Open Brain Coral

[deep blue]

My open brain coral no longer swells up with water in its new home. I moved it from my old tank that had VHO day and actinic lights to its new home that has 400w 12k MH lights with S.O. actinic. After the move it receded and will not swell up again. It has been over a month now. Has this happened to anyone before and can anyone offer some advice?

 

[coralbeauty]

I have several different brains. They are never the same size from one day to the next. However, a month is pretty strange I have never changed them from VHO to MH. But I have moved them from NO to PC and NO to VHO. I did not experience that problem.
Is it still sending out it's feeding tenicles at night? Is it's color still good? I would try a direct feeding. Mine love to be feed and they get very large after a feeding.
Has anything else in your tank changed? Anyone picking on it? I had to move a green brain because it became the favorite food for my flame angel. I had both of them in the same tank for a year, then one day she decided she liked the taste! I also have a very strange red swollen brain from the red sea that does not reach it's full size until the specific gravity is at least 1.025. Right now my sp is 1/024, it is only 2/3 of it's normal size.
These are just some ideas........Good Luck,
Connie

 

[alianated]

Now if you have an open brain... will it sting your lawnmowers, hawkfish, etc??
What about bubble coral?? I know those guys sting and was wondering if they will kill the fish in my tank (Basically clean up fish, a hawkfish, and a couple damsels)

 

[jimi]

Deep blue are the water readings exactly the same in both tanks? Nitrates,calcium,alk,iodine? Water flow?

 

[deep blue]

I think that the readings in the new tank are the same(I hate those color strips, half the time I can never tell). The only thing that is different is my alk. or KH is slightly higher, KH 10 instead of 8. The nitrates are 0-10 and the calcium checks out. As for the iodine, this is something new in the tank. I never used it before but I have always use under the recommended dosage. I also added Iron to the new tank for the macro allege. I personally suspect that it is a water quality issue with this brain but I'm not sure how to correct the problem. In the old tank, which was set up for six months, it flourished. Every day flexing its muscles and sometimes even moving a little. Last night I added some activated carbon to the sump in hopes that it would help and just to be sure today I'm going down to my LR to have my water tested. I will keep you posted.

 

[deep blue]

Alianted: you don't have to worry about the open brain or the bubble stinging your fish. Your fish are generally aware of what they can and cannot touch, but if they do touch them, it will not kill them, it will just give them a wake up call. If fact, what you have to worry about more is the fish attacking your corals, but you are fine with the ones listed.

 

[alianated]

Thank you blue!!! 8 )
: hew:::
Thought I wasnt gonna get an answer on that one, heheh

 

[burnnspy]

When making a drastic change in lights, you need to start the brain coral on the gravel bed and move it up slowly if needed.
They can adjust to bright lights over time.
400watt MH w/actinic is the shisnit.
BurnNSpy

 

[deep blue]

I had my water checked yesterday and it was fine. The only other thing that I can do, as BurNSpy suggested, is to move the coral to the bottom far side of the tank in hopes that the reduced light will help. Is leaving my lights on for 9 hours to much for the coral? Maybe I should reduce it to 8 hours and see what happens.
Also, I have a pink stagghorn coral that has brown tips. It almost looks like the tips are burnt. Sometimes the tips will have bubbles stuck to them. Anyone know if this is healthy?

 

[burnnspy]

It may be UV burns.
I recommend reducing your lights to 4hrs, then add 1 hr every 4-7days until you have 10MH and 12 VHO, IMHO.
BurnNSpy