Open Brain Coral

[DetectiveTofu]

Here's the scoop!

I received a free, but injured green open brain coral from my LFS. It is currently in my 10gal "reef-in-the-making" tank with a candy coral, green hairy mushrooms, and a couple heads of frogspawn. The brain itself is placed on the substrate where is receives medium to low flow.

About the brain: About 25% of the brain was severely injured...dead actually. There was some necrotic tissue clearly visible, as well as two large portions of the skeleton exposed.

About the tank: My 10gal has a 28watt PC over it, a SeaClone100, and an AquaClear 20 powerhead.

It has been a little over a week now, and I have to say that the brain is coming along (I will post pictures when I get a chance). The small areas that were brown necrotic tissue are now bright green with new zooxanthellae. So it seems that slowly the brain is making a recovery.

I make made this post because I am wondering if anyone out there has ever tried to bring an open brain coral damaged this severely back to full health? If so (or even if you didn't) does anyone have any advice or tips for helping the brain?



TIA

 

[NanoClown]

feedin things always help

 

[MrMikeB]

I had an open brain, perhaps a little better off than yours - but not by much, but the mouth had pretty much opened and was dark brown, spewing its guts, while the outer skeleton was showing pretty badly. I thought it was a goner, but I took it on and placed it in a tank that had very low key corals (rics, zoas, and minor fish). I gave it a good spot under the MH light midway down in indirect flow. The thing that I think saved this guy was that I kept the water params spot on - did not dose this system, only regular water changes like clockwork.

Today it has fully recovered and I think it has grown a little. I did not feed it, in part, because the mouth was almost nonexistent. Now it is one of my nicest specimens in that tank and I am very happy I did not give up on it.

Good luck!

 

[DetectiveTofu]

update.

the brain is not doing well.

One afternoon is looked great.

That same night, it started dying. The injured half is withering away day by day, while the other half is keeping itself up.

help?

 

[racrumrine]

Don't give up on it. A brain can come back from what looks like a dead skeleton; however, it takes time. Few corals can do that.

At night, feed it little chunks of fish or shrimp. If other critters in the tank will steal the chunks, shoo them away or cover then brain in a basket while it's eating.

Best of luck,

Roy

 

[Dyngoe]

I too had a brain that was "unhappy", but not close to your level of problems. Obviously moving it into your tank was a stress that probably didn't help at first. I'd read this article:
The Little Brain that Could
It may help.

D