Is My Favia Doing Well?

[Reefkeepers Archive]

For some context, just picked up a wild favia from my LFS on Sunday I would like to say. Dipped it, placed it, did all the routine stuff. Day 1 I noticed it had burrowing clams, saw the holes at the LFS and they advised that I took a pick and stirred it up, it didn't work so on the next day I filled the hole with some glue. Haven't really touched him ever since, but this is my first time keeping favias in particular. Here's a photo of him today (glued up burrowing clam hole circled in red)

Is he still closed up or is he open? There is a little bit of coral mucus on him from when I added him but that's normal. What do you think?

 

[encrustingacro]

Judging by the color of your rock, your tank looks pretty new. It is recommended to wait until coralline algae starts growing before adding corals. What are your parameters?

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Judging by the color of your rock, your tank looks pretty new. It is recommended to wait until coralline algae starts growing before adding corals. What are your parameters?

Tanks 7 months old, not new to keeping coral though, started with dry rock so it may look like that, i try and keep alk at 8.7, calcium at 490, nitrate at 4, phosphate at 0.04, salinity at 1.026

 

[Evil1]

Best way to tell if favia is doing well is at night. When lights are out for a few hours take a flashlight or cell phone flash light and look to see for any polyp extension. They feed mostly at night.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Best way to tell if favia is doing well is at night. When lights are out for a few hours take a flashlight or cell phone flash light and look to see for any polyp extension. They feed mostly at night.

I'm going to be up late then

(Lights turn off at 9:00)

 

[encrustingacro]

I see. I wouldn't recommend filling in boring clam/vermetid holes with superglue if it is in the coral flesh, as doing so may irritate the coral.

As for whether it's doing well or not, as long as it doesn't look "gaunt" and you don't see any skeleton, it should be doing fine.

I would recommend a light broadcast feeding once a week. In the wild, most LPS corals have their tentacles extended nocturnally, but they can be trained to open up diurnally if you feed them during the daytime. Be careful not to feed too much, as that can cause nutrient spikes which can lead to algae blooms.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I see. I wouldn't recommend filling in boring clam/vermetid holes with superglue if it is in the coral flesh, as doing so may irritate the coral.

As for whether it's doing well or not, as long as it doesn't look "gaunt" and you don't see any skeleton, it should be doing fine.

I would recommend a light broadcast feeding once a week. In the wild, most LPS corals have their tentacles extended nocturnally, but they can be trained to open up diurnally if you feed them during the daytime. Be careful not to feed too much, as that can cause nutrient spikes which can lead to algae blooms.

Trust me, after the hair algae outbreak I've kept a close eye on my nutrients. I tried my best to keep the glue on the skeleton, I think I did a good job with that. I'll try to broadcast feed before the lights turn on. Which isn't that hard as the lights don't turn on till 11:20. Thanks

 

[Cell]

I would not broadcast feed if you barely have any other corals that would benefit. Target feed it if this is the case.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I would not broadcast feed if you barely have any other corals that would benefit. Target feed it if this is the case.

I only broadcast feed 2 foods. Live phyto and very fine meaty foods, I have some sps and leathers so the favia isn't the only thing that benefits

 

[encrustingacro]

I would not broadcast feed if you barely have any other corals that would benefit. Target feed it if this is the case.

All corals have the ability to feed; it's just that when not fed, most small-polyp corals lose their ability to feed in captivity. There is also the issue of food particle size; smaller polyped corals like the sarcophytid leathers and acroporids generally feed on smaller planktonic foods than larger polyped corals like this Dipsastraea (formerly Favia).