What's wrong with my brain?

B

buyitjody

[Ok, no comments from the peanut gallery about my title...

Seriously though, I have a Brain Coral, Wellsophyllia - Metallic that has done great since I got it (about 1 year old). Well, one day last week, it was all small during the day like it gets when it is sleeping. I thought, "well, it's done this once or twice before and is usually back to normal the next day." Unfortunately, the next day it was not fine. It looked worse. Tissue recession taking place. I also have a red Brain Coral, Lobophyllia which is doing just fine (all the other corals look fine, too). I did all the tests (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity, salinity, PH...) and everything was fine (actually, all the tests showed my parameters were better than they ever have been). I moved it off the substrate (where it always has been) and moved it on a small rock about 1 inch off the substrate, thinking maybe something was bothering it. It "puffed" back out slightly the next day, but not half as big as it has always been. It was looking sickly again today. It still has all its coloring, too.

Any ideas on anything else I can check on?]
 
[Has it come into contact with any other coral? My lobo was touched by ricordia, and one polyp did exactly like you describe. I thought I'd be able to save it and it would heal - until all my fish thought it was delicious and that was the end of that one. There is still one solitary polyp, but I don't believe I'll get that one again.

Also, you might try feeding it - although it will take an hour to actually eat. I made a dome with a 2-liter bottle to protect it from my cleaner shrimp so it would get a meal.]
 
[Do you ever run Carbon?

If you do not do this you may want to try to add some for a few days. You could have a build up of toxins or organic matter that the brain does not like. I once had yellow polyps that looked terrible. I remembered that I had not run Carbon in a while and after adding carbon they opened up great in a couple of days.

Another thing to consider is your lighting. Is it getting close to changing your bulbs or have you added something else in the tank that may have been shading the brain.

If you need some carbon I plan to be at the Wednesday meeting if you would like some.]
 
[Marc--nothing is touching it. I will try your feeding idea.

Steven--I won't be at the meeting. Impossible for me to make it to Ft. Worth on a Wednesday after work. It was starting to get shaded by another coral, but I moved it back in full light. Was fine until recently. I do have carbon running (Chemi-pure), but I will go ahead and change it out tonight to try that. The bulbs aren't due for a change until April. I could try moving it to the other side of the tank. Maybe its a bad vibe on the side it's on now. :shocked:

Thanks for the ideas...I'll try those to see if I can save it. I loved this brain, too---so very pretty.]
 
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