Problems with my red open brain coral

[molybdenumman]

Best of the season to all.

I got an open brain coral about a month ago for my 55g tank. Colour was great until about a week ago. The red seems to be disappearing. Water parameters appear to be ok, so as the tree said to the lumberjack, I'm stumped.

The coral is on the sand bed partially sheltered by a live rock overhang. I have 2x55W 10000K compact fluorescent bulbs going for about 8 hours/day along with actinic lighting. There is good flow.

Is this colour loss common? How do I bring back that vibrant red colour?

Any help would be appreciated.

[pocilipora]

Are you feeding it?

[molybdenumman]

I add the phytoplankton 2-3 times per week at recommended dosages.

[andestang]

I have 2x55W 10000K compact fluorescent bulbs I wonder if that is enough w's - whats the distance from the bulbs ?

[molybdenumman]

The coral is about 18" from the lights

[andestang]

maybe try and move it out into the open for a bit

[pocilipora]

Try and feed it some brine shrimp at night and make sure nothing steals the food. Do that a couple times a week and see if that makes a difference. JMO

[Aquattro]

I add the phytoplankton 2-3 times per week at recommended dosages.

Braincorals don't eat phytoplankton. That could mean it's hungry! :razz:

Try feeding it some mysis at night when it's polyps are out.

[molybdenumman]

Pardon the ignorance, but could you tell me what mysis is? Where can i get some in the interior? Also, can you suggest ways to feed the coral so that the other fish don't eat it?

Thanks

[martym]

It is a fresh water shrimp. this is how I feed them to my sun coral. Turn off light and wait for it to open. Defrost mysis in a little bit of tank water. Rinse it to get ride of impurities, turn pumps off, use turkey baster( not your wifes, you'll need to get a new one :smile: ) then gently squeeze the mysis into the open polyps. If the fish come, gently tap them with baster, they won't hang around. Good luck

[molybdenumman]

Can I get mysis in any pet store or is it something I'll need to order?

[martym]

Your LFS should have it. Frozen is how it comes. They are collected out of Okanagen Lake, you should be able to get them up there. I don't know if he ships but Wendell at Oceanaquatics sells them.

[molybdenumman]

LFS?

[Jack]

Local Fish Store. :biggrin:

[molybdenumman]

Makes sense, D'uh

[Jason McK]

I also had a red brain under 4 X 55W PC and color was an issue. I raised it up closer to the lights and things improved. But it wasn't until I changed my lights to 2X250 MH that the Brain really started to flourish

[molybdenumman]

Did you just put the brain on live rock? I thought it had to be in the sand?

[Jason McK]

I had, at the time, two Brains off the sand bed. Now I have one in the sand and one on my LR seems fine.

J

[pocilipora]

Personaly I find Mysis too oily and fatty. It also leaves an oil slick on top of my water. And its not even from the ocean. :biggrin: Some kind of enriched brine shrimp is the way to go. IMO

[Aquattro]

Personaly I find Mysis too oily and fatty. It also leaves an oil slick on top of my water. And its not even from the ocean. :biggrin: Some kind of enriched brine shrimp is the way to go. IMO

Chris, aren't brine shrimp from a lake in Utah? :razz:

[pocilipora]

And all this time I thought they came from the ocean!! :redface: Guess you learn something new every day. :biggrin: But I still like the brine just because they seem less fatty and oily. Less of a pollutant.

[Aquattro]

To be fair, I believe some come from saline lagoons near San Francisco. Pretty darn close to ocean. Personally I think the difference between mysis and brine is fully balanced meal vs. popcorn. And no matter how much "enriching" is done to the brine, it's still popcorn. IMO

[EmilyB]

Personaly I find Mysis too oily and fatty.

Yeah, damn those omega fatty acids :razz: ....I have never had a problem with that really, but I rinse them in tank water and then soak them in Kent Zoe, or Selcon or whatever I have at the time.

I guess broken mysis leach oils...

http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/advertisers/piscine/piscineintro.htm

[Aquattro]

I actually thaw mine by placing in a small plastic seive and rinsing under the tap. Maybe that's why I never noticed excess oil.