Newbie — Help ID please

[mike550]

Hello. I added the coral below to my tank. At first it really thrived and was very full. Now it’s pulled in a lot and the only change in tank parameters over time was Alk moving from 7.8 to 8.3 over the course of a month. Im targeting 8.4. Calcium always around 420 and Mag 1300. Would really like to know name of coral and what may have caused the change. Thanks in advance.

 

[DarthSimon]

Brain Coral: Trachyphyllia.

So these typically do really well on the sand bed. Has the flesh gotten stuck or rubbed on your rock work? Also they like low to medium lighting at best, and lower flow. Try dropping the coral down to the sand bed, and shade it a tad. May help.

 

[living_tribunal]

Hello. I added the coral below to my tank. At first it really thrived and was very full. Now it’s pulled in a lot and the only change in tank parameters over time was Alk moving from 7.8 to 8.3 over the course of a month. Im targeting 8.4. Calcium always around 420 and Mag 1300. Would really like to know name of coral and what may have caused the change. Thanks in advance.

Trachy, put him on the bed so he can sprawl out.

They do contract like that each evening though. As long as he is huge and puffy during peak hours, you’re good.

Feeding isn’t a requirement for trachys but they do have a voracious appetite. Mine has consumed several hermits, other coral, and hundreds of amphipods. Feeding them heavier food every now and then won’t ever hurt. I only have a handful of corals that can eat more than my trachy.

Once they’re all setup and happy, they are a pretty bullet proof big brain.

 

[mike550]

@DarthSimon and @living_tribunal thanks for your replies. Unfortunately, I can’t move this to the sand bed as my goby tries to bury it. So I put it low on a rock.

@living_tribunal to your point about him getting huge he used to do that consistently every day. Now he’s always closed up.

I‘ve done a couple more big water changes over the last week trying to get nitrates and phosphates down hoping that would help but haven’t seen much change.

Ill try to spot feed a bit to see if that helps.

 

[living_tribunal]

@DarthSimon and @living_tribunal thanks for your replies. Unfortunately, I can’t move this to the sand bed as my goby tries to bury it. So I put it low on a rock.

@living_tribunal to your point about him getting huge he used to do that consistently every day. Now he’s always closed up.

I‘ve done a couple more big water changes over the last week trying to get nitrates and phosphates down hoping that would help but haven’t seen much change.

Ill try to spot feed a bit to see if that helps.

They can tolerate sand on their tissue pretty well, the positives outweigh the benefits in this regard. He’ll have a real hard time growing without being able to sprawl out.
If you can’t put him on the bed, try and find the largest flattest part of rock possible for him. He’s hanging off of that rock in the pic which is no bueno.

They can really extend quite far once they get going. I currently am exploring ways to make more space for mine. I’ve only had him about 3-4 months and he’s already grown about 2” and is a lot girthier. I already had to move a fungia he’s grown over.

Nutrients aren’t the variable stressing him out unless your phosphates are near zero and there is a phosphate deficiency.

 

[mike550]

They can tolerate sand on their tissue pretty well, the positives outweigh the benefits in this regard. He’ll have a real hard time growing without being able to sprawl out.
If you can’t put him on the bed, try and find the largest flattest part of rock possible for him. He’s hanging off of that rock in the pic which is no bueno.

They can really extend quite far once they get going. I currently am exploring ways to make more space for mine. I’ve only had him about 3-4 months and he’s already grown about 2” and is a lot girthier. I already had to move a fungia he’s grown over.

Nutrients aren’t the variable stressing him out unless your phosphates are near zero and there is a phosphate deficiency.

Thanks. I‘ll try to relocate again. Side note — and another newbie Q — I thought the goal was to have very low phosphates and nitrates. Last test my phosphates were 0.03 and nitrates around 15-20

 

[living_tribunal]

Thanks. I‘ll try to relocate again. Side note — and another newbie Q — I thought the goal was to have very low phosphates and nitrates. Last test my phosphates were 0.03 and nitrates around 15-20

No, corals need a little bit of nitrate and a fair amount of phosphate depending on who you ask. Most people target phosphate .03-.1 and nitrate 3-10.

With some new research coming out about how corals can grow faster under higher phosphate and potentially stunted by higher nitrate, I run .1 phosphate and about .5 nitrate.

Nothing worth chasing unless you’re adventurous, just make sure both are always available in the water column.

When you have sudden shifts in nutrients, namely with them going to 0, you also run the risk of getting dino.

Regarding the trachy*, he’s never going to be happy like that. I’m a firm believer in most brains being on the bed but scolys and trachys especially need to be on the bed. They have significantly looser tissue that sags and is not held up or supported by the skeleton. They can’t be comfortable really without a bottom supporting them.

 

[mike550]

No, corals need a little bit of nitrate and a fair amount of phosphate depending on who you ask. Most people target phosphate .03-.1 and nitrate 3-10.

With some new research coming out about how corals can grow faster under higher phosphate and potentially stunted by higher nitrate, I run .1 phosphate and about .5 nitrate.

Nothing worth chasing unless you’re adventurous, just make sure both are always available in the water column.

When you have sudden shifts in nutrients, namely with them going to 0, you also run the risk of getting dino.

Regarding the trachy*, he’s never going to be happy like that. I’m a firm believer in most brains being on the bed but scolys and trachys especially need to be on the bed. They have significantly looser tissue that sags and is not held up or supported by the skeleton. They can’t be comfortable really without a bottom supporting them.

Thanks for all of your help! I’ll try to remember to report back in a few weeks to give an update.