Feeding Open Brain

[allan]

Ok, so I've had this fella for about three months. Picked it up from Mike during the breakdown.

I've targetted this guy a time or two when it opens up during feedings, but today I took two Krill guys and placed them directly into the section where the tentacle meets the green section where the mouths are. Let me tell you something, this guy ate both pieces.

My question is this, do I have to feed each mouth or does a feeding to one mouth equate to food for the entire brain? I've never seen it do anything more than curl up around the food particles that I gently jet onto it. But with the Krill, well two pieces into two mouths, but I noticed that this guy has about five to six of these mouths.

[Kyle46N]

I'm pretty sure that it the nutrition is delivered to the whole animal. I haven't fed mine in about 5 months, but it has doubled in size anyhow. Lately I have been tempted to feed it at night though....it's really throwing out those tentacles.

[edshas2]

yeah i sometimes feed my brain and sometimes i dont but it still seems to grow, And mine throws out its tentacles when i turn off powerheads. guess it knows im ready to feed the fish

[Mr Cob]

I have tried both target feeding and no feeding with the same results...Death.

For some reason, XENIA and Brains are the only corals I can not keep. I don't get it. Possibly my water is too clean for xenia, but I don't get it on the brains.

I have a sweet brain right now melting away...he's about half gone. I have tried high light, low light, flow of all types, feeding and non feeding.

[allan]

That sucks Rob, I share your experience with the Xenias. But I hope to draw the line there.

This morning when I got up the coral had its tentacles extended and the krill, albeit a bit bleached, appear to be resting on top of the animal. I will remove prior to leaving for work.

[OrionN]

Rob & Allan,
I am not sure about brains, but Xenia does not take heat spike very well. Clean water, not problem but with heat they just melt. My tank have thriving beautiful color Acro and Xenia all over.

[allan]

You know that may have been my problem. In my old tank my temp ran about 80 to 82, regularly going to 84. In my new tank I've taken out the heaters and put a fan to cool my t5s, now my tank sits at around 77 on the low end and 79 at the top end.

I may try the zenias again. I had heard that they don't tolerate temperature that well.

[justahobby]

Krill is pretty meaty and takes along time to digest for corals to digest. Mysis or smaller pieces might work better

[allan]

Krill is pretty meaty and takes along time to digest for corals to digest. Mysis or smaller pieces might work better

Sounds good. How about silversides? To tell you the truth I get tired trying to de-shell those krill anyway. My cow prefers when I deliver them without the shell. Of course he took a part of my arm Sunday while I was trying to place the Krill onto the brain coral. They say that they are smart but I believe he's gullible as heck. He follows the blue turkey baster, but will follow it back to the front of the tank while food swirls behind him... sorry, a bit off topic.

[ballardjr2000]

i only use krill to feed my eel and anenome, the rest i use myrsis and brine with zooplankton. so they get there meat potatoes veggie and dessert.

[RICKY81]

same here i mainly feed my open and closed brains mysis and brine shrimp...and they will show there tentacles during lights on/off or when i turn off the water pumps... i have tried given it krill and will do just great but of course i only give hime 1 at a time...

my open brain has two mouths but i think that aslong as u feed one mouth the nutrition/food ends up in the same place, they just tend to have several openings to be able to get food , that is what i think..

[allan]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I'm going back to the mysis and other stuff. I didn't realize the little guy spent all night with its mouth open. I can target it at that time while feeding the sun coral.

[OrionN]

I may try the zenias again. I had heard that they don't tolerate temperature that well.
If you want some, let me know. The next time I am in San Antonio, I can bring some for you. I got lots of Red Sea Xenia (white pompom type)

[JoshOdphi]

i feed my plate coral mysis shriimp and cyclops...so far so good...its cool seeing its mouth open up wide and swallow it.....

[allan]

If you want some, let me know. The next time I am in San Antonio, I can bring some for you. I got lots of Red Sea Xenia (white pompom type)


I would love some, but I've signed on with another for that Pink Xenia (not that I'm crazy about the color :) ). I would rather find out if I can house them before trying another variety, but thanks for the offer.

I guess what I have isn't plate coral. The only thing I've seen my 'plates' do is open those tiny little bumps. Some times they are really pronounced, but most often they are just little bumps. I think I'm mistaking my cap for plate, and I have another that is a big green thick wide thing that has the bumps opening during the day under strong light. Not sure what it's called but I've had it about six months now. Wife says it's growing but I can't discern any real growth.

I am off to google to do some research...

[Mr Cob]

Allan, the pink Xenia is Elongata. You will like the Pom Pom Xenia (white) much more.

I have not had luck with either and my temps are stable at 76-77 day and night under T5 bulbs.

Post pics and we can ID for you.

[allan]

:) both sound good, especially in my sparsley populated semi-reef want-to-be tank...

I feel like a ding dong. I looked up Plate Coral and what I've been thinking is plate is definitely not. I can post a picture of the green thing tonight. The brown one I was able to identify as Caponnella (sp?) of some sort. It's brown so I imagine it's a very common variety. The green thing I have not been able to locate a picture anywhere.

of course my google search "green flat coral" wasn't helpful. I'm sure it's another common variety though. I think I picked it up for 9.99 at AD in february.