Feeding LPS Properly: What, When, and How

The Difference Between a "Fine" LPS and a Stunning One? Food.

Many reefers keep LPS for months before discovering how much of a difference target feeding makes. Better extension, richer colours, faster growth — it's a noticeable transformation within weeks.

What to Feed

Frozen foods (the staples):

Mysis shrimp: The gold standard for LPS feeding. PE Mysis is widely considered the best, but any quality mysis works
Brine shrimp: Less nutritious than mysis but still useful, especially enriched varieties
Cyclops: Great for corals with smaller mouths like Goniopora and Blastomussa
Rotifers: Excellent for broadcast feeding and filter-feeding LPS

Prepared coral foods:

Reef Roids: Brilliant for broadcast feeding and small-mouthed corals
Coral pellets: Easy to target feed with tweezers
Coral smoothie / paste: Good for larger-mouthed brain corals

When to Feed

Most LPS extend feeding tentacles in lower light. The ideal time:

30–60 minutes after lights dim or switch to moonlight mode
During the blue-light phase if the LEDs have one

Some corals like Duncans extend feeding tentacles during the day too. But for Euphyllia, acans, and brain corals — evening feeding is much more effective.

How often: 2–3 times per week is a good baseline.

How to Feed

Target feeding with a pipette — the most effective method. Squirt food directly onto coral polyps. This ensures the food goes to the coral, not the cleanup crew.

Broadcast feeding — turn off pumps for 10–15 minutes and add food to the water column. Easier but less efficient.

Species-Specific Tips

Euphyllia: Mysis is perfect. They grab food quickly
Acans: Reef Roids or fine mysis at night. They're greedy
Duncans: Will eat almost anything, and they feed during the day
Brain corals: Can take larger food — whole mysis, chopped prawn
Goniopora: Small particles only — Reef Roids, phyto, cyclops
Blastomussa: Fine foods at night. Not as aggressive feeders

Common Feeding Mistakes

Overfeeding: Feed small amounts. Siphon uneaten food after 15 minutes
Not turning off flow: Food blows away before corals can grab it
Relying only on broadcast: Target feeding is worth the effort
Feeding in full light: Most LPS won't have feeding tentacles extended

What's the go-to coral food in your tank? Reef Roids seems to be the popular choice but there are plenty of options out there.