Is this typical behavior for a lobo coral?

[Deej1534]

I have noticed my lobo sitting open with its feeders out all the time. I feed it every other to every three days. It has been doing great but today noticed it was sitting open and not actively taking food. I am in the process of bringing down my phosphates so I’m not sure if it’s due to this? I have been doing a controlled decline using gfo and am finally down to a lower number. Two days ago it was .25 which is still high but I don’t want to crash the tank. Does anyone see anything I am not seeing. It seems to be a bit receded. What causes this? Is it that the coral is getting rid of waste from food? Any help would be great! Parameters below: second photo was taken two nights ago

Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Nitrates: 10 ppm
Ph: 8.16
Orp: 344-380 ppm
Salinity: 36.4 ppm
Temp: 77.6
Alkalinity: 9.0 ppm
Ca: 420 ppm
Magnesium: 1450 ppm
Phosphate: .25 ppm

 

[glb]

Is there a lighting difference with the photos? I see way more green in the second pic

 

[Deej1534]

Is there a lighting difference with the photos? I see way more green in the second pic

Second photo was taken with a lens on my camera which pulls out the greens and blues

 

[encrustingacro]

That is not a lobo but actually an acanthastrea pachysepta

 

[Deej1534]

That is not a lobo but actually an acanthastrea pachysepta

Hmm interesting I looked both up and definitely seems to be right. Are they in a similar genus? It was sold to me as a lobo

 

[encrustingacro]

Hmm interesting I looked both up and definitely seems to be right. Are they in a similar genus? It was sold to me as a lobo

Acanthastrea pachysepta is an acan that looks like (and used to be classified as) a lobophyllia, which is why they are usually misidentified. They both are in the family lobophylliidae. Most true acans are called echinatas by the hobby and look something like this:

Pachyseptas can be identified by how their flesh looks like. They will also sometimes have teeth sticking out.

However, what the hobby calls acans are actually a species from a different genus called micromussa lordhowensis.

 

[Wasabiroot]

It's not possible to identify if Lobo vs Acan pachysepta by picture alone. The best indication is aggression.

Is it possible the animal recently ate or pooped?

 

[encrustingacro]

It's not possible to identify if Lobo vs Acan pachysepta by picture alone. The best indication is aggression.

Is it possible the animal recently ate or pooped?

Acan pachyseptas have different looking flesh than lobophyllias, but you are right, aggression is probably the best indication.

 

[Wasabiroot]

I need a tie die acan one day...

OP, monitor it overnight and it may be normal looking tomorrow.

 

[slickreefing]

I have noticed my lobo sitting open with its feeders out all the time. I feed it every other to every three days. It has been doing great but today noticed it was sitting open and not actively taking food. I am in the process of bringing down my phosphates so I’m not sure if it’s due to this? I have been doing a controlled decline using gfo and am finally down to a lower number. Two days ago it was .25 which is still high but I don’t want to crash the tank. Does anyone see anything I am not seeing. It seems to be a bit receded. What causes this? Is it that the coral is getting rid of waste from food? Any help would be great! Parameters below: second photo was taken two nights ago

Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Nitrates: 10 ppm
Ph: 8.16
Orp: 344-380 ppm
Salinity: 36.4 ppm
Temp: 77.6
Alkalinity: 9.0 ppm
Ca: 420 ppm
Magnesium: 1450 ppm
Phosphate: .25 ppm

Are you spot feeding meaty foods? What’s the water change amount and frequency?