Open Brain Not looking well.

[jwhiteuwc]

I have a Green Open brain (Trachyphyllia geoffroyi) that I received about 2 weeks ago. After I acclimated him, he seemed to be doing great for about 2-3 days, really puffed out and opened up, but the last week, he's not opening as much and he's losing color. He's small 2-3" and I'm worried that he's not getting enough nutrition. I've tried Silversides, and Krill, but I'm not sure if he's eating it. I put it by his mouth and put a 2-liter bottle over him to keep the food from being eaten by other shrimp, snails, etc.... I've been doing this at night and by morning it's gone, but he's still yet to open up like before or even open up much at all.
I have him at the buttom of my tank in the Sand Bed.
I did a water change about 3 days ago and he opend up a little, for a day only.
Here's my tank setup an parms.
55gall
Lighting - coralife 260watt (2 - 10k, 2 atinic's)
Tanks been up for 5 years.
Few fish
LR
LiveSandBed
Nitrate = 3
Nitrites = 0
Amm = 0
Phosp = 0
Calc = 420
dhk = 11
PH = 8.3
Thank everyone.

 

[jwhiteuwc]

Cool, that's probably what he's doing then.
Somethings you can read in books thanks!

 

[xabxam]

How often should open brains be fead,and much should they be fead?

 

[birdy]

I think once or twice a week is enough, I just put a small amount of food on it's feeding tenticles.

 

[mep]

I've tried Silversides, and Krill, but I'm not sure if he's eating it. I put it by his mouth and put a 2-liter bottle over him to keep the food from being eaten by other shrimp, snails, etc.... I've been doing this at night and by morning it's gone, but he's still yet to open up like before or even open up much at all.
the 2 liter bottle have holes in it or is it stagnate water? if it expelles waste it will be livin in it's own s*#!
ive had 2 brains for almost 2 years now and have never fed directly and there both thriving

 

[jwhiteuwc]

MEP, you don't feed your Open Brain? Wow.
Anyways, I place the bottle over him only during feedings for about 4-5 hours or until he's done, then I remove it. No reason to leave it on him.
I haven't fed him for 2 days and he's still all scrunched up and not bloating out. I hope he starts doing better.

 

[spsaddict]

i dont feed mine either... well not directly, mine opens up everyday

 

[alison]

:happyfish Hi, I would slow down on the feedings too. Also remember that if a brain gets damaged when inflated that they sometimes die from that too. So I would be careful about covering him at night. I've never heard about anyone doing that. I just feed mine zoo plankton, and live dt, and I've had it 2 years. Oh, and I recently found out that brains and plates can reproduce after death. I have a plate that has about 50 babies on it after it died. I accidently flipped it while tank cleaning, and it landed upside down. I think that's how it died. You have the right idea to feed it at night though. That's good. Hope I was of some help. :happyfish :happyfish :happyfish

 

[jwhiteuwc]

Thanks for the follow-up.
I only cover him to keep my shrimp from stealing to from him is all.
My Brain is only about 2 inchs big (hehehe) so no worries when covering him.
After not feeding him for 3 days he's inflating a little, but still not as much as before, time will tell.