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FAQs about Trachyphylliid Corals 3

Related Articles: Trachyphylliid Corals, Trachyphyllia Reproduction Report,

Related FAQs:  Open Brain Coral 1, Open Brain Coral 2, Trachyphylliid Identification, Trachyphylliid Behavior, Trachyphylliid Selection, Trachyphylliid Compatibility, Trachyphylliid Feeding, Trachyphylliid Systems, Trachyphylliid Disease, Trachyphylliid Reproduction, Stony Corals, Stonies 2, Stonies 3, LPS Stony Corals, Coral System Set-Up, Coral System Lighting, Stony Coral Selection, Coral PlacementFoods/Feeding/Nutrition, Disease/Health, PropagationStony Coral Behavior,

Question about open brain corals       8/15/18
Hello,
<Hello Jill>
I will try and make this quick, as to not scare you off with a wall of text. : ) <Okay>
I have 2 open brain corals, one green, one orange and green. Placed them on live rock, been there for 8 months, they were inches apart, but not touching. I had to change water flow which, the green one was not happy... I placed green one on sand bed.. he is happy now. : ) About a week later, my anemone decided to move closer to red/green brain on rock... I thought... hmmm.. maybe move to sand as I had recently learned that they would prefer that. I placed red/green about 3 inches away from green brain. Both open, both happy, both fluffy.... :) <Good sign>
My problem is, I have had to move my red/green brain away from green brain twice... he keeps moving over there... I swear I cant believe this, I didn't know they could move.
<Sometimes Trachyphyllidae corals get their tissues inflated and this way it is easier for them to get moved by currents, they don´t move by themselves>
They are touching now, nothing seems amiss, both fluffy, feeders out. I have looked and looked on internet to see if I can leave them together. The only thing I read was, that when they are found in the wild, they can be in colonies.
<This is true>
I guess I would like to know what to look for if they are fighting?
<If one is stressing the other, you will notice the harassed one starting to shrink or bleach at the contact point. You may place a good size rock to create a barrier between them and see if this helps to avoid water currents putting them together again.>
Neither seems to be receding from the other. Hope to hear back from you. Thank you, Jill Ricci
<You ´re welcome. Wilberth>

Trachyphyllia geoffroyi   5/29/16
Hi,
<Susan>
For many years I had a Trachyphyllia geoffroyi living in my salt water take, about 14 years. Overtime, this coral became very large and seemed to split, now the smaller split portion drifted off on its own.
For now, we have this split portion living in a glass jar as he will float out and drift amongst the rocks. I don’t want him to tear himself.
My question is, he doesn’t seem to have a anchor or coral base.
Will this just develop in time vs. attaching himself to a rock?
<Once floating... I'd anchor this specimen. There are a few techniques here: >
Any suggestions are welcome. My tank is a 75 gallon 2-3 inch sand bed 100+ pounds of live rock with most LPS, one type of SPS given to me by a friend and 2 mated tank born/raised (so I was told) clowns that I have had for ever also. One Banggai Cardinal, one very large old yellow watchman goby (who isn’t really yellow anymore), a pencil sea urchin and a serpent star fish nothing else. LED lights. I have had my tank for the past 15 years.
<Neat>
I would love to hear back from you as to your ideas, recommendations on the Trachyphyllia geoffroy “baby?”
I love your website and have used this sight multiple times over the past 15 years. My tank would not be what it is today without your website!
Thanks,
Sue
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

My open brain... hlth. reading  - 10/06/2009
I bought an open brain coral a few days ago. I got a really good deal because when it got to the LFS part of the skeleton is sticking out. I want to "nurse" it back to health. Besides the skeleton sticking out the coral
is in great shape. What can I do to help the coral heal? Thanks for the help, Chris
<Start by reading -- follow it up with more reading, and conclude it with a healthy dose of further reading: http://wetwebmedia.com/lpscorals.htm
http://wetwebmedia.com/trachyphlliidae.htm
http://wetwebmedia.com/trachyphyllidfaqs.htm
and related links. -JustinN>

Open brain 11/07/2008 I had been watching a very nice open brain at the LPS store and for weeks it was always full and gorgeous. I purchased the brain and brought it home and placed it in my 220 gallon reef system. The brain stayed open for two days then all of the sudden shrunk up to where I can see his plates. I have checked everything in my tank and the stores and the only difference from there water to mine is they are running there salinity @ 1.026 and mine runs 1.028 to 1.029. Could this be enough to make him shrink up? All my other corals are fine. Acropora is growing like crazy, polyps, leathers, colts, bubble anemone, pulsating xenia all doing fantastic. Can't figure it out and I don't want to kill him, I am thinking of just taking him back up to them to see if he comes back out in there tank system. Please help <<Salinity is your issue I feel here. This needs slowly bringing down, over the period of a week, to the area of 1.025 to 1.026 I would say.>> calcium 400, PH 8.4, Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0, Phosphates .05, Salinity 1.029 <<All other tank parameters seem fine too me, just salinity. Hope this helps. Regards, A Nixon>>

How to kindly dispatch... Trachyphylliid hlth.  - 7/2/08 A brain coral that seems to be dying, or are there any emergency treatments that might work? The skeleton is showing...It's a friend's tank, and in a very good setting. Thanks Bob! <Ahh, please have them read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/trachydisfaqs.htm and the linked files above> ps did Morgan ever make it to see you in Hawaii? <Not as yet... we are still working on details. He has some projects going on in Terre Haute, IN that require his presence for now. Bob Fenner>

