SPS food particle size?

Son Of Skyline · #1 10-15-2003, 04:09 PM

What's the biggest particle of food you've seen your sps ingest? The other night I fed my fish and noticed a couple of 0.5cm or so pieces of shrimp caught up by an acro in its polyps. The polyps holding them swelled up but I didn't stick around long enough to see if it actually ingested them. Are these guys actually that hungry?

Aquattro · #2 10-15-2003, 05:00 PM

Mason, I'm not sure on exact particle size (I suppose it would depend on species), but to answer your other question, yes, they are that hungry!!

Remember, as animals, they also require fats and proteins, which are not available via photosynthesis.

Aquattro · #3 10-16-2003, 05:22 AM

Just remembered. Jamie has some pics in his RC gallery of acros eating spawn from a crab. Gives an idea of what they can eat.

Son Of Skyline · #4 11-25-2003, 03:58 PM

Just fed my tank freeze dried Cyclop Eeze last night. The Cyclop particles look to be somewhere around the 700-1000 micron size (compared to 800-1000 micron Golden Pearls) and I watched one of my green acros catch and fully ingest a piece. The polyps on this acro are about 2mm in diameter.

Since I first posted this topic I've also seen a table acro polyp catch, and fully ingest what looked like an undissolved grain of salt, somewhere around the same 800 micron size. Didn't know they like the stuff

Aquattro · #5 11-25-2003, 05:37 PM

Mason, interesting observations. What time at night are you feeding, and how much?

Son Of Skyline · #6 11-25-2003, 05:57 PM

The Cyclops feeding was done yesterday evening (lights on). I crushed and dumped about 1.5-2ml into the tank after soaking it for awhile. It took about 2 minutes for the polyp to pull the cyclops piece into the body.

The salt grain ingestion happened during daylight hours shortly after a water change. I'm still not positive that it was undissolved salt but that's what it looked like. The acro polyp really gobbled it up fast. Within 30 seconds of hitting the polyp, the particle was drawn in, and the polyp came back out ready for more.

I usually feed everything (GPs, various fish food, nori..etc) during the day since I'm trying to encourage more daytime polyp extension. I'm going to try to borrow a friend's fancy camera and get some macro shots of the actual ingestion next time I see it happen.

*edit*..forgot about Brad's question.

I feed about 2.5ml Golden Pearls every other day. 5-50/50-100 micron sizes. I also feed around 5ml daily of a "sh*t mix" of Formula1, Hikari Marine, nori, oysters, and clams...blended and frozen. I'm trying Cyclops Eeze right now (thanks again Sam!) and mysis also.

Quote:

Originally Posted by reef_raf

Mason, interesting observations. What time at night are you feeding, and how much?