i just got myself a sunflower coral from my LFS and had a few questions. what should i feed it? i've been using a syringe to "spot" feed it phyto. the LFS said thats what i should be doing. does it need meaty foods? it hasn't opened up yet(3 days) its just looks swollen. what time of day or night should i feed it. what type of flow should it receive?

Eric Borneman had a a great post for information on these corals, it would be well worth your reading and I believe contains answers to your questions with regard to feeding, feeding techniques and suggested foods. I think the tubastrea is also considered an LPS, not an SPS...

Reefs.org: Where Reefkeeping Begins on the Internet - Tubastrea by Eric Borneman July 1997 Aquarium.Net (http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/0797/0797_3.html)

Hope this helps!

Kind Regards,

thanks dkone. i was a great reading but it doesn't say anything about where to place it or how much flow? i'll read it again maybe i missed it,

from the article,

In terms of aquarium care, specimens should be positioned in areas of consistent water flow that will bring them available food when expanded.

It does not say high flow btw, so don't beat em to death with direct flow from a power head :)

Warm Regards,

sun corals are a non photosythetic coral so lighting is not an issue, but as John said ... dont beat them to death with flow. just give them a moderate flow (just enough to make the polyps gently move when they are opened.

Also, I have absolutely no proof of this but I believe that feeding this coral on an erratic schedule makes it stay open more. Mine never knows what time I might feed it and it is open most of the time. I always drop a bit of food into the water if the tentacles are not out and this makes mine open right up. You do need to feed each polyp frequently. I use a turkey baster and feed mine mysis every day. It is also setting in a area where the flow carries food right by its tentacles. Once again I have no proof but I think that the more you feed them the more they are open.