Need advise on my new brain coral

[TOMMY323]

I got this one 5 days ago from LFS. I think it's an indo-pacific brain coral.
My question is I want to know how to take care it and do i need to feed it? Both directly and indirectly. And which type of food they will accept? I have phytoplankton (Kent Phytoplex), will this can feed them?

And what's the requirement of special water parameter? I have 150Wx1 6,500K now (but will be going to 250W next month). Will it be enough for a 1-2 months?

My water params is

ph 8.2~8.4 by Tropic Marine & AS Fast Test
dKH 10 by Salifert
PO4 1-1.2ppm (wish to drop lower by RowaPhos added last week) by Salifert
Silicate 0.8ppm by Salifert
Calcium 440ppm by Tropic Marine

 

[Unarce]

First off, shame on you for buying it before knowing how to care for it. :lol:

It's an LPS, so your calcium level is good. I hope you have some actinic supplementation, cause 6500K isn't very healthy for corals. I'm not familiar with the result of Kent Phytoplex, but I would go with indirect feeding of DT's phytoplankton or Reed's Instant-Algae. Low water flow area and mid to low level placement. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

At night it *should* display feeder tentacles. Take some finely chopped table shrimp or any raw ocean fish (or prepacked frozed meaty fish food)and place on some on the tentacles. You may need to coax them out if it has been starved at the LFS by blowing some of the water you thawed the food in at it. Or set a piece of food on it and turn your powerheads off for a little while so it doesn't blow away. (I keep frozen table shrimp from the grocery in my freezer and thaw by mincing it while it is frozen and thaw in a cup of tank water) Once it gets used to being fed they will usually start to put out thier feeder tentacles as soon as food hits the water day or night.

These guys need meaty food, as far as I know, phytoplankton is of no use to them.

You light and water are fine.

 

[Unarce]

At night it *should* display feeder tentacles. Take some finely chopped table shrimp or any raw ocean fish (or prepacked frozed meaty fish food)and place on some on the tentacles. You may need to coax them out if it has been starved at the LFS by blowing some of the water you thawed the food in at it. Or set a piece of food on it and turn your powerheads off for a little while so it doesn't blow away. (I keep frozen table shrimp from the grocery in my freezer and thaw by mincing it while it is frozen and thaw in a cup of tank water) Once it gets used to being fed they will usually start to put out thier feeder tentacles as soon as food hits the water day or night.

These guys need meaty food, as far as I know, phytoplankton is of no use to them.

You light and water are fine.

Sorry, she's right. Brain's will need zooplankton, not phytoplankton. Disagree with the lighting being OK. 6500K isn't conducive to photosynthesis. You'll need a lot more blue.

 

[TOMMY323]

Thanks Reefnutz and Laura, Today I just bought a new MH Blue 150W for more blue as you said. Hope this additional to my current 6,500K will help in photosynthesis of most coral including brain coral in my tank.

The bulb is Phoenix Blue Lamp (MH-150W/TD/B) and the price is just 70$ including all the stuff.