PROBLEMS WITH OPEN BRAIN CORAL.

[waileatrigger]

I HAVE HAD AN OPEN BRAIN CORAL FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS. IT SEEMED TO BE COOL
FOR A WHILE BUT NOW IT IS REAL SMALL. IT OPENS UP SOMETIMES BUT USUALLY
IT IS SMALL WHAT COULD BE THE PROB. MY LIGHT IS 192 WATT COMP FLOUR
PLEANTY OF FLOW.

[davejnz]

Trachyphyllia sp. (open brain) live in the sediment(they have a conical skeleton to help anchor it down) and IME do best with low/mod lighting and low/mod current.They can be sensitive to some soft corals and recession can occur in the presence of some.Usually,it happens pretty quickly after introduction.Since you have had yours 4 months,that might not be an issue.IME,they need to be fed at least once a wk and the one i have receded quite a bit when i stopped feeding for 2 months.

[Reptoreef]

I agree... try a direct feed by placing a 2 liter bottle over the brain w/bottom cut out to protect it from scavengers while feeding. Next, squirt some fresh chopped squid, clam, oyster, shrimp, or other like food via a turkey baster(chop well... about 1 tsp) into the mouth of the bottle, trying to make sure that the majority of pieces land on the brain and allow to remain for about an hour. Try this in the PM after lights out and tell us how it went.

Jason

[waileatrigger]

i have introduced some hammer corals and mushrooms since then. but i
also haven't been feeding that often because his sweeper tenticles only
come out really late at night. the 2 liter bottle thing sounds like a
great idea. does the corals tenticles have to be out for it to eat?

[Reptoreef]

The ridge of feeding tenticles will appear when it know's there's gonna be food...

[ramoth41]

I have had several open brains over the years on got soooo huge he was dinner plate size and I had to trade him in because he was just too big!! I have one now that we have moved around a bit and he is doing well. I do not target feed any of my corals and they are growing and spreading like mad! Though I do like that bottle idea! I have one now that I can't decide if it is a brain or a meat coral kinda looks like both!

Anyway my brain is now on the bottom and not directly under the MH but just on the fringe of it. The meat is up a bit higher. Big Green was at the very top but we didn't have MH then. My point being .. feed him, move him around a bit see if you can find that "sweet spot" and he will take off!! As long as the skeleton isn't showing and there aren't any signs of damage or infection he may just come right back.

Oh here is a really cool pic of the meat at night ......
sarah

[davejnz]

That meat coral you have looks like a Lobophyllia sp.Is the skeletal bottom attached to the LR?Here's a pic of my open brain(Trachyphyllia geoffroyi) eating some "fish/CE mush"

[ramoth41]

No he is not attached to the live rock. He has a conical shaped base to his skeleton. But he dosen't have the lobe look like the open brain. it's flater.. 2 color.. red out side with neon green center. he gets raised bumps aroung the outside and the tenticals extend from the outside edges .. unlike the brain who's come from around the mouth.. anyway here is a pics of both.....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/ramoth41/seaworld%20in%20my%20livingroom/greenbrainfeb05.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/ramoth41/seaworld%20in%20my%20livingroom/red-meat-coral-0525.jpg

[davejnz]

That second pic looks like Scolymia,the bumpy tissue is a result from its bumpy skeletal ridges(septa)That is a trademark of the Mussidae family.Its a very pretty coral,most Scolymia i've seen are brownish.

[waileatrigger]

i had posted a question about problems with my open brain coral not
inflating, and staying small. i was told that i should put a 2 liter
bottel over the coral in the PM hours and feed it some mysis or brine.
i tried this method last night and it worked great. hopefully this was
the problem that was causing the coral to shrink. thankx for the great
tip. i will keep everyone informed, with its progress.

[davejnz]

sorry to get off topic,glad to hear your brain was able to eat.Feed it 2-3 times a wk to get it healthy then you can cut back to once a wk.