Flowerpot Coral

[nf37]

Has anyone here had success keeping a Green Flowerpot (Goniopora pandoraensis)? My friend just gave me a nice one and at the time I wasn't aware that they are a pretty difficult species to keep. I am willing to go the extra mile to keep it alive though.

I have been doing a little bit of research, but there isn't much up to date that I can find. All I can find is that it needs heavy feeding.

Anyone that has had experience with these mind giving out their "secrets" to success and what to expect?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Fishguy2727]

I have heard that golden pearls is a food that could be something that leads to success with them. A tank that can handle a healthy daily feeding of rod's food could also help a lot.

Success with stuff like this can be relative too. With many fish, corals, and inverts a year is success in the hobby so far.

 

[nf37]

Found some pretty good reading material! I'll report what I find for the next aquarist to munch on

 

[austinsdad]

Good luck on finding success secrets. I've not heard of many, if any that have had successes. Keep us posted on yours please.

 

[nf37]

All I am really reading is that they need a well established system with plenty of plankton to feed on. They benefit greatly from a variety of different foods and you need to pay attention to what it likes and what it don't like and how it reacts to each food. So far thats all I got =(

It can't be that easy, my articles have got to be leaving some stuff out.

 

[joy13]

All I am really reading is that they need a well established system with plenty of plankton to feed on. They benefit greatly from a variety of different foods and you need to pay attention to what it likes and what it don't like and how it reacts to each food. So far thats all I got =(

It can't be that easy, my articles have got to be leaving some stuff out.

I wonder how you tell if it likes a food or not?

 

[nf37]

I wonder how you tell if it likes a food or not?

From the article I am reading:

Even if you cannot positively identify the species of Goniopora in your care, you can figure out what it may eat. When trying foods, it is important to note the difference between a stress reaction and a feeding reaction. If you target-feed with a syringe and are too forceful with the flow, the coral will quickly retract its polyps in defense. A polyp retraction in response to stress is quick and fluid, and often spreads across the whole colony. However, polyp retraction for feeding is slower and jerky. Some polyps will bend toward the food, retracting one side of the polyp in rhythmic pulses. The polyp will then sit there with its mouth on the food and eventually fully retract. There is often active pronounced tentacle curling as they capture food particles. Goniopora burgosi has the most active tentacle curling of all the Goniopora at Fin and Feather.