Bubble Coral is acting strange: Need advice

[Lisa Cain]

I absolutely love bubble corals and I have two in my tank. During the earlier parts o f the day my large bubble coral the green opens wide, however it seems as if it is closing up more than what is used to do. It seems to close up more as the evening approaches. See picture where it is closing up. The smaller bubble coral stays open all day until the lights go out. I had the water tested today and the store said everything was fine including phosphate and Calcium. I have a 65 gallon Oceanview aquarium with T5 lights 3 white and 2 blue. At first I only had 2 white and 2 blue on. I recently turned on the other white bulb. As anyone seen this type of behavior in their bubble coral??? I feed it the small pink ship that you purchase in the pet store. I feed it once a week. Could it be the light?

 

[KrisReef]

You need a par meter to see how much light these are getting to help decide if your light intensity is the issue. It could be, and the reaction you describe suggests that it has had enough by the end of the day and it is shutting down the factory? I have not seen this in bubbles but I had one that would react (close up for awhile) if I bumped it or moved it about the tank. (It grew huge and I moved it a few times along the way.)

I think your will both get large; "live long and proper." tank looks fantastic, btw!

 

[Lisa Cain]

Thank you!

 

[Lisa Cain]

Thank you!

I wanted to let you know that the bubble coral is okay. I watched it today since I am at home and it seems as if it is fully inflated in the day time and as evening nears it may start to deflate. I will see this evening. I am posting a picture of what it looks like now. Or it could have simply had a rough day or two.