Is there anything wrong with my Sun coral?

[kwan]

I just bought a small piece of sun coral. I have placed it in a shady, calm area of my tank. I feed it with plankton by covering the coral with a plastic cover, so the plankton does not get blown away. During feeding the sun opens up nicely, but after feeding it would closes. And when the light is out, it would only stay open for a short time, perhaps one hour or so. Is there any problem with my sun? Does it need to be located in an area of high water flow?

 

[Phyl]

It should be fine. What I would watch for is a change in pattern. Opening less frequently, not as full, etc. As long as it is opening regularly it should be fine. It does, however enjoy much meatier foods than just plankton. They like mysis, chopped krill, etc along with some cyclop-eze, oyster eggs, etc. Two of mine are in high flow areas, the third one is in a lower flow area. They all open on the same schedule. Mine tend to be open for a while at night, and a good part of the morning, but I think that depends a lot on when you feed them. I feed mine usually around 10pm and sometimes throw a pinch of food into the column at 8am as well.

 

[Brenden]

I agree with Phyl: Feed it meatier foods. I feed mine mysis and cyclopeeze.

 

[melosu58]

I feed mine brine shrimp and oyster eggs