Tubastrea
Tubastrea coral are members of the sun coral family, also known as sun polyps. Tubastrea come in a variety of extremely brilliant and unusual colors such as yellow, orange and black. They are extremely vibrant and are very eye-catching to look at in a coral reef atmosphere, despite their high maintenance requirements.
Tubastrea Hardiness
Because of its incredibly beautiful nature, Tubastrea coral look stunning in a coral reef tank. If fed properly, this type of Tubastrea coral can be extremely hardy. However, over time, Tubastrea regular daily feedings will become an issue for the most dedicated aquarist. If each individual polyp does not receive regular feeding, it will wither and die.
Caring For Tubastrea
The price to pay for caring for Tubastrea corals is in its care. They are difficult to keep in a marine tank, because they do not contain the zoxanthellae algae that make corals photosynthetic. Therefore it is essential that anyone wanting to keep Tubastrea in their tank be dedicated to daily feedings of meaty material to keep the Tubastrea healthy and happy.
Feeding Tubastrea
The daily diet of the Tubastrea is critical to its survival. Tubastrea coral must be fed with meaty foods and attention must be paid to every single polyp in order to have successful feeding procedures. Tubastrea often have to be fed by direct feed with a syringe. Food varieties include brine shrimp, phytoplankton and marine cuisine. Much patience is needed to find the right feeding time and process that will enable the most beneficial situation for the Tubastrea coral.
Tubastrea Placement In The Tank
Many Tubastrea corals are generally happy in substrate or low rock placement when in captivity. When choosing the best spot in the tank for this type of coral, keep in mind that it will need to be easily accessible for frequent feedings. Though placing Tubastrea on the roof of a cave in your tank may replicate how it was found, this will make feeding it difficult.
Training And Propagation
Tubastrea coral are extremely elusive when first placed in a new tank environment. When first introduced, the polyps will not open very much. Feeding them at the same time every day will train them to start to open even before you place the food in front of the Tubastrea. This type of coral will readily reproduce in an aquarium setting. Tubastrea will propagate on their own in the form of tiny buds that grow rapidly, or you can separate them using a dremel or power tools.
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