Feeding Brain

[IAmDaryl]

About 4 weeks ago I got a beautiful metalic open brain. I really want to care for it properly so I need to know if I am to feed the brain should I feed all three mouths or would one suffice?

 

[melosu58]

I have never target fed my brain corals. They get all they need from the lighting and water column. Here are mine. The green brain is about 7 yrs old and the blue or purple in 4 yrs old.

 

[Jaybird]

you can target feed mysis shrimp, or krill. Mine eats whatever it catchs. I've seen it eat flake food.

When I fed yesterday it ate a piece of shrimp almost a half-an-inch long.

 

[Ziggy953]

I had a trachyphyllia similar to the one you have pictured above and I never actually fed it either. I kept it for about 2 years before losing my system to divorce. I suggest feeding your system normally (your fish) and allowing the coral to get what it gets from those feedings.

 

[abrahamavelar]

i target feed them with mysis and they seem fine

 

[Ziggy953]

i target feed them with mysis and they seem fine

They will do fine with or without target feeding.

 

[abrahamavelar]

+1 but this guy at the lfs told me that if u target feed them they will get bigger and grow faster and better colors even tho they can get their own food by the water column

 

[thincat]

As long as you do your water changes and skimming you can get away with feeding. If not it's the road to a crashed tank.

 

[abrahamavelar]

+1

 

[melosu58]

+1 but this guy at the lfs told me that if u target feed them they will get bigger and grow faster and better colors even tho they can get their own food by the water column

Your LFS did not tell you the truth. Here is some before and after pics and I do not target feed my corals. They get all they need from the lighting and water column. Your LFS was trying to make a sale. They will not look any better by feeding as long as you have good lighting and stuff in the water column for them.
Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

 

[melosu58]

Some more
Before

After

After

Before

After

 

[abrahamavelar]

wow those are some beautiful corals XDi wish mine look that good

 

[abrahamavelar]

also i got a question i know this is a pretty stupid question but i got one Aussie Acan and it came in a plug, my question is if i leave it there will it keep on growing or i have to remove the plug??????

 

[melosu58]

It will keep growing. Give it plenty of time. And as far as your`s looking like mine it will in time. My tank is over 11 yrs old so give it time.

 

[abrahamavelar]

oh ok thanks XD

 

[Jaybird]

Nice mushrooms. The only way I can get that kind of expansion from mine in my tank is to keep them under a shelf in the rock. Is that an old bubble, on the left side?

 

[melosu58]

Yes, That`s my 11 + yrs old bubble coral. I`m thinking that you must have MH`s for your mushrooms to hide under a shelf like that. They dont like high lighting.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

As long as you do your water changes and skimming you can get away with feeding. If not it's the road to a crashed tank.

I'm going to politely disagree with this... it really all depends on how you define "feeding." Even if you're lazy on water changes and don't have a skimmer, if you truly "target" feed and don't dump a bunch of extra food in the tank it doesn't mean you're on the road to a tank crash.

Do LPS *need* to be fed? Probably depends on the individual tank and your normal feeding habits. LPS in tanks that are extremely clean, overskimmed, and sparse on extra food probably will need to be supplemented with meaty foods. LPS in tanks that have enough extra food to go around may not need the extra supplementation. I don't think making a one-size-fits-all recommendation really works for feeding corals.

Like everything else in this hobby, you have to see what other folks are doing and why, and decide what is best for your own tank. Sometimes that involves some trial and error. If you feed your LPS, but end up having water quality issues, then back off for a while. On the flip side, if you don't feed them and see them failing to thrive, then maybe some extra food once or twice a week is in order.

 

[Jaybird]

Yes, That`s my 11 + yrs old bubble coral. I`m thinking that you must have MH`s for your mushrooms to hide under a shelf like that. They dont like high lighting.

No MH lighting. I've got a six bulb Tek Light over my 90G (6x54W T5s). The regular mushrooms don't like all that light, but the ricoridias


For the OP: I do target feed some of my corals sometimes, but generally speaking do not do so. Every once in a while a pod is stupid enough to go on them and they get some noms then too.

If you see them not doing well enough, give them some chow. If they seem to be healthy and growing, no need to target feed. Usually if you feed with flake or mysis shrimp some will eventually fall on them and they'll eat.

 

[melosu58]

I`m in no wise saying that you cant feed corals. I just wanted to say that if someone says you have to feed your corals to better growth and color that it`s not necessarily true.