Which open brain to get?

h2con

Member
I have a 90g with 2x250w halide and 4x65pc actinic. I don't know what the difference between the Lobo and the Trachy are? I want to get one to be the center piece and really glow with the actinics on. Should I get the red or green, lobo or trachy?
 

spanko

Active Member
Quote:
Description
Lobophyllia Brain
(Assorted Color) - Lobophyllia speciesAlso known as: Open Brain, Carpet Brain Coral, Flat Brain Coral, Flower Coral, Meat Coral, Modern Coral, Tooth Brain Coral
Color: The Lobophyllia Brain (Assorted Color) has a brown, green, tan, cream color.
Type of hard coral: Large polyp stony coral (LPS).
Diet: Carnivore.
Feeding: It likes to eat filter feeding invert food, Mysis Shrimp, micro-plankton a few times per week, when open..
Behavior: The Lobophyllia species is generally semi-aggressive toward other tankmates.Care: Many consider the Lobophyllia species a low-maintenance specimen.
Lighting: Has strong lighting needs.Symbiotic algae zooxanthellae are hosted within this organism.
Water flow: The Open Brain, Carpet Brain Coral, Flat Brain Coral, Flower Coral, Meat Coral, Modern Coral, Tooth Brain Coral requires low water flow.
General notes: Will sting other organisms near it, so give it space.
Water parameters: Keep water quality high (SG 1.023 - 1.025, pH 8.1 - 8.4, Temp. 72 - 78° F).
Origin: The Lobophyllia Brain (Assorted Color) is commonly collected from Indo-Pacific.
Open Brain Coral (Red) - Trachyphyllia geoffroyi
Also known as: Pink-Red Open Brain Coral

Color: The Open Brain Coral (Red) has a red, red/green, red/tan, red/brown color.
Type of hard coral: Large polyp stony coral (LPS).
Diet: Carnivore.
Feeding: It likes to eat filter feeding invert food, Mysis Shrimp, micro-plankton a few times per week, when open. Likes to have very small bits of raw shrimp, or silversides.
Behavior: The Trachyphyllia geoffroyi is generally semi-aggressive toward other tankmates.Care: Many consider the Trachyphyllia geoffroyi a medium-maintenance specimen.
Lighting: Has intermediate lighting needs.Symbiotic algae zooxanthellae are hosted within this organism.
Water flow: The Pink-Red Open Brain Coral requires intermediate water flow.
General notes: This sand dwelling organism will sting other organisms near it, so give it space. Open Brain or Pacific Rose Coral is amongst the easiest to care for, most appropriate true or stony coral species available to marine aquarists. Given selection of initially healthy specimens, moderate light, water movement and decent water quality this it ranks near the top in terms of hardiness. Open Brain Coral has large polyps with a mantle that can be expanded more than three times the size of its skeleton during the day. Generally this is a nocturnal feeder, producing rows of tentacles to capture prey by the dark of night. You can see the numerous mouths in the colonies valleys at this time. Trachyphyllia are "secondarily free-living", starting off as single attached polyps, annealed to a hard substrate, and later breaking off, mostly found on sand to muddy bottoms... their color varying with depth, turbidity of water. Color variation abound in Trachyphyllia, with pink to reddish to tan to brownish to gray to greenish, blue... even multi-streaked ones with highlights. Adapting to a wide range of lighting, water motion and quality, Trachyphyllia is an ideal "starter" or "beginner" stony coral; likely the hardiest of stony/true coral species in aquarium use. Happily it is an abundant/common, easy to collect species in the wild with a distribution range matching its usefulness to aquarists. This specimen requires being directly on the sand. It will puff up it`s polyp to shift itself to better recieve the light and flow. Failure to allow it to do this will result in a stressed coral that will likely die.
Water parameters: Keep water quality high (SG 1.023 - 1.025, pH 8.1 - 8.4, Temp. 72 - 78° F).
Origin: The Open Brain Coral (Red) is commonly collected from Indo-Pacific.
 

h2con

Member
I think I might just bite the bullet and get a red and green one together because I can't decide. So I have one vote for the trachyphyllia. I have to order by 12:00 tonight or I will lose my credit so any other opinions I thank you.
 
Top