How To Feed Torch Coral And Grow Them Properly
Torch Coral is one of the most beautiful creatures that you can put in your aquarium. They glow in the aquarium and create a mysterious look that you can find in the deep ocean. To keep this mysterious creature healthy you will need to know how to feed Torch Coral manually.
When you are trying to manually feed Torch Coral, you will need to create the mixture. Then with the help of the tool, you will have to put the mixture directly into the coral. Make sure not to overfeed the coral. Take a look at the movement of the tentacles. This will ensure that the Coral is not overfed.
In balancing the nutrients for Torch Coral, light and temperature play an important role. Corals like Torch Coral need more food than just sugar from photosynthesis. They receive a sufficient amount of calcium and protein from a meat-based diet.
How To Feed Torch Coral-Step By Step
Foods Necessary For Torch Coral
In general Torch Coral has a relationship with zooxanthellae. With the help of this correlation, Torch Coral performs photosynthesis. In return, the Coral gives them a habitat for zooxanthellae in their tissue.
But this photosynthesis is not enough for the Torch Coral to stay healthy. They need manual feeding from outside. The procedure is also known as spot feeding. It helps to ensure that the Coral gets proper nutrition from the supplements not only to survive but also to maintain a healthy state.
You can provide vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, Mysis shrimp, plankton, copepods, krill, and specialized pellet food. You can find these feeding supplements in the form of a mixture on the market. (Our Pick: Coral Feast Powdered Quality Coral Food)
Also, you can make the mixture in your home. The best way to use these elements as supplements is to make them with salt water.
You can also find different supplements that are specialized in Torch Coral. The contains all the necessary ingredients for Torch Coral growth. You can choose any of these according to your preference.
Feeding Process of Torch Coral
The process of feeding the torch Coral is very easy. When we talk about feeding Torch Coral we actually mean spot feeding. Even though Torch Coral can receive food from water through its tentacles, it needs to be spot feed.
The spot feeding technique helps to ensure that the Torch Coral gets proper nutrition. For this spot feeding technique, you will need a feeder. Special tools that can be used as a feeder are available in any Pet store. But if you are thinking about saving money you can also use a turkey baster.
Step 1- Mixing
Take some water in a glass jar. Now in the water put all the nutrients or elements you want to feed your torch Coral and give it a stir. Make sure that the elements are combined with the water. Even if they are not dissolved, they should form a mix.
Step 2- Stop The Flow
Before starting to feed the Torch Coral you need to stop the flow in the aquarium water. This is very necessary. Otherwise, the food will flow all over the aquarium and the Coral will have the least amount to feed on.
This flow of food will also cause impurification in the water. And if there is no animal that feeds on the same elements, then these foods will decompose and will create a bad smell. Therefore stop the flow of water and make sure that the water is in a resting position.
You might need to give it 3 to 4 minutes after stopping the flow source. Within this time the water will turn still and ready for the Torch Coral to be fed.
Step 3- Feeding
Once the mixture is ready it is time to spot feed. Using the tool or Turkey baster collect some of the mixtures. Now put the Turkey baster into the aquarium just over the Torch Coral. Slowly put the mixture into the coral.
Do not put the mixture in one place. Rather spread it over the coral. Once you put the mixture, the tentacles of the Torch Coral start to move and grab the food. After applying the mixture, wait a bit to apply the next batch.
If the tentacles have stopped then it is an indication that you need to stop feeding. Otherwise, it will lead to overfeeding of the coral. Therefore take time while feeding your Torch Coral.
How to Grow Torch Coral
To grow healthy Torch Coral only spot feeding is not enough. Other requirements that need to be kept in mind. It is important to provide the environment that Torch Coral needs to survive.
Water Condition
When we speak about water conditions it includes the temperature, page balance, and hardness of the water. If you have a bare minimum idea about Torch Coral you will know that Torch Coral is a tropical coral. This means they need 76 degrees Fahrenheit to 83 degrees Fahrenheit.
If necessary you might need to attach a water heater to the aquarium. You can get this temperature easily by putting the aquarium under direct sunlight. Find a place in the home near the window or balcony to direct sunlight falls.
The pH level of the water should be on the alkaline side. The ideal range is 8.1 to 8.4. In this range food processing increases in Torch Coral. In the case of the hardness of water, the coral prefers 8 to 12 dKH. In this dKH and pH level, the Torch Coral thrives the most. The tentacles grow faster.
Light
For the best color formation and growth, Torch Coral requires light between high to moderate. Even though they need high light, you need to understand when there is too much light.
You can provide light from metal halides. It is ideal not to put them directly under the source. Otherwise, it will be too intense for the coral which will end up damaging the polyps. Metal halides not only provide light but it increase the temperature of the water. Therefore it is not wise to place the Torch Coral directly under the halid
In the case of planning artificial lighting, it is ideal to use LED lights of 75 to 150 PAR. Also, you can install lights that can be dimmed in times of necessity.
