Educate me on trachyphyllia

[jasonrusso]

About a month ago I got my first trachyphyllia. After a week, it stopped inflating and started bleaching. I started a thread here and it was suggested that it was getting too much light. I bought a piece of plating coral and made it an overhang so I would not get any direct light. It continued to bleach until it was bright white. It never really recovered and when the flesh started falling off I pulled it out. I never did see feeding tentacles so I figured that maybe it got too stressed from shipping and never recovered.

Last week, my local coral guy had a little red and green trachy. I bought it from him. While it was in the bag I could see the feeder tentacles (I think) probably because I had it in a box.

I got it home, put it under the same overhang so I didn't blast it with light. It is on the sand. It immediately inflated which I took as a good sign.

I fed it a couple of times (Reef roids) but I never really saw feeder tentacles. Maybe they are very small, I don't have it right in front.

When I fed it last night, the center swelled up a bit, I don't know if that is normal?

This morning, it was deflated, is that normal?
Am I overfeeding? Do they deflate after feeding? Should I wait until I see tentacles before feeding?

The color looks good, very deep red. The side that gets a bit more light is a bit lighter.

Everything else in the tank (sps, LPS, BTA) is doing very well. I thought these were easy?

The tank is a Red Sea c-130 with a Steve's Led. White is 25%, blue is 45-50%.

PH varies between 7.9 and 8.2
Alk 8.2-8.6
Salinity 35-36
Ammonia 0
Nitrates about 5
Phosphate 0.04-0.06
Calcium 420-430
Mag 1350

 

[Labridaedicted]

I feed mine about once a week with PE mysis or pellets (although they can be fed more frequently, i generally dont. It may be worth a 2x per week feeding since yours is a little bkeached. A Selcon soak for the food would likely be beneficial too). Big mouths mean they can eat bigger food. Lighting-wise, they prefer lower light, but can be acclimated to higher light. I usually put new ones in the frag tank so I can easily move them higher to acclimate. Also, a little bleaching isn't too bad with trachs. They generally recover well as long as they're kept healthy and fed periodically.

I also find that they do a little better when small if put on top of pvc to slightly elevate off the sand. Keeps stuff from bothering the undersides of the tissue as opposed to when it's on the sand bed directly.

Overall, they're a pretty hardy coral. Sounds like the lighting is your issue. As far as feeders, look well after lights out. I feed mine at like 5 am on the way out to work about 5 hours before the lights come on. They look pretty ravenous then as they have a nice ring of feeders out. I rarely see them extend them during the day.

 

[jasonrusso]

Overall, they're a pretty hardy coral. Sounds like the lighting is your issue. As far as feeders, look well after lights out. I feed mine at like 5 am on the way out to work about 5 hours before the lights come on. They look pretty ravenous then as they have a nice ring of feeders out. I rarely see them extend them during the day.

Are they usually inflated when you feed? Is inflation and deflation normal?

 

[jasonrusso]

A Selcon soak for the food would likely be beneficial too)

I use vitachem, I imagine that would be ok?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

They never lasted long term (years) in my tank. Not sure why.

 

[Labridaedicted]

Are they usually inflated when you feed? Is inflation and deflation normal?

They will exhibit varying degrees of tissue extension depending on activity. Mine tend to be less inflated when the feeders are out and more so during the day for more surface area to gather light. If it stays retracted to the point of seeing the skeleton inside long-term, that's usually a sign of stress.

I do find trachs to be particularly prone to peppermint shrimp (and lookalikes) picking. (This is just as a side note)

I think your soak should be fine. Anything with amino or lipid supplementation tends to help. Just be sure not to overfeed. 4 or 5 pellets or mysids per feeding are plenty for a 2x per week schedule.

Also, trachs looooove dirty water. They like nitrates and detritus blowing around as they are a lagoonal species.

 

[jasonrusso]

If it stays retracted to the point of seeing the skeleton inside long-term, that's usually a sign of stress

That's what I noticed this morning. I could see the skeletal ripples. I'm just paranoid because I lost the first one.

Do they slime at all, like a euphyllia when there is food in the water? I thought I noticed a film last night.

Also, is the center swelling a bit a feeding response?

 

[Labridaedicted]

Do you have any pictures? How big is it? I have always found the really small ones to stay retracted more frequently.

The mouth being "puckered" (that's what I'm going to call it, haha) is typical when feeding, but also appears this way at other times like when expelling waste.

As far as slime, I haven't found them to be particularly prone to releasing snot like some corals. When they do, it's a stress response to an irritant usually, like something picking at it or an infection. Have you ever dipped it?

 

[jasonrusso]

Do you have any pictures? How big is it? I have always found the really small ones to stay retracted more frequently.

The mouth being "puckered" (that's what I'm going to call it, haha) is typical when feeding, but also appears this way at other times like when expelling waste.

As far as slime, I haven't found them to be particularly prone to releasing snot like some corals. When they do, it's a stress response to an irritant usually, like something picking at it or an infection. Have you ever dipped it?

It is small. Maybe 3/5" inflated. I did not dip it. I wasn't sure if you could dip them. I have a pistol shrimp, but him and the goby do their own thing.

