Brain: ID + lighting

[Playdope]

Wondering a few things about this particular type of brain:

What kind of lighting do they do well under? Will strong light cause them to fade like some other brains, or will they do alright under med=>strong lighting.

Theres a place about 14 in. below 432 watts of t5 that I think it will look really nice, but I'm not sure if that will be too much light for it?

Its on the substrate for now, and I was going to slowly bring it up if thats alright.

 

[Jenemone]

I bought a brain just like this one this Saturday. I placed mine up high on the rock. I have two 96 watt PC's over my 40 gal. The brain is about 6" below the surface.

So far, mine looks much better than it did at the LFS. It has inflated a good deal more. Of course, its only been two days.

I'd be interested to hear someone's id of it.

 

[Playdope]

Yeh, I'm still waiting on an ID to... but it seems like mine hasn't "inflated" like my other brain is. After looking around, it seems to be a Lobophyllia species... but I'm not certain. In the book I have.. the coral doesn't look inflated like my other brain. It looks like the one I pictured above... and doesn't don't seem to inflate to where you can see them move in the current. Should it be?

 

[Len]

It's almost certainly a Lobophyllia. Species is up in the air. The more light, the more colorful it becomes. I don't regard this as a low light coral; you'll need moderate lighting to keep it from receding.

 

[Playdope]

Hi Len,

So brains can vary significantly according to lighting requirements?

I have a different brain that faded a bit.. and its on the substrate(not sure if you saw the post a whle ago). I began feeding it when the polyps come out.

Should the lobo be fed as well... if so how? I still haven't seen its polyps, even after lights out. Is this normal?

Its on the substrate now... when should it be alright to bring it up to the middle of the tank? Should this be done gradually (if so, over what span of time)?

Thanks

 

[Len]

Brains can definitely vary in requirements. My bright red and green Lobophyllia needed A LOT of light or lese it would recede at the base. I've had brains (Trachyphyllia for example) that didn't need much light.

Bottom of the tank should be fine for your guy, but make sure it is not shaded at all and in direct path of the lights.

And ya, these guys should have long tentacles at night. I might take some time to acclimate, but you'll see them. I used to feed mine krill.

 

[Jenemone]

Mine has started to extend its tentacles when the moonlights are on at night. They are about 1/2" long.

 

[Playdope]

How will it work out if I have zoanthids as the dominant coral surrounding the lobo? Is that a good choice of frag to put closest to the lobo?

I moved the brain up from the substrate to midway in the rockwork today... hopefully it wasn't too fast a move.. and not too much light.

Took some pics of it's current location.. you can see the new zoo colonies around it as well:

And.. yeh.. I know... the tank needs some more rock on the right hand side