If you are looking to get a beautiful piece of soft coral but are not sure what to feed them, read this article! You’ll learn what you can feed your corals, including Phytoplankton, Phyto Blast, and Color Frenzy. In addition to providing nutrients, soft corals need a variety of supplements as well. Here are some of the best. Let’s dive in!
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton is a vital part of the diet of many species of corals. Soft corals depend on zooplankton to survive, and many of them feed directly on phytoplankton. These tiny organisms are the basis of the food chain in the ocean, and corals can only receive a meager amount of phyto from the open water. Corals, however, can benefit from a supplement of phytoplankton.
Live phytoplankton will help stabilize pH levels in the tank and oxygenate water during the day. Because soft corals close up at night, daytime feeding of phytoplankton is critical for their health. You can use a turkey baster or syringe to deliver phytoplankton directly to the coral. Make sure to turn off your powerhead and skimmer before you feed your coral.
Soft corals use a combination of mesenterial filaments, nematocysts, and bacterial symbionts to get their nutrition. Some rely on mucus nets during the day and release mesenterial filaments during the night. Others only release these organisms when exposed to cues from their environment. Some species use both of these means for survival.
Phyto Blast
Phyto Blast for soft corals is a nutritional mix that contains real marine phytoplankton. It comes in several sizes and is formulated to contain over 50 million phytoplankton cells per ml, making it ideal for feeding soft corals, sponges, tunicates, and tube worms. Phyto Blast for soft corals contains carotenoids like astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and canthaxanthin, which are essential for invertebrate coloration.
Phyto Blast for soft corals can benefit other corals as well, such as sponges and clams. Because soft corals have powerful chemical defence mechanisms, this product can benefit them. In addition to providing nutrients, it also helps soft corals resist disease. Soft corals are often vulnerable to environmental factors, including temperature change. Phyto Blast for soft corals can help protect the corals from bacterial diseases that cause mortality.
The method for analyzing a soft coral’s diet is simple and straightforward. Simply attach a piece to a live rock or frag plug. Some species are easier to frag than others, especially those that are encrusting. These species will encrust the adjacent rock. If you have a coral colony that is difficult to separate, you may want to first cut the rock colonies apart. A guide will provide step-by-step instructions.
Color Frenzy
Coral Frenzy is a supplement with fish protein, oyster larvae, and carotenoids that is designed to meet the nutritional needs of your zoanthids. It has been proven to increase the appetite of corals and boost their growth. Color Frenzy is available in a 45 gram container and should last several months. This product contains all the essential nutrients your corals need to grow and thrive.
The pure blue formula is designed to boost coral fluorescence and make them pop in color. It is formulated with pure blue actinic wavelength light with a peak of 420-460nm, which is the same wavelength as that used for coral’s chlorophyll. Sometimes, it is mixed with Cyan blue to give corals an extra pop of color. A good coral food product should be balanced in fatty acids, carbohydrates, and proteins to promote growth and avoid toxicity.
The right food for your SPS will depend on the size of the polyps. The smaller the polyps, the smaller the food particles should be. Powdered food containing zooplankton is ideal for SPS corals. Since these corals have small polyps, they cannot catch big prey, so their diet is limited to planktonic foods and pellets. If you are trying to feed SPS corals, be sure to check the size of the polyps and the size of the food.
