New addition to my display

[IamRit]

I really love the colors on this brain. Not much of a brain coral fan. I got to have this one when I saw it.

 

[Ladipyg]

SWEET BRAIN!!! Must have brain...don't ever let anyone ever talk you into fragging it. A friend tried once and only 1 frag out of about 14 survived....so sad

 

[IamRit]

Ohhhhh. I had many folks wanting a frag. I thought about fragging it for them. Not sure if I'm going to do that now. :)

 

[Hungriee]

great colors are the brain. is that a wellso species?

 

[IamRit]

I'm not so sure to be honest with you. I'm not much of the brain fan.

 

[MitchReef]

Looks like a major sweet Trachyphillia to me...I would never frag mine...I just never heard of many folks having much luck with that....Some day I will have to find him a new home cause he's as big as a small loaf of bread already!!!

 

[lpsjunkie]

i must agree that does look more like a wellso to me but still a beautiful piece. i have thought about ordering one from aquaticgallerylive

 

[IamRit]

I looked up on Liveaquaria. It's a wellso.

 

[Mr.Firemouth]

If you ask Eric Borneman or Anthony Calfo, they will tell you that your brain coral is Trachyphyllia geoffroyi. The wellsophylia has a different polyp and skeleton shape.
It is NOT advised to follow LFS info for coral ID. Post a pic at Marine Depot.com for Eric to comment on, but I assure you he will confer that it is a geoffroyi.

As for survival of brain coral frags, I have fragged these 5 times. Water quality must be very stable and clean, a scroll saw is recommended, and the frags should NOT be transferred or disturbed for 90 days until full healed. They should recieve less light and flow, and should be bathed in a reef dip if any signs of tissue recession occur.

LPS corals are susceptible to bacterial and protozoan infections after being fragged. They IMO need extra TLC for up to 3 months until they are in the clear. I flip them upside down and saw thru the thinnest parts of the skeletons.

On a personal note, if the coral is uncommonly colored I do NOT recommend cutting it. It would be worth much more as a large show piece than it would as several small pieces. It is beautiful as it is and has taken years to grow to that size.

 

[Reef Pets]

Either way, its a nice coral with amazing color. I dont care for brain coral myself but I would be proud to have that in a show tank.

 

[IamRit]

Rich, thanks for the info. Trachyphyllia geoffroyi it is then. I think Liveaquaria did mumble something to the affect that the wellsophyllia is now often referred to trachyphyllia radiata.

Oh, I just moved this from my frag tank to the display as well. Isn't she purty. The color should be just a tad more red. I not too good with the camera.

 

[zoous]

Awesome colors. Nice pics. Thanks for sharing.