|
Home | Marine Aquariums |
Freshwater Aquariums |
Planted Aquariums |
Brackish Systems |
Ponds,
lakes & fountains |
Turtles & Amphibians |
Aquatic Business |
Aquatic Science |
Ask the WWM Crew a Question |
Please visit our Sponsors | ||||
Question about open brain corals
8/15/18 Trachyphyllia geoffroyi 5/29/16 My open brain... hlth. reading -
10/06/2009 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. |
|
Features: |
|
Featured Sponsors: |