Candy cane experiences

[bioteacher]

Hey folks,

I just bought a small frag of candy canes. It has 3 heads but 2 seem to be dividing. I am a relatively new reefer so I am not sure if what I am seeing is normal or I'd I'm doing something wrong. I have done basic care research and I have the frag in moderate high lighting with moderately low flow. The heads appear healthy and open during the day problem is that I have only seen feeding tentacles when the tank is pitch dark. I was able to get him some mysis that time. Besides that I never see feeding tentacles during daylight or under the blues. It is not practical for me to feed this guy in the middle of the night and it spooks my fish when I try it. Is there anything I can do to change this behavior?

 

[Daniel Fishy]

They filter phytoplankton from the water column. I use ocean water if you mix you could add some reef snow or marine snow which will add the phytoplankton. Be careful tho Iwould add some reef snow maybe once or twice a month. For spot feeding mine our open in the morning around 7 or I turn my lights on around 4 I've seen them extend then. Try cyclop-eeze that gets everyones tentacles out day or night.

 

[Phranque]

Yes, candies will elongate their polyps and then pinch in the center to split.... that's how they propagate.
All my LPS put their feeders out when it's dark.... perfectly normal. Once in a great while, my acan and candy will pop theirs out during the day at feeding time. About once a week, I'll thaw a little bit of mysis in the morning and spot feed them before I head out for work.... takes me an extra 10 minutes.

 

[Collatos]

Yeah that sounds like normal candy cane behavior they don't like high lighting and they like med flow. They looooove cyclopeezes and also they only extend their tentacles during the day whenever I feed. Otherwise mine tend to shrink at night sometimes but they have grown 4 new heads in around 8 months so i figure they are doing well. Also it's easier to target feed when the tentacles are out otherwise they might just shrink if prodded too much by the turkey Baster or however you're feeding