How often do you feed your open brains?

[tankgirl2]

How often do you feed your open brains (trachyaphyllias) ?

I'm feeding mine every week, but it's a real chore because the sailfin tang will knock over or squeeze under anything to steal the food. The only thing that works is standing there with a big net in my hand waving it over the brain. For about an hour - doh! Even the net won't keep the sailfin away unless I keep it moving. Waiting for the brain to eat is so slow - it's like watching a tree grow. I'm beginning to wonder if I could feed it less often.

Also, does anyone feed their cynarinas?

Thanks in advance!

[Kevin1000]

I place a clear plastic container over the brain which allows the coral to eat the food without the fish/shrimp/crabs -nabbing it. You can use one of those containers they sell stawberries in. I feed my brain about once every 10 days or so.

[tankgirl2]

Hi Kev! Dang, my sailfin outwits the strawberry containers. Glad for you info!!!

[jgalafa]

I have no special feeding ways I just feed the tank after the HM go out and the actinics are on or in the morning before the HM go on, thats when my open brain is looking to feed, and he only gets a few spectrum fish pellets and once a week brine shrip, and it makes it makes it harder for the tang to the his share for the feeding. There is a picture of my open brain in my gallery.

[jgalafa]

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/photopo...sort/1/cat/500

Here is a link to the picture

[MiddletonMark]

About once a week as well.

No tang, though I make sure to feed the critters/fish on the far side of the tank first.

[Oddjob]

Also about once a week at night.

No problem with fish stealing food, but I do generally have to let peppermint and cleaner shrimp, and serpent star, have some of the food so they don't steal from the brain or hammer.

[tankgirl2]

Hi Juan, Mark, & Oddjob! Thanks for the info!!

Juan, That's a gorgeous coral!!!

Mark & Oddjob, what do you feed your brains?

[Kevin1000]

I find that silversides work well.

[Oddjob]

Originally Posted by Kevin1000

I find that silversides work well.

Me too.

[tankgirl2]

Thanks, Kev & Oddjob (again) for the great info!!
I use silversides, too, but have been trying half a cube of 'brine shrimp plus' lately, for variety - thinking it might be a healthy (with the vitamins and stuff in it) and maybe easy for the brain to digest? Just wondered if anyone else tried different stuff?

[mjsandbe]

I do not target feed my Green Open Brain, I have had it for about four years.

[hankstanks]

I feed my cynarinas about every 8-9 days. I soak a chunk of shrimp in Micro Vert and feed the cynarina, Anemone and my bubble at the same time. I also make sure to feed the fish and the Cleaner shrimp at the same time to keep them away for a while. My cynarina eats in like 1 minute but the bubble and anemone are very slow. I feel your pain.

[tankgirl2]

Thanks, mjsandbe! I bet you've got a sandbed, right? (that's why you don't have to feed your open brain)

Hi, hanks! Thanks, that's great info! It's especially nice to get some info about the cynarina.

[jojo]

I have a red open brain and a cynaria that I feed about once a week. When I first bought my red open brain I didnt feed it for about a month or so then 1 day a chunk of ocean nutritions prime reef fell on it and it almost instantly started closing in on it. The next day the brain was puffed up alot bigger and had its polyps out. Ever since then I have been feeding my brain corals prime reef, mysis, brine, and clams. And they are both doing very well. My red open has at least doubled its in the last 3 months. Also I add cycopleeze to my tank for my other corals and the brains seem to take that as well. I really like that product when I add it to my tank at night my cabbage leather puts out sweeper tentacles that are over a foot long.