Welsophylia Brain. Need Info?? (sorry think i am spelling it wrong)

[Stars360]

hi guys i need info on a welsophylia brain. i just picked one up and am placing it in my nano reef. 15g light by a csl pc @65 watts (half atinic, and half daylight) and a 15 w atinic bulb. should i place the brain closer to the top or since it is such a small tank does it really matter. also what should i be feeding him and how often. thanks so much guys

brian

[Jawfish]

Is a 15g 22" or 24" wide? I'm curious it (the 65W PC) fits across the top of your 15 gal. They're about the same dimensions as a 55W PC, no? If it hangs over the ends, it won't be working for you as well as if it is unobstructed.

Although watts/gal isn't a perfect measure, it is a commonly used benchmark. 5.3 watss/gal should be plenty for a Wells open brain. I would put it on the sand. That's where they are found in the ocean. Open brains don't need as much light as most corals. Although glass between the bulbs and the water will cut down on the light pretty significantly when it gets dirty.

You'll grow attached to open brains. The flourescent green color really stands out. Feeding them a pea-sized chunk of shrimp/krill/clam/scallop every week or so should keep it happy.

[Stars360]

Thanks jawfish, by the way did i spell welsophylia right?

the 15g is 24" across and the pc is 24" as well. It sits perfectly across the tank. custom sea life replaced the 55w fixture w/ the 65w one.

so you say that placing it in the sand is my best bet. thanks so much. also do the brains have polyps that extend or anything. and if they do does this happen during the day or night. thanks so much.

brian

p.s. a three hour acclimation should be plenty right.

[Rovert]

Ditto Jawfish's reply, GOB's need much less light than you'd think. I have a 72 Bowfront with a CSL 4x96w fixture, 2 actinic, 2 10K daylight, and have to hide the brain under a rock ledge and some other corals to get it to open up.

[Stars360]

How big do they open up?

sorry guys i am new to the brains.

brian

[Hannibal]

My welsophylia brain rests on the sand at the bottom just under a ledge. I have 2 Actinics and 2 175w MH about 4 inches above the tank which is 24" high (120 All-Glass 48x24x24). Its about the size of a half a softball in the morning before the Actinics come on and about the size of a half a soccer ball at the end of the day. Sometimes I'm amazed at how big this thing gets. It has to quadruple in size. I think it would get bigger but it runs into a Huge green hammer above it. Seems to like it better with the MH off.

[Stars360]

WoW it really gets that big in size. that i did not know.. do you think that will be a problem in a nano. also what should i be feeding it and how often. thanks so much

brian

[Hannibal]

I dont feed it a thing. I've had this brain almost as long as I've had my own. Just kidding. I dont think it will be a problem if you get a smaller one. This one grew over the last 2 years. It gets "BIG". But it starts out pretty big too. The skeleton is about 4 inches across the center.

[lakerfan]

Hey Stars,
You should be fine with the brain in a 15. just make sure to purchase a smaller one. I have one in my ten gal nano under 110 watts of pc and it is doing great. I normally feed it some prime reef once or twice a week. it has grown some since i first got it and IMO it isn't very picky on water quality.

[Stars360]

Thanks guys i just picked it up today. i would guesstamate That it is around two to three inches across. it looks great so far but just have not seen it puff up yet..:)

Also they had a really nice hammer coral there. If i placed the hammer coral close by (like really really close) will i have a problem w/ the two either stinging each other, or by chemical warfare. thanks so much

brian

[johnny]

a) you will have a problem with them stinging eachother possibly (may want to wait for some "real life experience" people)

b) always try to ask BEFORE you buy a coral. Depending on your rockwork, the brain may get too large for your tank quickly.

You can feed it a piece of shrimp each week if you want. Northern Reef made a "coral guard" which was really some type of pastic grating that he bent into a dome and placed over the brain... this way fish couldn't steal the shrimp/food from the brain before it sucked it in.

Nick

[Hannibal]

The Hammer sends out streamers sometimes 6" long and will sting the brain if they touch. The streamers usually float upwards but during a current lull may sink. I have not had a problem with it yet. Both are getting huge.They are seperated by about 4 inches but when both are open it drops to about 2 inches or less.

[SawCJack00]

I'm considering getting a green open brain soon. I have a 125 with a 250W Iwasaki in the middle and 175W 10,000K german bubs on both sides. Is the consensus amongst open brain owners that I should place it on the sand under one of the 175's first to see how it does?

[bigtank]

I would do that. They don't like a lot of light ime.

[Hannibal]

I agree, the Brain seems to be more of a low light bottom coral. When I cranked up my Halides it shrunk for a couple of days but always did just fine under the Actinics. After I raised the Halides about 4" the Brain returned to normal. The Hammer is a lower light coral IMO, but seems to handle more light better than the Brain.

[Stars360]

thanks guys. i know how big the tentacles of the hammers get because i have a torch.

now only if i can find a different spot in my tank for the hammer. it looked pretty mint. and for a great price thanks so much guys

brian

[SawCJack00]

Thanks for me too. That's how I'll do it when I get mine in a few weeks.

[Stars360]

hey guys it looks like a problem has risen. the brain did not open up all day. and when i just got home. out of three of his mouths he is spewing out some type of red stuff. i dont know what it is, if you can please help it would be very apreciated..thanks so much

brian

[johnny]

it could be zoox or it could be digested extra food it didn't need/want.

I wouldn't worry too much quite yet (especially since there isn't much you can do at this point)... you might want to move it into a "less light" area though for now.

Nick