LPS Corals: Green Open Brain Coral, Trachyphyllia radiata
  Buy the Green Open Brain Coral, Trachyphyllia radiata
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Green Open Brain Coral
Trachyphyllia radiata, Australia & Indonesia

Picture of Open Green Open Brain Corals, Trachyphyllia radiata
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Approx Inflated Size: Small: 2" to 2-3/4", Medium: 3" to 3-3/4", Large: 4" to 5"


Green Open Brain Corals,Trachyphyllia radiata from Indonesia and Australia are available in Metallic Green and Sea Foam Green. These corals are most often found as a free living, solitary individual living along a reef base on muddy or sandy bottoms, or in sea grass beds. The Open Brain Coral is a Large Polyp Stony (LPS) coral, sometimes referred to as the Trach Coral or Trachyphyllia Brain Coral. The skeleton of the Trachyphyllia Brain Coral has an oval or figure eight shape on top and forms a point at the bottom of the coral. Pigments within the coral fluoresce brightly under reef aquarium lighting. These easy to keep LPS corals are great for beginners. Their polyps are large fleshy mantles, and they come in varying shades of brilliant metallic greens, metallic reds, and pinks. The septa, or the "teeth" on the inside of the corallite wall, are large and form a ridging look under the flesh. The Open Brain Coral is moderately easy to care for, they only need a lower moderate light and gentle water movement. The green variety handles a moderate lighting better.

Difficulty Moderately easy to care for. Being moderately easy to care for, they only need a lower moderate light and gentle water movement. The green variety handles moderate lighting better. The most important care that must be exercised for a long lasting and healthy coral is daily feeding. They are voracious eaters, and if not fed well can start to recede. The polyps tentacles come out at night to feed, and may come out during the day when food is present.

Aggressiveness The Open Brain Coral is peaceful, with no sweeper tentacles. There needs to be plenty of space between it and other corals that have sweeper tentacles so they cannot sting the Open Brain coral.

Water-flow The Open Brain Coral requires gentle to moderate water flow

Lighting The Open Brain Coral requires moderate lighting (PAR 150-250). T5's, Metal Halides, or LED's can all grow Trachyphyllia geoffroyi corals when the proper PAR levels are provided. We recommend a 14-20K color spectrum for best coloration. If it will be exposed to brighter lighting it needs to be acclimated to the high lights in the tank slowly, as it is not usually exposed to intense lighting in the ocean because of its depth. Start out with low lighting, positioning the polyps to face out (versus upwards) and have it shaded by rock or something within the tank. The lighting can gradually get stronger over time, but make the changes very slowly.

Tank Recommendations A mature, well-fed live rock/reef environment is what is needed for your Folded Brain Coral, along with some fish for organic matter production, and dissolved organics. Care must be taken when placing the coral in the aquarium so that nothing will damage the soft tissue. When placing them in the aquarium place them on the substrate or mid-way in the aquarium where they will receive the most direct light. Open Brain Corals can become shocked and potentially bleached (a rapid die-off of the algae in its tissue) after rapid changes in the intensity of its lighting. Always acclimate carefully, over many weeks time if you are increasing the light intensity. Have an area of substrate that is free from rocks or other sharp objects to put your Wellsophyllia Folded Brain coral on. Placing it in rock work can cause the flesh to be lacerated, leading to disease and death.

Diet and Feeding In captivity, the Open Brain Coral can be fed at night when the feeding tentacles are out, but they will come out during the day as well, if it senses food in the water. Feed it daily. They will eat mysis, fortified brine shrimp, rotifers, Cyclopeeze and other similarly sized meaty foods. Larger pieces than a typical mysis is not digestible, and although the animal "accepts" it, it will regurgitate it up later in the night. The most important care that must be exercised for a long lasting and healthy coral is daily feeding. They are voracious eaters, and if not fed well can start to recede. The polyps tentacles come out at night to feed, and may come out during the day when food is present.

Reproduction In captivity the Open Brain coral is responsive to fragmenting. It was once thought that when fragging, a mouth must be present on the newly cut section. This has been shown not to be the case. Choose an animal that has been well fed and is very healthy. Using a water cooled saw, like a ceramic tile cutter, works great. The cut needs to be clean and prompt. From a grapefruit sized colony, you can harvest about 8 to 12 frags.




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Photos are representative of each species. All marine life will be unique and variations should be expected, color and sizes may vary.