, short of separation. Its a compatibility problem that cannot be conquered by extra feedings, etc. Do consider placing the coral in a small inline refugium instead - perhaps the best of both worlds. Anthony>

Coral Excretion? 6/15/04
Hi again, cant find satisfactory answer in archives after two hours and various detours from subject.
<a nifty way to learn>
My brain coral is exuding a brown hair like substance from little openings in the valleys between its ridges which are rather like very small volcanoes in appearance. Please reassure me, is this it excreting waste matter from its various mouths as I suspect it is?
<quite likely yes... have you been feeding it or the tank well? If so, indeed this may be the scoop on poop>
Or something much more sinister?
<the only other thing commonly possible would be the expulsion of zooxanthellae packets if the animal was light shocked. But that would be rather obvious - pale and stressed coral under bright lights or suddenly increased water clarity (as with sudden use of carbon in yellow water after many months without>
I have recently (this week) learnt to target feed it Mysis shrimp after a period of unknowing starvation (three weeks or so) during which it still opened nightly and occasionally over the day.
<ah, yes... good to hear you are feeding. This is a hungry coral>
Seems other wise happy but I realize this can be deceptive. Fed it twice a day for three or so days to boost it up after having starved it (unknowingly) now down to once a day. Is this too often to feed it?
<very nice if you want fast growth... but a few times weekly would be enough>
How often should I feed it? I turn off pumps first thing in the morning before lights on while it is still all open and target feed with plastic syringe (no needle) then feed fish so they leave it alone and it seems to get heaps, all ridges swell, soft and trap Mysis. How long should I leave it to eat before I turn pumps back on which invariably blows the shrimp away for fish to pick up in current? Five minutes/fifteen minutes/half an hour?
<tough to say... and do invest in an electronic relay switch that automatically turns power/pumps back on. Human error is inevitable in time and if you forget to turn the pumps on for an afternoon, overnight, etc., it could be disastrous. 10-15 minutes sounds fine to me for feeding opportunities>
Thanks heaps.
<we have piles of it. Best regards, Anthony>

Maze Brain Coral
Hi I have what I think is a maze brain coral I've had for a few weeks that seems happy in my one month old tank opens at night closes during day apart from opening some parts every now and then in daylight. It originally had some small crustacean things living in holes in it  which didn't bother it at all but they died recently either due to low pH (7.5) or high spec grav (1.029) which I have now fixed, or lack of whatever they eat in the ocean and one of the vacant areas now has what looks like a spider web over it with a funnel area the creatures were removed as they died. What could this be, will it harm my coral and should I do anything about it? << I tend to leave things in for two reasons.  One is laziness, as I just let my tank grow as it may.  The second is because I like to see natural tanks be.... well... natural.  I like letting them take their course and balance themselves out. >>I use natural sea water from the area my inhabitants come from. << That is convenient. >> And what, how often should I feed my coral? << Good question.  Those corals can be directly fed, and I would recommend doing so once every couple of weeks. >>I know nothing and live in the country where there is very little information or product available to me. << I wouldn't worry yet, but just keep watching it.  If the coral tissue starts to recede, then I would suggest fragging what remains.  If it stays the same or starts to grow, then I wouldn't stress it with fragging for a while.>>
<<  Adam Blundell  >>

Coral feeding 6/11/04
I feel so stupid I post you guys like two questions a day at the moment but I want to understand what I'm doing and get it right I am beginning to understand it is not quite an exact science though.
<no worries>
Any way my maze brain coral (if that's what it is) still haven't fed it but I now understand I can feed it actual food as in Mysis or krill mashed I thought it had to have liquid zoo or phyto plankton.
<yes on the former... easy on the latter. For this and all corals, just look at their polyps (size and behavior) - "Form Follows Function". Large polyps that come out at night eat zooplankton (amphipods, copepods, etc. and like substitute: Mysis, rotifers, etc.). Tiny polyps that are out all day long or randomly, tend to eat nanoplankton (perhaps bacteria, floc, phyto, etc.)>
Geo Liquid is what I have had recommended know anything about what this is?
<no idea>
Is it what I need?
<if its a phyto substitute... no. Not needed for this coral>
Thanks so much for answering all my stupid little (and some rather vague) questions, cheers.
<all good... best of luck. Anthony>

Feeding time
Thank you for the help with the lighting situation.  I had another
question about feeding my candy cane coral.  I have tried to feed it
(using turkey baster, turning off all water movement) mega marine algae, Mysis shrimp and brine shrimp but the tentacles only ever come out at like 4:00 in the morning...I can't keep doing this.  Is there a way to get them to open up during the day, a certain food I should be feeding them??
<Corals can be "trained" to extend their tentacles by feeding at the same time each day and by "teasing" the polyps with a squirt of juice from the food.  It takes some patience and time, but it will work.  In the meantime, while I admire your dedication, you probably don't need to get up at 4:00 each morning.  This coral will do fine for quiet a while without target feeding. Any chopped (BB size) meaty food is fine.>
Also, my green bristle star has started making a tent...waiting
for an unsuspecting fish.  I have been feeding him shrimp whole) but he has recently stop taking it...is there something better to try and feed him???  Thank you very much for all the help so far,
Todd Hawman
<Todd, as you seem to be aware, some brittle stars are quite predatory when they get large.  I would try smaller pieces of shrimp or other meaty foods.  Do consider whether you wish to risk any fish or inverts by keeping this animal.  Best Regards.  Adam>

Proper lighting for Scolymia 3/1/04
Sorry I didn't have more specific info--I should have known better.
However, I am told I have a Scolymia Cynarina.  Does this compute?  
<Sort of. It sounds like you/they are referring to one of two possible genera: Scolymia or Cynarina. Both need low light if red in color... high UV (although not necessarily bright light) if green. Feed 3-5 times weekly>
Could use your input, if this is the correct species.  Thanks again........Barry
<best of luck! Anthony>