Brain or carribian rose coral?

[haleyf1024]

Hey guys! I got some live rock when I first set up my tank that was aqua cultured in florida. I was told that these corals were brain corals, but I never found one exactly like mine online. They stayed open the first day i had them, then never opened again until today! All of my params are fine, maybe it was the transition from biocube lighting to my new tank with T5s? Or the increase in flow... Anyways, I fed them mysis and pellets. The food just stuck to their grooves and dissolved on their flesh, and the tentacles pulled it in. Their flesh is puffy, but deflates when touched. Again, this is the first time they have shown their tentacles since the day I got them and the first time they have ever been puffy in the 5 months I have had them. Are they brain corals? To me, they look exactly like Caribbean Rose Corals.

 

[ritter6788]

To me, they look exactly like Caribbean Rose Corals.

Agreed. Brain coral is just a generic term used for several corals. That is a Caribbean Rose coral or Caribbean Rose Brain. Nice hitchhiker.

 

[haleyf1024]

Thanks! I also have a baby one thats maybe an inch long. I can't find much about caring for them Do you know anything about them?

 

[ritter6788]

Thanks! I also have a baby one thats maybe an inch long. I can't find much about caring for them Do you know anything about them?

General LPS care really. I don't think they have special needs. Low to moderate light, low flow and occasional feeding. The feeding part is up for debate, some feed corals, some don't. If it looks happy where it is I would leave it be and just enjoy it.

 

[haleyf1024]

I have them pretty close to the light, maybe halfway up and they have eaten pellets for 2 days now so hopefully I can get them to stay open. Are the carribean roses hard to find or something? There are only a handful of sites that have any info on them

 

[ritter6788]

Are the carribean roses hard to find or something? There are only a handful of sites that have any info on them

I think it has to do with where these corals are from and collection laws. Lots of areas in this corals range are restricted from collection of stony corals.

 

[haleyf1024]

Yeah, I read that somewhere. Is the florida keys legal? I hope so, or my LFS keeps getting illegal live rock lol

 

[ritter6788]

Yeah, I read that somewhere. Is the florida keys legal? I hope so, or my LFS keeps getting illegal live rock lol

Florida liverock is "farmed". They aren't taking liverock from the reefs (aren't supposed to be anyway). They take rocks and place them in the ocean for a period of time. Once it's gathered life it's removed and sold. Those hitchhikers you get are what has collected on the rock over time.

 

[haleyf1024]

Thats good to hear then. One of the corals is like 6" across so they must have left it for years!