Pick your brain

[Euphylliaphyle]

What would be your one pick for a brain coral, if you could only have one? I have limited space and am new to these. I'm trying to balance beauty (including color), aggression, size and cliché brain coral looks.

 

[kevgib67]

What would be your one pick for a brain coral, if you could only have one? I have limited space and am new to these. I'm trying to balance beauty (including color), aggression, size and cliché brain coral looks.

I love trachy’s!

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

I love trachy’s!

Beautiful! Any regrettable downside? Or things one should know before getting one?

 

[kevgib67]

Beautiful! Any regrettable downside? Or things one should know before getting one?

No down sides, I don’t spot feed because I don’t get any feeding response like I do from my Scolys. I do broadcast feed BeneReef and aminos. @Corals.com have some nice ones right now.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

I don’t spot feed because I don’t get any feeding response

You must hate Goniopora then!

 

[kevgib67]

You must hate Goniopora then!

Actually never had one and no plans, you nailed it.

 

[exnisstech]

I only have one brain coral not on the list. I used to have some nice brains and meat coral lobo, Trachy, acanthophylia and a couple of cynarina but lost them all a few years back.
This one is supposed to be a platygyra but I'm not sure is it actually is or not.

This is an old tank in its prime.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

supposed to be a platygyra but I'm not sure is it actually is or not.

Gonistrea? I like it, regardless! Which of the old brains would you get first (and why?) if doing it again?

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

I only have one brain coral not on the list. I used to have some nice brains and meat coral lobo, Trachy, acanthophylia and a couple of cynarina but lost them all a few years back.
This one is supposed to be a platygyra but I'm not sure is it actually is or not.

This is an old tank in its prime.

Is the pink one (front center) your cynarina? I want a red one! Red is way underrepresented in my tank.
Did you have any problem with aggression? Those you named seem really close together from that pic.

 

[exnisstech]

Is the pink one (front center) your cynarina? I want a red one! Red is way underrepresented in my tank.
Did you have any problem with aggression? Those you named seem really close together from that pic.

It is a cynarina. I looked for quite a while before finding one locally.
I didn't have any aggression with the ones in the photo. I did have a large lobo not shown that was pretty aggressive.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

It is a cynarina. I looked for quite a while before finding one locally.
I didn't have any aggression with the ones in the photo. I did have a large lobo not shown that was pretty aggressive.

So for tighter quarters, I take it you'd go with a Trachy over a Lobo?

 

[exnisstech]

So for tighter quarters, I take it you'd go with a Trachy over a Lobo?

Absolutely. My lobo could be down right vicious. I never noticed anything tentacles on the trachy.

 

[kevgib67]

Absolutely. My lobo could be down right vicious. I never noticed anything tentacles on the trachy.

^ no aggression from my trachy.

 

[thamnasteroid]

I probably would do Lobophyllia or Oulophyllia, but that's just my taste.

PS, you forgot Platygyra

Gonistrea? I like it, regardless! Which of the old brains would you get first (and why?) if doing it again?

Not Goniastrea, Goniastrea are usually monocentric and have paliform lobes. Most of the photos for Goniastrea in google images are actually not Goniastrea

Compare:
Goniastrea edwardsi | Red Sea, Egypt | Credit: @thamnasteroid

So for tighter quarters, I take it you'd go with a Trachy over a Lobo?

Absolutely. My lobo could be down right vicious. I never noticed anything tentacles on the trachy.

From what I know, true Lobophyllia aren't actually aggressive and the aggressive ones are actually pachyseptas, though a photo would be needed for proper ID.