Flower Pot Goniopora

[SaltLife]

Got a beautiful piece of this about 2 months. Was told that this was a tough piece and that i required spot feedings. The polyps were out and doing well, so i did a spot feeding, everything was good. About 2 weeks ago, I did another spot feeding and left for a weekend away. I had my sister-in-law tend to my tank. When I got back, my Goniopora polyps had all shrunk back inside the shell, and didn't come out for several days. Then a week ago, they started to emerge here and there, slowly. Some days they are all out, some days only a few. Then they started coming out when the actenics are one, then when full lights. Anybody have a clue what is going on with this stuff? Is the the spot feeding and it's just not "hungry" so it's retracted? Is it a light/bulb issue? Is it just fickle? Yesterday, all was good both full lights and actenics.

[SaltLife]

oh, all water parameters are stable, no changes noted, all levels are "normal".

[jeremyreef]

i dont spot feed mine. i have had it for at least 6 months, but the whole tank gets fed well. is there anything disturbing it? my goby will bump it and it takes a while for all of the polyps to come back out.

[SaltLife]

i don't see anything picking at it, i have an angel that tends to nip my button polyps, but i haven't even seen it do that in a while. i had a sea hare in the tank that i haven't seen in a while, so i thought maybe it died and was polluting the tank, but all parameters (ammonia specifically) are fine. thought maybe it was the spot feeding and it retracted because it was sated, then thought it was an indication my bulbs were in need or replacing. all other corals/fish are fine.

[hdelectraglide]

Mine will retract sometimes when bumped but comes back out in 1/2 hour or so,did the flow change maybe hitting it a little harder. I spot feed mine weekly. Like Jeremy said if you feed your tank heavy i dont see a reason for spot feeding.

[Aquatic Specialists]

Is there any aptasia close to it? This coral specifically seems to be quite bothered by them. I have seen these guys close for several days at a time, and then just come back out.

[SaltLife]

no changes to flow, parameters, no aptasia (i can say i'm completely free of that and the algae bloom i fought). everything is stable. that's what is baffling. like i said, one day it is doing well all day, the next only in the actenics, the next it is mostly closed all day, then out during the actenics. that's what made me lean toward the bulbs, but then i see it open adn happy during full light.

[TechGuy40]

Mine did the same thing. Did well for months, then poof, gone.

[SaltLife]

great, i hope mine isn't walking the green mile...