Image: ? Closed Brain Coral Receeding

[coopersx]

This Coral has been in my tank for about 3 weeks. It has a hard round disk underside. It is green and has started to recede on this one edge. I understand that these should be placed on the substrate but have heard of others sucessfully placing these in the rockwork.
My water parameters are 0 phosphate, 5 nitrate, 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, 380 calcium (I started adding liquid calcium on a daily basis), ph 8.2, salinity 1.021, temp 80 degree F, Protein skimmer and power heads in a 54 Gallon corner tank. I add trace element supplements once a week. I add 1/2 cap of DT live phytoplankton every other day for feeding. I only have one other small coral in this tank.
My lighting is nill but had placed this 8" directly under 2x 65 watt power compacts ( one 10000k and one blue actinic) and have since moved it down to about 12" after it started to recede. It is still directly under the lighting at this depth. I am not real sure as to the exact type of coral this is, other then it is a closed brain coral. It swells up at times and small openings appear ( I believe these are its mouth but I have never observed tenticles of any sort protruding from them....even under the moonlights).
The green color is still good. I am usure if the lighting is inadequate even high up on the rock. Have a look at this pic. It has receeded substantially in the last couple of days...at 2 spots only...the rest of the disk is good so far. There is also a smaller spot of recession exactly oppsite the other side from this.
Here is a pic: it is the white area on the lower edge of the coral. Any suggestions on how to keep this alive or even a positive ID would be appreciated.
Sincerely, Wayne
Here is the coral Pic: http://home.comcast.net/~coopersx/index.html
http://www.wayne-cooper.com

 

[poiboy]

Bring up your salinity around .025 was there any other type of coral next to the side where it's receding? You might want to try and spot feed a silver side or a small piece if shrimp.

 

[wax32]

That looks like an Open Brain coral, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi. That lighting should be OK to keep it alive short term but over time they will fade away. I'm surprised it is happening after only 3 weeks though.
Here is a picture of mine, at the time of the picture it was under 300w of VHO's. It now resides under 250w metal halide.

Open Brain, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi 4-14-05

 

[tree]

I agree with the other suggestions of bringing up the salinity - do it slowly - and spot feeding. Also, could it be getting too much current on that side?

 

[coopersx]

There is a condylatic anemone in the tank. I have since found that it needs much higher (intense) lighting requirements. I am purchasing a 250 MH pendent. The condylatic tenticles are bleaching. They are still well inflated and the footing is a consistant pink. Hopefully when I get the pendent the bleaching will improve and it will regain the color that it should have. It has moved toward the top of the tank...and ate my cleaner shrimp yesterday Could this be a problem. If contact was made it had to be for a short period only.
There is one other coral in the tank far from this one...of course it is a delicate coral that even the experts with proper lighting may have a hard time with
How do I feed this coral (closed brain) if no tenticles appear? When those ports/mouths open do I squirt a solution near his with a turkey baster? I tried squirtng a little frozen brine shrimp mixed with frozen algae that is used for algae eating fish.
Thanks, Wayne

 

[wax32]

They for sure like a low flow. If it is getting moved much by your current relocate it or turn your powerheads.

 

[wax32]

Here is a picture of same coral today:
http://www.zooxanthellae.com
Open Brain, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi 8-26-05

 

[fishieness]

if an anenome climbs up the glass it means that you have too little lighting. it is trying to get more. Hopefully once the pendant comes everything will improve. And definatly feed the braine and anenome. That may help things out if they will eat.

 

[coopersx]

I most definetly have good current and was especially carefull where I placed this specimen. There is flow but his flesh does not even ripple from it. I am unsure about spot feeding. What I have read is it is done at night/dark when this thing feeds. But I never see tenticles...if that is necessary when spot feeding.
Thanks, Wayne

 

[poiboy]

On the brains the sweepers are usually short. Tonight after about an hour after lights out turn off all pumps and lay a small piece of shrimp or silver side on top of where the sweepers are.

 

[wax32]

No. I spot feed mine lights on, current off (so food doesn't get blown away). I just put a small piece of shrimp or formula 1 on top of the brain and he eats it. It takes a long time and you have to watch out for fish stealing it. Mine also eats cyclop-eeze flakes:
http://www.zooxanthellae.com
Open Brain, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi 5-30-05

 

[coopersx]

Thanks for the pics and suggestions. I will shut off the power heads and filter and try spot feeding tonight after lights out. Hopefully it will take in the food.
Sincerely, Wayne

 

[wax32]

Feeders out at night:
http://www.zooxanthellae.com
Open Brain, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi 5-28-05

 

[coopersx]

Wow that is an amazing pic of the Brain Coral feeding. Mine has 3-4 very small ports that open up...most of the meaty tissue reamains closed. It does swell up to where it hangs over the skeletal disk. It never fully opens like a plate with a mouth in the center. I am unsure but this may be the difference between the open and closed brain corals. I am not sure...it could be that mine has never fully opened up so I would not know that this is what it is supposed to look like. Thanks for sharing the pics of the coral...especially how it looks at differnt times and what it looks like when spot fed.
Sincrely, Wayne

 

[coopersx]

Thanks Wax. Your brain coral is armaster of disguise. Looks different everytime. That is one great looking coral. Thanks for the pic with the tenticles exposed. The images you submitted would make an excellent reference for the Open Brain Coral.
Take care, Wayne

 

[wax32]

No problem. I like sharing my pictures.

Some brains do have multiple mouths, mine doesn't but the LFS has some just like mine with up to 4 mouths.

 

[wax32]

BTW, I saved the best for last:
http://www.zooxanthellae.com
Open Brain, Trachyphyllia geoffroyi 4-24-05
In this picture it had just finished eating some shrimp and when I turned the current back on its tissue flapped up like a hurricane hit it!

 

[coopersx]

Hi Dave. Another nice pic. I looked at your profile and saw your web site. I enjoyed the video and all the pics. I really like the the images of your 70 gallon setup. It looks like that took a lot of work.
Take care, Wayne