Candy Cane Deflating

[thirty5]

I have a piece of candy cane probably about 20 or so heads. Might be less have to count. But when the MH lighting is on they inflate up beautifully and are growing like crazy. But when the MH turn off and the actinics are on they deflate. Is that normal for them? And also sometimes, some of the heads will inflate every day and then all of a sudden one day they wont, and then next day they will inflate again...

 

[duke62]

thats there defense.when its dark they suck the delicate part of its body in and there tentacles come out.

 

[bad coffee]

Yep. they're extending tissue to get the most surface area to photosynthesize. After the lights go out they extend their feeder tentacles.

Here's a pic from when mine looked much better than they are now.

 

[thirty5]

Hmmmmmm, Mine dont have those feeder tentacles...

 

[crox99]

I am sure when the light is off for a couple of hours the tentacles do come out.

 

[thirty5]

Oh, so they dont come out with the actinics on? Have to wait for all lights to get dark. Gotcha!

 

[bad coffee]

yeah. for that pic I supprised them and turned on the lights after the tank had been dark for a couple of hours.

B

 

[basiab]

Tentacles do not always come out every night. Mine seem to have cycles when they do and don't. Either that or they come out at different times when I am not looking. I had one that got burnt by a mushroom and then its tentacles not only came out but were almost 2 inches long and they would stay out long after the lights came on. Now it has healed and the tentacles are back to being short like in the picture in this thread. So my guess it depends on how much they feel like eating as to when and how long they come out.

 

[ellebelle]

My blue candy canes are always hungry and extend the feeder tentacles. My brown and green candy canes rarely extend the feeders - which is too bad because I want to feed them!!