brain wont open anymore??

[roooler]

Tank age 1 year +
55 Gal tank
20 Gal sump
LED 48" Bar 3w led - 32 Leds.
2 T5 bulbs

Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0
PH - 8.0
Amonia - 0
Salinity - 1.024
Temp - 78F​

I picked this Brain up from a Lfs probably about 4 weeks ago..

He looked great in the store..

I dripped him and situated him in the tank on the sand bed.

He was opened and looked awesome for about 1 week and then he started looking like this..

I picked him up off the sand and placed him uptop on a rock.. he hasnt been opened for at least 2-3 weeks now

He is slimy to the touch like he was when i first bought him.. I have completed 2 water changes and still nothing.

How do you know when/if they are dead? Anything i can try to save it and make it open?

What kind of brain is it?

all my other corals - Frogspawn, Hammerhead, Ricordea, even my Clam is doing great..


Thanks everyone.

 

[cloak]

It might be recieving too much light. Try placing it back on the sandbed for awhile and see what happens. It did look good in your first picture.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+321+432&pcatid=432

 

[roooler]

cloak thank you for your response.

I moved him back down on the sand bed were there is less light.. I am going to keep a close eye on him and hopefully he will open up.

I forgot to mention my wife was so excited to surprise me with a new fish she bought me as a surprise.. a tiny 1" or smaller - valentini puffer :-/ i couldn't hurt her feelings so i tossed him in the tank.. I have noticed he has picked at the brain coral a little bit but nothing major..

Could he be the reason it hasn't opened again? i would say in a week worth of time he picks at it maybe 2-3 times per week.

Other then that i have 2 clarkiis.

 

[cloak]

Puffers and corals are not a good mix. That beak of theirs can do some serious damage to both corals & invertebrates. If you want this to be a successful reef tank, that fish has got to go IMO.
Sorry.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+39+250&pcatid=250

 

[DarthSimon]

I pulled a Valentini out of my reef. He was fine for maybe a month, but eventually started picking on clams, clean up crew, and some softies...

 

[tupes]

The puffer is more than likely one of the reasons of it staying closed. Is there any tissue damage where you can see the skeleton exposed? Most lps as far as brains an plates like the sand bed and should be placed on the sand bed due to the rocks can cause tissue damage. Let us know if it starts opening up. Looks like a nice brain.

 

[roooler]

well i just had a heart to heart with the wife.. informed her about the puffer.. I will take it up to the LFS Monday and snag some store credit from them..

I did however just think about it.. The puffer has only been in the tank for 1 week, so the reason the brain isn't opening i would not attribute it solemnly to the puffer..

I cannot see any signs of damage :-/ I did move it back down on the sand bed.

I will continue to the update the thread. thanks everyone for the tips.

 

[SantaMonica]

Too much flow blasting it?

 

[roooler]

I really dont believe its the flow.. if anything i would say it has very little flow on it.. I have some bubble coral within 5 inches of it and it barely will move from the flow..

That is original why i moved it from the sand to ontop of the rock.. I was wondering if it was location but it never opened when i moved it either.

So stumped right now, but im super bummed because it was my favorite piece of coral.

 

[cloak]

Back in the day, my dad used to be able to "pet" the puffer like a dog... This was with lava rocks and plastic plants... Great fish.... Now days, with polyps and all, (corals) bad news... I would love a Valentini right now... (no doubt)

JME.

 

[DarthSimon]

Yeah!! The big thing I noticed more than anything was he nipped at my clams.... He killed my foot long squmosa in time...

 

[roooler]

well my wife will be returning the puffer today to the lfs. we will see if the brain will open sometime this week with him gone.

fingers crossed.

thanks for everyone's help.

 

[DarthSimon]

Do you have any tangs in your tank?

 

[roooler]

Do you have any tangs in your tank?

Yes, I have a small Powder Blue Tang that has been in the same tank for less then a week.. My wife cleared my memory last night, it appears the puffer was in the tank before the brain.. So he could be the cause..

As far as the powder blue touching the brain.. never seen it happen yet. the tang hasn't paid any attention to it.. he is to busy playing with my clarkiis haha



However, i noticed the puffer pecking the living S*** out of my brain - coral last night.

I just pulled him and took him back to lfs.. i guess will give it sometime and see if it will open up now?

 

[DarthSimon]

I here you, but don't be surprised... My tangs nibble at your coral...
Blue Hippo 7 Incher is the biggest suspect!

 

[roooler]

I appreciate all the suggestion, help, and tips everyone has shared. I am going on vacation until Friday. I will update with pictures come Friday when i arrive back home.

 

[roooler]

For those wondering what was wrong with my brain.. :spin1:

This was taken 1 week after the Puffer had been taken out of the tank.

appears he must have been to blame!

 

[DarthSimon]

Wow!!! Very nice!!!

 

[DarthSimon]

I tried an open Welso 3 days ago, only to find my Big Blue Hippo Tang picking at...
I returned it that day... You see?? You never know...

 

[roooler]

Thank you to everyone who helped! I am very happy to see my brain opened once again!