Lobo Brain question

[redrooster]

I want to start by mentioning that I successfully fragged my purple lobo brain. I know it's not that exciting, but I did it all by myself withoug any instructions. Usually I research these sorts of things before just going at it, but it was remarkably simple. Anyways my question is this. I have a red lobo, about 3"x5" which is all "one head". It has about 7 mouths but all the tissue is in 1 "bone" tube. My purple Lobo however had 17 "bone" tubes,mostly with one mouth each but some with 2. 3 or 4 tubes will be connected at their bases and then each group in connected at their bases. This made it very easy to just sheer one of the groups of the main piece without any tissue being exposed. Again the red one isn't like this. Maybe as it gets bigger each mouth will become surronded by it's own tube as they move away from each other? I am trying to figure out if these are actually 2 different species/sub-species? or if it is just a "maturity" issue? Most of the Lobo's I have seen are like my purple with the multiple tube structure so this has me kinda of confused.

 

[bripen]

Are you sure the red is a Lobo, and not a Trachyphyllia? Not trying to insult you--just asking.

 

[redrooster]

No insult taken. In fact that is why I am asking as I thougth it might not be a lobo. I just bought it last week and when I looked at it I thought it was a lobo. When I asked the LFS guy what it was he said red lobo $20. This guy is a new dealer in my area, and to put in perspective none of the LFS near me sell anything for less than $30. So when he said $20 for a nice sized piece I didn't really care what it was I said sold. Anyways I would guess you are correct and that it is not a lobo at all. Does the species you mentioned look mostly the same otherwise except the differences I noted. I kinda pops out of its tube like rising loaf of bread. Its a flat color that does not glow in actinics. I appreciate the response as I am not a expert by any means. I thought I knew a lot from talking to LFS staff and other hobbyist's, but after coming on this forum I learning that I know a whole lot of BS. Luckily I've had mostly good results in my first few years. I've lost a few indivual pieces here and there, but have had no major disasters.

 

[bripen]

Lobo's look just like Trachy's, but Lobo's have what I call "teeth" or nubs all over them. Trachy's don't usually "pop out of a tube" though. You might have a Cynarina, or "Meat Coral". These are all pretty related.

 

[bripen]

If you click on the "My Photo Gallery" link under my name, I have a pic of a red Trachy in my gallery

 

[redrooster]

I just looked up a bunch of picutres on these species and it doesn't quite seem to match any of them. I looked at your trachy and I do have one of those (It is tie dye colored with green/red/purple), but that is not quite what I am talking about. You seem to be on the right path though. The meat is not at all translucent so I don't think it's a Meat/Donut coral. I will have to get my camera working so as to be able to show you what it looks like. It doens't really matter I guess, it is what it is. Just not sure if it likes high/low light, flow, etc... I just put in the middle of the water column with moderate flow and will move it if at any point it doesn't seem happy.

 

[bripen]

I suspect that you might have what they call a "Candy Cane or Trumpet" coral? Maybe check out Caulastrea furcata or C. echinulata.

 

[redrooster]

I've looked at all the ID pictures on here, and looked up all the stuff you mentioned at various other sites. After viewing them all I am going to have to stick with it being a lobo. It does have "teeth" all around the edges as you mentioned. My digital camera seems to be broken?!?, but if I ever get a photo I will post it for a more positive ID. It is opening up well now(overflowing it skeleton liked rising bread) so I think it is happy where it is.