Direct Feeding: What coral, invert or fish do you feed directly and why?

[revhtree]

Some of our aquarium livestock benefit greatly from direct feedings. While some livestock can only survive by a consistent and direct feeding regiment, there are some fish, coral and inverts we just feed for enjoyment! Today let's talk about which ones, if any, that you direct feed and why.

1. Do you have coral, inverts or fish that you take special care in direct feeding? If so which ones.

2. If you direct feed do you do it out of enjoyment or out of necessity?

image via @d2mini

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

I feed my mini bali carpet anemone once in a while, because it's fun to watch and because the flow always brings food to every anemone except the poor little guy

 

[TheBiochemist]

I direct feed all corals with AB+ mixed with NLS Nutricell (3x per week). Sometimes, I also add Nyos Goldpods. However, its a fact that only my LPS exhibit some response to the feeding, while I have never observed any feeding response from my SPS corals. Anyway, I dont care too much about it as I do it simply because I like it. Since everything is growing and looking great I dont plan to change it, but I feel that a broadcast feeding will most likely bring the same results. I have never direct-fed fish.

 

[jda]

None. I most have acropora and clams and I have seen no actual benefit from feeding them. Other corals probably have different results.

I will say that I have seen many different kinds of coral foods and supplements come and go over three decades, and the ones that are fashionable today are tomorrow's punchline. When kryponite and vibranium supplements hit the shelves in a year or two, aminos, reef roids, etc. will all be a joke. Anybody remember when you could not reef without Marine Snow, DTs, Essential Elements, or Cylopeeze? These are still used by a few, but they used to be as common as anything used and sold today.

I would totally feed out of necessity if I felt like it helped. Doubt that I would enjoy it.

Edit: I do have a bunch of Colorado Sunbursts that I feed, but I guess technically those are not coral. I don't really feed them directly, but they do catch food.

 

[MillennialReefer]

I prefer broadcast feedings, I like to see the fish chase the food to promote a 'hunting' behavior. As for corals I dose Phyto and various coral foods every other day so the chances are pretty high that all the corals are receiving food.

 

[X-37B]

I do not feed the corals in my 95% sps 120.
I do feed my 1 scoly in my frag system once a week.

 

[BanjoBandito]

I target feed almost all my LPS corals. Fungia, Duncan, Acans and the torch n' hammers. I also target feed my rock nems and my maxi mini.

 

[J1a]

I broadcast feed my corals with freeze dried planktons, as well as bacterial mulm. Daily.

That's why I chose "other".

With broadcast feeding, I see good response throughout the aquarium. I also hypothesize corals will grow in a way to maximize natural food capture if they are feed regularly and indirectly.

 

[X-37B]

None. I most have acropora and clams and I have seen no actual benefit from feeding them. Other corals probably have different results.

I will say that I have seen many different kinds of coral foods and supplements come and go over three decades, and the ones that are fashionable today are tomorrow's punchline. When kryponite and vibranium supplements hit the shelves in a year or two, aminos, reef roids, etc. will all be a joke. Anybody remember when you could not reef without Marine Snow, DTs, Essential Elements, or Cylopeeze? These are still used by a few, but they used to be as common as anything used and sold today.

I would totally feed out of necessity if I felt like it helped. Doubt that I would enjoy it.

Edit: I do have a bunch of Colorado Sunbursts that I feed, but I guess technically those are not coral. I don't really feed them directly, but they do catch food.

Reef roids is a po4 enhancer, lol.
I tried it a couple times at 1/2 the recommended dose and the po4 spike was incredible.
Its now in a land fill, lol.

 

[Goaway]

1. Do you have coral, inverts or fish that you take special care in direct feeding? If so which ones.
Lots of lps. Lobo, acan, micromussa, goniopora, blastomussa. If they don't get a direct feeding, they start to wither away.

2. If you direct feed do you do it out of enjoyment or out of necessity?

I used to enjoy feeding coral, now I have to fight the fish and cover some of the coral so their food isn't stolen.

These guys need their food.

 

[Tundra Cuttle]

I feed my goniopora, duncans, and acans directly the most. They were not doing so great without it. It is necessary in my tank to feed them otherwise is see they don't do so well.

I have nursed quite a few corals back to health with direct feedings so I don't do it out of enjoyment but I see so much improvement it's necessary in my situation. Though my tank is much different than most so this may not work for others.

 

[Tundra Cuttle]

Reef roids is a po4 enhancer, lol.
I tried it a couple times at 1/2 the recommended dose and the po4 spike was incredible.
Its now in a land fill, lol.

It's fascinating to me how most people have such a phosphate spike with reef roids. In my 20gal tank I use macroalgae to manage my nitrate and phosphate exclusively, I feed heavy 3 times a week and still need to dose nitrate and phosphate to keep my numbers from going to absolute zero. I don't know.why my tank is so different.

 

[J1a]

I feed my goniopora, duncans, and acans directly the most. They were not doing so great without it. It is necessary in my tank to feed them otherwise is see they don't do so well.

I have nursed quite a few corals back to health with direct feedings so I don't do it out of enjoyment but I see so much improvement it's necessary in my situation. Though my tank is much different than most so this may not work for others.

For me, I find broadcast feeding not only sufficient, but also more conducive for many corals.

Black sun coral budded new heads with broadcast feeding.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I have become a big believer in direct feeding LPS corals, at least the ones with big obvious mouths like blastos, duncans, and candy canes. I believe that part of the reason that I lost my blasto wellsi was that it basically starved, and I think I almost lost my big duncan for the same reason. I think some corals are better at plucking what they need out of the water column than others, and those others need a little help.

Part two of that of course is that it's darn fun! I love the dramatic feeding response I get from these LPS corals. My teal candy cane in particular puffs up like a balloon (It's one of my happiest corals these days and it used to be one of my saddest).

I often target feed many of my inverts because I have very little algae for them. Target feeding helps keep the peppermint shrimps out of trouble and I have a hermit crab that doesn't have any front claws so needs a little help staying healthy. I've been target feeding my tuxedo urchin a variety of foods lately to keep him strong. Again, not much on the rocks these days.

Finally, I exclusively target feed in my 10g nano. None of the inhabitants move around much so if I just threw food in it would probably all go down the filter. So, the Pom Pom Crab, the Porcelain Crab, the Yasha Goby, the pistol shrimp, and the duncan all get target fed. I still have PO4 off the charts, but nobody seems to complain.

 

[saltyhog]

I don't direct feed my corals but I do add live phyto daily that I culture myself.

 

[shakacuz]

i target feed out of enjoyment. my broadcast feedings are more than enough to feed my fish, corals, and inverts.

 

[Chris Spaulding]

I feed my fish and my fish carpet bomb the corals. I do however broadcast feed live Phyto at night, seams to help keep from having to scrape the glass as often and helps with keeping Po4 low.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

For me, I find broadcast feeding not only sufficient, but also more conducive for many corals.

Black sun coral budded new heads with broadcast feeding.

That thing looks awesome

 

[sp1187]

target for my viewing enjoyment and to keep them healthy and growing.

 

[J1a]

That thing looks awesome

Thanks! They open for about 12 hours a day.

Unlike my chili sponge, which alternate between opening and closing every half an hour. (My zeolite reactor flushes every hour)