Don’t think you can get away with feeding reef inverts the same things as your fish! Individual reef-tank inhabitants will likely have specialized feeding needs, as well as the requirement of supplemental nutrients—the kinds found in natural reef habitats.
In addition to the strict maintenance of temperature, pH, and salinity, many inverts like clams and stony corals must have calcium and other minerals or trace elements added so that they may continue to grow and remain healthy. And while some organisms may rely upon the zooxanthellae embedded in their tissues to produce energy from strong lighting, a great deal of such creatures require supplemental feedings of plankton or meaty foods—or they may at least benefit from such feedings, in addition to the nutrition obtained from their symbionts. Be sure you’re feeding at the right time of day as well, as some corals only extend their feeding tentacles at night.
