Candy Cane Question

[ilyad]

Hey guys,

I had purchased a neon green candy cane some weeks ago... its was pretty stressed when I just got it, then after a few days it really took off. It had been expanding and was very "fluffly" during the day... recently, it hasnt been expanding as much. I know that these guys use photosynthesis as well as tentacle feeding. Ive been spot feeding my corals more frequently, could it be a the reason why the candy cane isnt expanding as much? If its getting food in other ways, does it not need to be as large to absorb the light? Which is better?

Ps. When I first got it, it was very shriveled and didnt have any feeder tentacles, since then many of its heads got a lot of tissue growth back and regained its tentacles but it isnt as "fluffy" anymore... so is that normal? or is something going on?

Thanks!!!

This is how it looked when I got it

This is when it got used to the tank

And how it looks now

 

[Smitty]

How are your nitrate levels, especially since you're feeding more often...I've noticed mine do that every once in awhile too for unknown reasons.

 

[ZyberGoby]

Yeah just like you and Smitty mine does the same thing hell its doing it now. I never know why. But I do have to say out of every thing my candy cane seems to be harder than all the others I have. I feed it like I do my torch and hammer. At first it was super happy but now its iffy when its happy. I'm thinking i may be missing some kind of supplement it requires. Maybe the same with yours never know. Any who I'm sure there's a solution for all of us somewhere :D

 

[Northstar24]

In the second photo, it looks like those two heads are actually dead, not receeded.

How is your water testing?

 

[ilyad]

How are your nitrate levels, especially since you're feeding more often...I've noticed mine do that every once in awhile too for unknown reasons.

Last time I checked these were the levels

NO2 - 0
NO3 - 0
Ammonia - 0
Alk - 8-9
pH - 7.8-8
temp 78
salinity 1.025
calcium - 600 (its possible my test is not accurate)

I know my pH is a little on the low side and my calcium is pretty high, but I havent gotten around to getting a magnesium test to see if thats causing that problem

That was a couple of days ago,

I'll check again tonight after the light cycle is complete

In the second photo, it looks like those two heads are actually dead, not receeded.

How is your water testing?

The dead heads were dead when I bought them, I was talking about why the ones that were alive are not as expanded now

 

[tattooreef]

try a higher kh live around 9-10 my candy canes love it i took an almost dead colony into a thriveing colony by raising the kh and lowering them. candy canes are low light coral and i keep mine in sand mainly but bottom 1/4 forsure. but #1 problem i see here is spot feeding im a ferm believer in spot feeding is wrong for 90% of coral no one likes to be force fed just broud feed then eveything can eat at there own pace. p.s. ide frag the death off its gone, looks ugly, and the coral will be healier over all with out it

 

[phastroh]

I have my Canes near the top half and they are as plump as it gets. I got it as 5 heads and now it is like 20.

I get the receding heads as well and then it comes back.

Maybe a fish is having a snack.

 

[tattooreef]

Ya but what type of lighting do you have if you running power compact the yes you can keep them higher up because pc don't put out allot of usable light if you have halides you want to lower then and what size halide will deturmin how much. And leds vary so find out you par rateing or you halide equivance and adjust approprietly. Remeber all in context.