In changing the color of the Torch Coral lighting plays a vital role. That means if you want a vibrant color from your Torch Coral, you can just play with the lighting system.
In the blue color, you will see a different format of lighting and in white light, you will see another format of lighting. You can also use fluorescent light to bloom your Torch Coral in different colors.
Therefore, along with feeding, you will also need to ensure proper lighting for the Torch Coral.
Water Speed
The water flow or the water speed in the aquarium for Torch Coral needs to be low to moderate. Both high and low flow can cause damage. In the low flow of water, the detritus of the Torch Coral will not stay up, and at high speed, the coral can get damaged.
In the presence of high flow, the polyps get damaged and they don’t extend properly. It also causes disruption in food intact. Thus over time, the coral gets malnutrition. Depending on the type of the Torch Coral the reaction might defer.
The best way to see the effect of the heavy flow of water is if the polyp is opening properly or not. Also, this will affect the color formation of the coral.
Water Change
Water change is necessary for the Torch Coral to be healthy. The torch coral needs the water change. But the change needs to be made slowly.
If you want to change the water monthly then change 20％ to 25% at a time. But when you are changing weekly, change 10％ to 15 ％. During the change make sure that the elements in the water are not changed tremendously.
After every water change, it is necessary to track the element level. Especially if it is more than 25％ water change. More than 25％ of water change can cause more damage than good. In new water, the coral will need to adjust. The element’s balance will get disrupted.
Element Parament
The presence of elements and other nutrient factors in water plays an important factor. The main element of the polyp in corals is calcium. Therefore Torch Coral requires the presence of 400 ppm to 450 ppm. This ensures that the coral has healthy polyps.
Torch Coral also needs an extensive amount of magnesium. The range of magnesium has to be between 1250 ppm to 1350 ppm. Whereas it needs strontium of 8 ppm to 10 ppm, Phosphate less than 0.05 ppm, and Nitrates less than 20 ppm.
In the case of nitrates, it is wise to be careful. Some variants of Torch Coral are sensitive to the existence of nitrate. It weakens the polyps and tentacles.
In general, Torch Coral requires 0 ppm of Ammonia. In the presence of Ammonia, the coral decays. Ammonia also stresses the coral which makes it quite impossible to stop feeding.
Placement
Growing Torch coral is a bit more difficult than other varieties of corals. But it will be worth it, once you finally grow them.
Sometimes even when all the influential factors are balanced it doesn’t grow properly or can be fed. The reason is nothing but wrong placement.
Firstly, place it a bit distant from other varieties of coral. It gets aggressive and causes harm to itself and the other coral. But corals from the same genes are fine to be placed with.
Now find a spot where the coral can breathe and move properly. It also needs proper lighting. Thus don’t put it under the shadow of other aquatic plants.
One of the best places for Torch Coral is to put it at the bottom of the reef tank in the substrate. Also, you can use rock as an anchor for the coral. This way you can get effortless growth from the Torch Coral.
FAQs
How Quickly Do Torch Corals Grow?
Torch corals are thought of as delayed to direct cultivators. They can engender one to two new heads every three to a half years. Going on like this, you can grow four to six new heads every year. Torch corals are perfect to keep in reef tanks and add a style of variety to the fish that swim around them.
Can You Put Two Torch Corals Together?
I give barely sufficient room so they can open yet they generally never had a solitary issue. Furthermore, that is with both Aussie and Indo torches together. I would say torches will be torches no matter where they are from they can coincide together.
How Long Does It Take For A Torch Coral To Split?
Typically see a second or third mouth created and afterward it requires 3-4 months to develop a skeleton and split. Stable alk and Ca are vital for these guys (like most corals) on the off chance that you get an Alk drop or spike they will fly off the handle and it resembles raising a ruckus around town button on development.
Do Torch Corals Multiply?
At the point when fulfilled, the torch coral will extend itself by developing new heads off its base, known as “sprouting”. Proliferation can likewise happen when females and males discharge eggs and sperm into the water segment. Nonetheless, this way is more averse to happening since you would require various provinces.
Do Torch Corals Close Up When Splitting?
At times you will see brown wiry stuff emerging from them. Here you can see that they are going to part, they will more often than not shrivel up their limbs, and that little earthy-colored string will begin to emerge. And afterward regularly inside the following week, it will have two new heads of torch Corals.
Final Words
Torch Coral is one of the hardest creatures to take care of. It can feed itself but it needs to be spot fed. For this, it is necessary to know how to feed Torch Coral manually.
Also, remember for the coral to grow properly there are many other factors that play effective roles. You need to track those factors. It is a kind of error and trial procedure. You learn along the way and apply it.
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