The guy I buy my corals from has earned my trust. I had my eye on this one for some time and it appeared healthy every time I went in. My tank is the variable.

I have only had this for a week. Perhaps it is still acclimating.

@Randy Holmes-Farley is a local guy, I am sure he knows who I am referring to.

 

[jasonrusso]

Do you have any pictures?

I'll try to get one later when I get home.

I also find that they do a little better when small if put on top of pvc to slightly elevate off the sand. Keeps stuff from bothering the undersides of the tissue as opposed to when it's on the sand bed directly.

I did this with my acan. I thought the trachys actually needed contact with the sand?

 

[jasonrusso]

I tried to get a good picture of it but the location I have it (under the shelf) makes it tough. You can see it in person but the glass distorts the picture.

I got some love Phytoplankton from algae barn and I target fed a little bit. I almost immediately got a reaction. The white bump in the first picture popped right up. I think I may be worrying too much.

 

[SteadyC]

They don’t eat Phytoplankton, they like meaty foods, like mysis Shrimp. Like the first person said, Big mouths mean they can eat bigger food. when the lights are out, turn off your wave pumps, drop some thawed mysis shrimp on it. You should get a reaction, tentacles come out for example.

 

[jasonrusso]

They don’t eat Phytoplankton, they like meaty foods, like mysis Shrimp. Like the first person said, Big mouths mean they can eat bigger food. when the lights are out, turn off your wave pumps, drop some thawed mysis shrimp on it. You should get a reaction, tentacles come out for example.

This is where I get confused. I have seen countless people feeding trachyphyllia, acans, duncans, etc reef roids. These are all meat eating corals, correct. That being said, isn't reef roids just a blend of Phytoplankton?

Same with reef chili?

 

[Labridaedicted]

This is where I get confused. I have seen countless people feeding trachyphyllia, acans, duncans, etc reef roids. These are all meat eating corals, correct. That being said, isn't reef roids just a blend of Phytoplankton?

Same with reef chili?

Both of these coral foods are plankton based, but not phytoplankton based. They are composed primarily of a mix of various zooplankton varieties.

Trachs can eat this type of food, but I find a better feeding response from larger foods.

 

[jasonrusso]

Both of these coral foods are plankton based, but not phytoplankton based. They are composed primarily of a mix of various zooplankton varieties.

Trachs can eat this type of food, but I find a better feeding response from larger foods.

Ah, I see. I am confusing my planktons!

Perhaps I can feed small pieces of reef Frenzy? I do have mysis but I feel the reef frenzy would give a more balanced diet?

Is that a concern with corals as it is with fish?

 

[DSC reef]

LRS reef frenzy is a great food to feed your trachy. Also, look into reef nutrition, they make some amazing foods as well. Straight from the fridge into the tank.

 

[jasonrusso]

Both of these coral foods are plankton based, but not phytoplankton based. They are composed primarily of a mix of various zooplankton varieties.

Trachs can eat this type of food, but I find a better feeding response from larger foods.

Oh, FYI. I did see the tentacles this morning. Tiny. My favia has 1 inch tentacles.

 

[Labridaedicted]

Ah, I see. I am confusing my planktons!

Perhaps I can feed small pieces of reef Frenzy? I do have mysis but I feel the reef frenzy would give a more balanced diet?

Is that a concern with corals as it is with fish?

With corals, you're predominately looking to get them protein and lipids, so it's cheaper and just as efficient to use mysis or roe. That being said, reef frenzy is an excellent food for pretty much everything in the reef.

If it's putting out feeders now, that's a good sign. Means it is starting to settle in.when you see those little feeders just drop a little bit of meaty food onto them and the coral will do the rest. They're pretty fun to watch eat.

LRS reef frenzy is a great food to feed your trachy. Also, look into reef nutrition, they make some amazing foods as well. Straight from the fridge into the tank.

This is a good suggestion. I use reef nutrition R.O.E. and Mysis Feast as staples in my tank for broadcast and target feeding. Hard to beat the ease of it. I like feeding the R.O.E. to my smaller mouthed corals in particular.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hmmm, I’m probably going to sound pretty dumb in this post, just a heads up. I have a trach and have had it for quite awhile and it looks great. Yet, I have never ever fed it, or my wells, or my Acans, and I don’t have any problems ever. Am I missing something? I do feed every night shrimp misis and the little frozen alage thingys. But, I turn my wave makers off and feed in stages. I always thought they fed off of light and the water column. My acans I have had for years now, and they grow amazing. My wells is massive and is about 2 years old and I have never fed him. So what am I missing?

 

[jasonrusso]

Hmmm, I’m probably going to sound pretty dumb in this post, just a heads up. I have a trach and have had it for quite awhile and it looks great. Yet, I have never ever fed it, or my wells, or my Acans, and I don’t have any problems ever. Am I missing something? I do feed every night shrimp misis and the little frozen alage thingys. But, I turn my wave makers off and feed in stages. I always thought they fed off of light and the water column. My acans I have had for years now, and they grow amazing. My wells is massive and is about 2 years old and I have never fed him. So what am I missing?

I think it all depends on how many fish. If you have a lot of fish, the extra food and fish crap is enough.

I'm my 32 Red Sea I only have 2 clowns, 2 firefish, and a goby