Carnation Coral

[CandyCane]

Has anybody tried one of these in their tank with success? I purchased a tiny frag because it looked pretty not knowing anything about them. It's been alive for 3 days now in my tank so water must be good for it but as far as feeding I can't get it to eat, any suggestions?
Yes I know its a very addvanced coral but as far as stress level the coral frag looks amazing

[cathyg_99]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+600+645&pcatid=645

[CandyCane]

Thankyou but I've done some reading, I'm just looking for some input from someone who possibly has experience with these corals?

[monocus]

i have 4 groups of different carnations(over 22 of them from 1/4 "-5 ");and they are still spreading.one thing they don't like light,like medium to strong water flow,and phyto and zoo plankton.i put about 8 cups of roterfers in a day and 2 cups of tetraselmis,and 2 cups of nanochloropus,as well what they might capture out of the current from my regular feedings.my wave box also helps move food around my 220

[CandyCane]

i have 4 groups of different carnations(over 22 of them from 1/4 "-5 ");and they are still spreading.one thing they don't like light,like medium to strong water flow,and phyto and zoo plankton.i put about 8 cups of roterfers in a day and 2 cups of tetraselmis,and 2 cups of nanochloropus,as well what they might capture out of the current from my regular feedings.my wave box also helps move food around my 220

Do you culture your own food then? Or can you buy all those the same way you can get phyto and zoo in bottles? Right now I only have coral accel and phyto plankton that I've been target feeding it in the evening before the lights go out. I've got it under a rock over hang with medium water flow but I think it's only hitting it from one direction, well that be okay?
Thanks for the addvise! These are amazing corals but so many people avoid them its really difficult to find help :smile:

[blacknife]

I was sucked in by cool looking pretty color. It slowly withered away to nothing and disappeared over 6 months or more.

I was target feeding once, or twice a day but not nessisarily the right stuff. I think they need to eat more than once or twice a day.
I had even set up my HOB fuge with really low turnover to the display to try to keep the food in the water colum longer for it to filter out, but i think that was to late.

[Hawkaholic]

I've had mine for a couple months now. It is sheltered from the halides somewhat and gets moderate flow. I target feed acan plus (not as often as I should) and it gets whatever else is floating by. So far so good.

http://i944.photobucket.com/albums/ad287/xXHawkaholicXx/One%20Eighty%20Gallon/iPhonePictures038.jpg

[monocus]

i culture my own phytoplankton and rotofers from Florida aqua farms-the cultures are fairly cheap, and will save you a ton of money in the long run.i also buy brine shrimp eggs by the pound(another huge savings) and do a heavy feeding every night(bought 2 lbs off ebay for about $90 delivered).i also make all my own fresh fish food( 2 types-omnivore and carnivore)which probably help with the feedings.carnations also like to either hang upside down or sideways off a wall.

[CandyCane]

For now I found a website that can send me bottles of live food so I'll have to do that until I can get a more advanced system going. I can easily turn it sideways but what makes them like it better, kinda lazy corals :wink:?

[monocus]

live food only lasts a little while-phytoplankton has to be shaken daily or it will smother itself-roterfers also have to be fed or they will starve.by the time the cultures reach you they are not live anymore.target feed your carnation every couple of hours(if you have time)with store bought phyto(it's probably as live as the stuff you'll get from a website-and cheaper)mix in some coral frenzy and maybe some oyster eggs-your other corals will love it as well

[monocus]

also carnatons are found on reef walls and caves-they just seem to grow better sideways-but i still have to try some upside down

[CandyCane]

How do they keep it stocked on shelves then :confused: I've never heard of store staff shaking the bottles. The bottle I have says it expires in 2013 thats kind of confusing lol. So I can hatch my own brine shrimp though I've got lots of eggs, would baby brine shrimp work? I havent hatched them in awhile though can I just use them straight from hatching cuz I have no idea how to wash them

[monocus]

i've asked my lfs the same thing-and they don't shake the bottles-supposedly carnations eat brine shrimp,and i do do a heavy feeding at night,but most of them get eaten by the fish(especialy by my chromises)but dead phyto is better than none.think of eating store bought veggies rather than something right out of the garden-you still get nutritional value.

[CandyCane]

Well for the moment my fish are kind of at a "day care" lol so brine shrimp will be just fine for now, then by the time my fish come back the shrimp will be nice and big for them. It'll work :) and ya the grocery store thing makes sense.