maze brain correct?and general care(pics)

[hops523]

I have posted a thread about my new maze brain a few days ago. But Im not sure if this really is a maze brain. It may seem obvious that it is, but after looking at pics of other maze brains with their tentacles out, this guy guy doesnt look like one.

Ever since I have had it, it hasnt shown any tentacles. Yesterday, I turned off all the flow, and put a piece of mysis shrimp on the brain, and nothing. It sat there for awhile too. Nothing happend. What does this guy look like to you?

And if it is a maze brain, what is a good placement for him? He is attached to a small, but awkward rock. Can I place it in the sand? I have it on a piece of live rock right now, and not too fond or how it looks there. But if I place him on the sand, what will he be able to grow on when he spreads? And can I feed him mysis shrimp? How often do their tentacles usually come out?

 

[maxheadroom]

Here's a pic of my maze. It took about 4 days for the tentacles to come out when I first got it. When the tentacles are out, they're about 2" long.

 

[airinhere]

I believe what you have a Merulina ampliata. http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/coralid_search.php I have a larger colony of the same thing. I also have several colonies of different maze brains (Platygrias) The two are very different.

Merulinia get thin litttle sweepers that extend out from it, but are usually pretty short and in much smaller quantities than in the Platygria.

 

[airinhere]

I have mine in a very high light area. They are very tolerant of low to high light. Acclimate it slowly to brighter lighting or you risk bleaching it out due to stress.

Dont put this guy in the sand. I have mine mounted onto a vertical piece of my rockwork. It is an encrusting coral that forms plates. Give it a place to encrust.

And dont rush its feeding. First it has to get used to your tank parameters. Then it can safely start feeding. Mine feeds every couple of days in a fairly random pattern. I have never directly fed mine (nor do I directly feed any of my LPS except Duncans, fungia and acans)

Maintaining good calcium and dKH levels is just as important for this sort of coral to grow as proper feeding.

Seriously.

Focus on water chemistry instead of feeding.

 

[hops523]

Are you sure airinhere? I can kind of see some resemblence, but not much.

 

[boomsticks]

I have a maze brain and well sorry for hijacking the thread, but I was wondering what and when you feed them.

Thank you!

Mike

 

[airinhere]

Yes, pretty sure.

Educate yourself about water chemistry (calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, pH, borate, strontium, phosphates) And your corals will benefit far more than if you worry about feeding them something specific.

I never intentionally feed any of my LPS corals except my Duncans, Acans and Fungia.

Proper lighting, good water chemistry and fish poo are all any healthy coral needs to grow.