Help with Brain

[goby1kanobi]

Mr Calfo, met you last time when you came to Houston, hope things are well. Need some help with our large brain coral. 2 days ago we moved the growing torch coral a few more inches away from our growing brain. Since then the brain is deflating and pouting. Target fed it reef frenzy and it seemed to puff up a little but tonight the mouth is gaping.
I don't believe the torch brushed it when moving but need to know how far away should that torch be from the brain? They have been living side by side for almost 6 months but I was told needed to move the torch off of the sand. That improved the torch but the brain is really suffering.
The brain is downwind of the torch about 8 inches. Water parameters and temp have all been steady and everyone else looks super.
Any help would be much appreciated
Goby1

 

[goby1kanobi]

Actually, this SOS is for anyone that has any idea what to do next. This morning brain is deflated, no convolutions and mouth is -. this is the first time I post here so not sure if posted in right area or protocol.

 

[mark peacock]

brain

Hi and welcome to RF not sure if its correct or not you say that its down wind try putting it on the opposite side just to see if it may help? sorry not sure why know one else as helped with this but i have a red bran coral and have know issues with mine at all and i have a torch coral about 10 inch away and doe's not show any effect on the brain so not to sure.

 

[goby1kanobi]

Thanks for responding. In Texas, down wind means it is in the path of....below....especially in the smoke-fire reference. If you were standing down wind of a fire you would get smoke in your eyes...So, the Torch gets most of the powerhead blowing through it as the Brain sits in the path of the flowing water after it has gone through the Torch. It had been in the same location for months and done really well. I'm afraid the Torch might be emitting some kind of pheronome to upset the brain so much but good idea. I'm gonna try.
Many thanks!!!!!!!1

 

[gary shandling]

Something changed. Its getting more light or less flow or more flow. Or the coral movement stirred up sediment causeing ammonia or nitrate or whatever to increase.
Coral like your torch and brain like small meaty bits of food like cyclops or even brine shrimp fead often in controlled amounts. Coral frenzy might help some but not enough and like fish like a well mixed diet of multiple food type.

Also many brains perfer feeding or extending there tenticles a few hours after lights out so night feeding might be needed.

Ill bet you have atleast 2 problem points and moveing the coral added one more problem point or increased an excisting problem.
Information like tanks size and age with all equipment used with water readings you test for and there levels would be a great start. Or we can continue to give well placed guesses.

 

[goby1kanobi]

I think you are right. Everything was great until the Torch was moved. I think it needs more to eat. Will keep you posted. Many Many thanks-seems to at least be holding it's own and the only change in 1.5 years has been the recent Torch change.

 

[goby1kanobi]

Well, I am happy to report. Thanks to everyone's suggestion our brain looks back to normal. I did move it away from the Torch about another 12 inches so a total of about 28 inches. But, more than that I target fed it some brine shrimp and I watched.
I noticed that the big yellow Tang, Hippo and shrimp love to steal the food. So, I placed a plastic dome shaped lid w a cutout circle at the top,that come on the Icee frozen drinks, on top of the brain while it ate.
I could then squirt some brine in a little at a time. That Tang tried and tried to get to the food. -Today the brain looks bright, puffy and convolutions are back. Thanks everyone for your help and saving our brain.

 

[jadeguppy]

I had one get damaged by a clownfish. Feeding meaty foods greatly increased the rate at which it was healing. Although I did use some brine shrimp, I mostly used mysis. If you need to trigger the feeding response, I find adding reef chile or similar product to the water about 15 minutes prior to the meaty foods gets the corals excited.