Scientific
Name: Trachyphyllia geoffroyi
Classification: LPS
Common Name: Open Brain Coral
Description:
The Open Brain coral has a heavy conical base skeleton that is usually in the
form of a pinched oval when viewed from the top. There are usually 2 or 3 large
polyps which are red or green in color. The red forms are usually from
lower light environments than the green forms. Tentacles are extended
around the mouth during evening and night time.
Veron: Colonies are
flabello-meandroid and free-living. They are usually hourglass
shaped, up to 80 millimeters in length with one to three separate
mouths. Large, fully flabello-meandroid colonies are uncommon.
Valleys have large regular septa and paliform lobes and a large columella
of tangled spines. Polyps are fleshy. When tentacles are
retracted during the day a large mantle extends well beyond the perimeter
of the skeleton. This retracts if disturbed. At night
tentacles in several rows are extended from the expanded oral disc inside
the mantle. The mouth is approximately 10 millimeters across.
Color: Polyps, especially the mantles, are often brightly colored,
usually yellow, brown, blue or green.
Natural Environment:
Veron: Inter-reef environments and on soft
substrates around continental islands. Frequently found with other
free-living corals: Heteropsammia (Dendropphylliidae), Heterocyathus
(Caryophylliidae) and the fungiids, Cycloseris and Diaseris.
Large colonies are found only in certain protected, shallow island embayments. Abundance: Rare on reefs, common around continental
islands and some inter-reef areas.
Care:
Hardiness: Moderately
hardy. Sometimes will be picked on by aggressive fish. A thumbnail
above shows the skeleton showing through where a fish has picked at the
coral. It is possible for the coral to recover if the offending fish
and the coral are separated.
Lighting: Requires moderate to strong lighting. As noted above, the
red variants may require less light than the green variety.
Water Current:Open Brain corals prefer low to moderate water flow for
optimum polyp extension..
Temperature: Does well within a range of at least 75º to 84º F
Aggressiveness: Low.
Feeding: Open Brain coral is photosynthetic and requires no direct
feeding, but an occasional feeding of shrimp or other meaty food once or twice a
month is appreciated.
Supplements: Maintaining correct calcium levels is important for
skeletal development. There is some evidence that iodine may be important
for this specimen.
Tank Positioning: Should be placed on the bottom of the
tank on the sandy substrate in a low to moderate water flow area.
