Let talk chalice

[GreshamH]

Not to be argumentative, but just talking out some thoughts...

Just because an animal is not designed to live or feed in a certain way doesn't necessarily mean that doing something unnatural is detrimental to the creature.

i.e: Grass isn't meant to be sprinkled with fertilizer, but doing so helps it grow faster. Farmed poultry is force fed foods that are unnaturally high in certain proteins and vitamins for faster growth. (Although admittedly lots of other bad things are done to poultry that cause other problems...) Extra long light cycles and hydroponic systems are used on indoor farmed plants, etc...

I do agree however, that overfeeding is detrimental to some corals. I've seen the 'faux poo' effect as well. Perhaps it's not so much that spot feeding is definitively detrimental, but rather that overfeeding is?

For small mouthed chalices, I tend to feed crushed flake which has relatively lower mass. Only for larger polyped corals like acans and blastos do I feed mysis. Generally, I try to gauge how 'full' a polyp is and avoid overstuffing it.

Umm grass is naturally fertilized by animals. It in fact is design to be fertilized simply by how it grows (creeps, "encrusts" for a larger surface area

Spot feeding baster style) can harm the "insides" of the coral as well. I've done both and I ONLY broadcast after doing many trials. I've been feeding my corals since 1999

 

[GreshamH]

what is faux poo

pseudo feces you mean? It's partially digested food, non digested food and other stuff rejected by the coral. The production of it takes away from the DEB (dynamic energy budget).

 

[Eight]

Sure, grass is naturally fertilized by animals, but it's not meant to be sprinkled with little granules of synthetic fertilizer that are manufactured in a lab and don't really chemically resemble cow poop... nor are tomatoes and spinach meant to be grown in vats of nutritionally enriched water with no soil... Yet these practices have been proven to improve growth and yield.

Couldn't we consider 'appropriate target feeding' of corals analagous to 'fertilizing crops'? Neither is natural. Isn't it conceivable that target feeding when done properly with the right foods can be beneficial?

I'm just not comfortable with the blanket statement of spot feeding being a definitive no-no.

 

[GreshamH]

OK you are way off here.

Grass has no mouths

Coral polyps has a specific size range, feed type and amount they can handle. More goes to waste and creates a minus on their energy budget, not a positive gain. I can't put it in any plainer language.

Feel what you must but me experience with feeding corals is pretty damn diverse and long and not only have I found that to be pretty darn true, so have dozens of other very experienced aquarists.

 

[Eight]

I specifically acknowledged that appropriate food, particle size and type of polyp all need to be considered when spot feeding in my prior post.

You make the assumption that spot feeding automatically results in overfeeding. Well, what if that coral happens to be able to handle a larger amount of food? i.e.: a dendro? or a scoly? Or what if one spot fed a food that was less dense or heavily diluted? Then isn't it possible that spot feeding could be appropriate?

I used grass as an analogy. The example wasn't meant to be taken literally. My point is that just because something is not natural does not mean it is definitively in all cases detrimental. We do a lot of 'unnatural' things in this hobby, some of them because we cannot perfectly simulate nature and others because we believe that they artificially enhance either the health, growth or appearance of our corals... (elevated temperature, elevated Alk/Ca for faster coral growth, lower salinity for marine fish, etc.)

I am just trying to have an open discussion and not calling into doubt your experience or expertise. (No need to call me 'way off' or list your credentials... I know you have more years of experience than I. )

 

[xinumaster]

This colony arrived for me today!

Sorry, guys. :love:

Is that a superman chalice?

 

[GreshamH]

You make the assumption that spot feeding automatically results in overfeeding. Well, what if that coral happens to be able to handle a larger amount of food? i.e.: a dendro? or a scoly? Or what if one spot fed a food that was less dense or heavily diluted? Then isn't it possible that spot feeding could be appropriate?

Your assuming those corals are actually utilizing the larger amounts of food. Just because you see them take it in does not equate to them eating it.

 

[screebo]

Screebo's feeding routine:

I broadcast feed nominal amounts of Rod's food (original recipe) 3 times a day to fish and coral. I broadcast feed frozen Cyclopeeze with Elos SvC added once a week. Sometimes I use a baster to target zoa's and palys this mix during this broadcast. I will occasionally substitute spirolina fortified brine shrimp and mysis shrimp for the fish. I also dose my tank daily with Elos Proskimmer and Omega. Sometimes I give them a squirt of Articpods just because I can and it looks tasty to me!

I "tweezer feed" mysis shrimp to my dendros, duncans and sun coral 2 or 3 times a week trying to hit every mouth in the colony. The duncans really respond to this method with lots of growth. Dendro's also. The duncans and dendros can eat 5 or 6 mysis per head and open up for more within a few minutes.

I shut down my skimmer and return pump as well as put MP40s into "feed mode" for about 30 minutes while feeding.

 

[Eight]

This colony arrived for me today!

Sorry, guys. :love:

Is that a superman chalice?

Nope, not a superman chalice, just a cool one that I picked up from an online vendor. It's very pretty in person, although the distinction between the pink and blue isn't as marked as the vendor's photo. (not surprising)

I'll try to take my own photo soon that perhaps better reflect its colors.

 

[Eight]

You make the assumption that spot feeding automatically results in overfeeding. Well, what if that coral happens to be able to handle a larger amount of food? i.e.: a dendro? or a scoly? Or what if one spot fed a food that was less dense or heavily diluted? Then isn't it possible that spot feeding could be appropriate?

Your assuming those corals are actually utilizing the larger amounts of food. Just because you see them take it in does not equate to them eating it.

Can you over spot feed a coral to the point of detriment. Yes, I agree 100%. I've done it. Can spot feeding be done in an appropriate way with tangible benefits? Yes, I believe that as well.

Please note, that I'm not saying broadcast feeding is bad/better/whatever. I'm not even comparing the two. As I've mentioned several times before, I'm just taking issue with the "spot feeding is always bad" statement. I think that statement needs to be qualified with a lot of other considerations like coral type, food type, frequency, food size, etc. etc. etc.

Both spot feeding and broadcast feeding obviously work well for a lot of people.

 

[screebo]

That is one fine looking chalice, Jason. We'll be expecting to see progress photos of just how fast that sukka grows!

 

[psionicdragon]

spot feeding is a pain...i just tried broadcast feeding...welll didn't work well to say the least....