Bubble Coral question

[blando]

Hi guys have a question

I got my first bubble coral yesterday and kinda eh about it.. The bubbles have not really come out. Im not sure if somthing happened to them when the gentlemen was getting it ready for me to take it home or what. I have great lighting 20 gallon tank only thing in there is clown fish and a shrimp really and lots of coral.. Ammonia and nitrate and PH and all is fine and very low. im not sure what could be causing them to not come out. I did read about they dont like much flow and i do have like a jet at the top of the tank but its really not powerful at all.

 

[Nanna]

My first thought is it just needs a few days to get comfortable in your tank. How did you acclimate it?

 

[blando]

like how i do with my fish like add water to the bag every 10 minutes for about 30 minutes maybe more and then take it out of the bag and then into the water..with this i did it very carefully as much as possible i hope i didnt pop any or if any got popped when he was putting it in the bag im surprise he didnt give me a box.

 

[little_fish]

That is pretty standard for a LPS coral when you first put them in the tank, i would give it a few days

 

[blando]

Ok thanks :) any tips for these types of coral? first coral in my tank deff getting more different coral and i heard to space them out also

 

[little_fish]

yes, all coral need at least a few inches of space otherwise they will fight with their neighbors, some need more

And bubble corals are super hardy, just dont like much flow. You can target feed with meaty foods when the feeder tentacles come out.

 

[Smitty]

+1 lil fish.

 

[blando]

is it normal when like changing the water that like string of mucus i guess come off it? or is that somthing bad?

 

[little_fish]

most corals will do that when agitated, i wouldnt worry unless tons and tons of it is coming off.

 

[blando]

no its not a lot but i did notice that one side must of got hurt when that guy put it in because it started to fall off like the bubbles and mucus on the right side in the back. :(

 

[phastroh]

Those corals will do that normally. I have had one for a lont time and sometimes it just shrivels up like an Anemone then for a week the little tentacle are out.

I feed with freeze dried cyclopeeze every 3 days, just a tiny amount or I use frozen as well with the fish food. I typically feed a while after the lights go out if I am up.

I also use Reef Chilli once a week even though they say feed more often, I like to mix it up.

 

[blando]

And just wondering just to see how you guys do it..when you change your water do u put the water in then add your salt or u guys mix it then put it into the water..

And say if one side does die can it grow back?
Deff need to get more coral tho :)

 

[little_fish]

it will everntually grow back over the dead parts

And you should always mix the saltwater up in another bucket and it needs to sit with a powerhead in it for at least 24 hours. Newly made saltwater is very caustic

 

[blando]

oh really? never was told that..why does it need to sit for 24 hours?

 

[little_fish]

its very caustic, so it can burn the coral's flesh and fish gills

 

[blando]

ahhh got ya ok wellll i will deff start doing that lol..

 

[blando]

and also just wondering whats best to get rid of nitrate its low just not zero..
Also what u guys use to test for calcium and stuff im not liking APR i think its a pain.

 

[little_fish]

water changes, a skimmer or a fuge

And I use salfert, I dont trust the API brand for those tests

 

[blando]

Also just wondering for 20 gallons tank is it fine to have clown fish a pair and like a shrimp and little sucker pish for the bottom they call em scooters and ananome? and like 2 little hermit crabs

 

[marcah]

Those three you have listed will be fine in the tank as long as you have strong enough lighting and the tank has reached maturity ( about a year) for the nem.. The scooter just make sure that it is eating frozen because if not the pod population in the tank will need to support it, very tough fish to keep if not eating frozen foods..