Unhappy (Dead?) Open Brain  - 08/26/06 Bob, I have a metallic green open brain that has been very happy for several months.  About 3 weeks ago it stopped expanding as much as normal.  This was around the same time that I upgraded my lighting, so I moved the coral to a more dimly lit area (probably not even as bright as before the lighting upgrade).  Now 3 weeks later it's still not happy.  At this point the flesh is stretched tightly across the skeleton (and receding) and the mouth is wide open and there is no sign of any tentacles.  I read on several sites that open brain corals are self-sustained via photosynthesis so I never intentionally fed this coral. <This is not so>   After just recently reading some articles on your site, I realize that these corals are supposed to be fed regularly.  Obviously this could be part of the problem. <Ah, yes> Unfortunately, I've tried to feed it in its current state with finely mashed clam meat and the food just sits in the open mouth for several minutes until a shrimp or hermit crab eventually eats it.   Robert. <Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/trachyphlliidae.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Brain Coral (Trachyphyllia radiata) /Lighting Adjustment - 10/24/05 HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL!! <Feels like winter here in SoCal, unusually cold these past few days, Hello.> I apologize upfront for the lengthy email. <No worries.> I have a question about lighting and problems with my Open Brain (Trachyphyllia radiata). I also would like your inputs as to whether my setup or stocking is stupid (well maybe not stupid, but wrong in some way) <Ok.> My tank setup is as follows: 65-gallon (24' tall) glass aquarium FOWLR for 4 years and reef now for 1 year ASM in sump protein skimmer 4 X 96 watt PC fixture (4 days old and replaced a 2X96 watt fixture) with 1 10K, 1 7200K, and 2 Actinics with the Actinics on from 11am to 10pm and the 'white' lamps on from 12 noon to 9 pm. 80 pounds of rock and 1 inch of sand 20 Gallon refugium with a DSB, Chaetomorpha, and pods reverse lit from main tank A Mag 9.5 through a SQWD for return from the refugium 2 MaxiJet 1200s for in-tank circulation 300 watt heater set at 78 degrees <Sounds like a well thought out set-up.> My water parameters are: Temp- 78 to 80 pH -- 8.1 to 8.3 depending on the time of day Ammonia and Nitrates -- 0 Nitrates -- 10 Calcium 390 DKH -- 10.6 Alk --3.77 Magnesium -- 1230 to 1250 Salinity -- 1.025 PO4 - .05 <All acceptable.> I dose Lugol's once a week and Kalkwasser nightly. Live stock (everyone plays together well so far) Yellow Tang (I realize that this might become to big for my 65 gallon) <Yes.> 2 Black Percula clownfish Royal Gramma Flame Angel (not bothering corals 'yet) Clown Fairy Wrasse I don't think that I am overstocked but you guys and gals are the experts and any input would be appreciated. <Seems ok for now but as you mentioned it will be to small long term for the tang.> Corals 1 colony of Blue Striped mushrooms (Actinodiscus sp) 1 colony of red mushrooms (Actinodiscus sp) 1 Ricordea colony (Ricordea floridae) 3 different colonies of polyps (Zoanthus sp.) 1 Candy Cane LPS with 7 polyps (Caulastrea furcata) approx. 14 inches from light. 1 Frogspawn Coral (Euphyllia paradivisa) approx. 8 inches from light. 1 Open Brain (Trachyphyllia radiata) in the sand approx 24 inches from the light. The problem is with my Brain (the coral that is). For the first 2 days, he looked great, color good and inflating during the day. I have yet to see any feeder tentacles and cannot coax them out with meaty juice sprayed in his direction. Anyway, it goes downhill from here.  On day 3, my old 2X96 watt PC light lost a ballast so now he was only under 96 watts of 10K light. I moved him to the top of the rocks about 8 inches from to light considering the move from sand to rock was less stress than losing half of his light.  <Actually I would have rather left it in its established 'spot' and fed a bit extra to compensate.> Had to wait 3 days for either a warranty replacement ballast or my new 4 X 96 watt fixture (whichever came first). I got my 4 X 96 watt fixture and moved him back to the sand. That was 3 days ago.  Since the ballast went out, he has not inflated once and I cannot entice him to feed. He looks real skinny but the color is still good.  <Likely stressed from both the move and the new lighting scheme. I would not stress too much just yet. He may have trouble acclimating to the new lighting, I would attempt to partially shade the specimen until it adjusts.>  Should I just leave him be, try to force feed him, or what?  <No force feeding could be detrimental.>  Please offer any advice or criticism that you can. I learn something new in the hobby every day, mostly from you wonderful people. <Thank you for the kind words.> One more question in this lengthy email (I only type with 2 fingers so it is hurting me more than it is you). <Hehe, okay.> What is considered moderate lighting for my set up?  <Depends on the targeted livestock, for your targeted specimens it's a high lighting scheme.>  I bought the 4 X 96 hoping to satisfy the moderate to high lighting requirements that a lot of the LPS corals call for. <You have definitely done so. Under this lighting you could even keep some SPS such as Montipora.> Thanks for your patience, contributions, and help.  <Your welcome.>  I really do try to research this stuff first before throwing another repeat question at y'all. <That's all we ask.> Mike.
<Adam J.> 

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