What's wrong with my brain coral?

Phyber · Aug 13, 2012

Recently one of my brain corals have been looking "floppy." I have it positioned at the bottom of the tank, in as low flow as possible. I can also never get my corals to eat shrimp, nor have seen any feeding tentacles or open mouths.

My clowns are often seen lieing in it.

What can I do?

Thanks r2r!!!

ritter6788 · Aug 13, 2012

Looks like it's in pretty bad shape. Was it like that when you bought it or is it dying in the middle? I doubt you'll get much feeding response out of a Trachyphyllia that bad. I wouldn't give up on it though. Can you get a top down shot to see if it still has a mouth?

Phyber · Aug 13, 2012

ritter6788 said:
Looks like it's in pretty bad shape. Was it like that when you bought it or is it dying in the middle? I doubt you'll get much feeding response out of a Trachyphyllia that bad. I wouldn't give up on it though. Can you get a top down shot to see if it still has a mouth?

I purchased it roughly 8 months ago, with just a tiny bit of skeleton showing. It looked like it was mending well, then took a turn for the worse and you see how it is now, top down is hard as the tank is so deep. The mouth must be still sealed solid, it's def not open.

I have a heliofungia coral that went from being big and beautiful to dead skeleton within 3 months as well :/ these two are the only ones with issues.

Degener8 · Aug 13, 2012

Personally I would cut the dead skeleton out.frag it in half basically cutting the skeleton away it will just keep reversing at this point. If done right each half will live and develope new mouths. This is not for the faint of heart though.

ritter6788 · Aug 13, 2012

If it had skeleton showing when you got it then it was risky to begin with anyway. It may have been in it's way out already. Recoveries aren't 100% with these if they are damaged or stressed. Keep trying to feed it small foods like mysis and keep it in low flow/low light. You can cut it in half like stated above. I've had increased luck with LPS by smoothing out the skeleton so it's easier to grow back over it.

Phyber · Aug 13, 2012

Degener8 said:
Personally I would cut the dead skeleton out.frag it in half basically cutting the skeleton away it will just keep reversing at this point. If done right each half will live and develope new mouths. This is not for the faint of heart though.

Yikes! The only fragging ive done so far is on zoas and leather corals! Any guidelines on how to do this with the corals health/safety in mind?