Tubastrea Micrantha
Black Sun Coral, or Tubastrea Micrantha, are members of the brightly colored Large Polyp Stony (LPS) corals, also known as Sun Polyps. The Tubastrea Coral have a skeleton structure that is tubular, with stars at the tip of each tube. Tubastrea Micrantha is black and a popular favorite in captive reefs. Their difficult feeding schedule, however, often deters aquarists from acquiring them.
Tubastrea Micrantha Feeding
Tubastrea Micrantha must be fed with meaty foods and attention must be paid to every single polyp in order to have successful feeding procedures. They 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 correct process for their health and vitality. Tubastrea Micrantha
Caring For Tubastrea Micrantha
The price to pay for caring for Tubastrea Micrantha is in the difficulty of care. They are hard 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 Micrantha in their tank be dedicated to daily feedings of meaty material to keep them healthy and happy.
Tubastrea Micrantha Hardiness
Because of its incredibly beautiful nature, Tubastrea Micrantha coral look stunning in a coral reef tank. If fed properly, they can be extremely hardy. However, over time, Tubastrea Micrantha coral regular daily feedings can become an issue for the most dedicated aquarist, and their health will fail quickly if not properly attended to.
Tubastrea Micrantha Placement In The Tank
Many Tubastrea Micrantha are generally happy in substrate or low rock placement when in captivity. Though placing Tubastrea Micrantha on the roof of a cave in your tank may replicate how it was found, this will make feeding it difficult. Keep in mind that Tubastrea Micrantha will need to be easily accessible for frequent daily feedings.
Training And Propagation Of Tubastrea Micrantha
Tubastrea Micrantha 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 Micrantha will propagate on their own in the form of tiny buds that grow rapidly, or you can separate them using a dremel or various power tools.
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