Brandon's Reef :: LPS Corals

Acanthastrea

Scientific Name: Acanthastrea echinata
Aquired: 1.2007
Info: Issues: none

Frogspawn 3

Scientific Name: Euphyllia yaeyamaensis
Aquired: 1.2007
Info: The Frogspawn Coral is a large polyp stony coral (LPS) often referred to as the Wall, Octopus, Grape, or Honey Coral. Its polyps remain visible throughout both the day and night, resembling a mass of fish eggs or frog eggs, hence one of its common names Frogspawn.
    Its coloration is green or brown to tan in color. With its appearance and coloration it would make a nice addition to any reef aquarium.
    During the evenings, its sweeper tentacles can extend up to six inches beyond its base into the reef aquarium surroundings. It will sting other neighboring corals in the reef aquarium, therefore, it is best to leave plenty of room between itself and other types of corals. It is moderately difficult to maintain, but it is a popular coral that will thrive under the proper conditions. It will need to have moderate to heavy lighting combined with moderate water movement within the aquarium. For continued good health, it will also require the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.
#TAB# The symbiotic algae zooxanthellae hosted within its body provides the majority of its nutritional requirements from photosynthesis. It will also benefit from additional food in the form of micro-plankton or brine shrimp.
Issues: none

Open Brain

Scientific Name: Lobophyllia hemprichii
Aquired: 12.2006
Info: The Lobophyllia Brain Coral is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral often referred to as a Lobed, Colored, Carpet, Flat, or Open Brain Coral, Meat Coral, Modern Coral, or Large Flower Coral. It has fleshy polyps that hide its calcareous skeleton. It is found in a variety of textures and color forms. Some are smooth, while others are pimply, and look like carpet. Colors vary from bright red, green, orange, gray, tan, or brown.

    Its behavior is semi-aggressive and it will sting other corals with its extended sweeper tentacles during the night. Provide plenty of space between it and other neighboring corals. It is easy to maintain in the reef aquarium, making it an excellent candidate for the beginning through expert reef aquarist. It requires moderate to strong lighting combined with a moderate water movement within the aquarium. For continued good health, it will also require the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.

    The symbiotic algae zooxanthellae hosted within its body provides the majority of its nutritional requirements through photosynthesis. It will also benefit from additional food in the form of micro-plankton or brine shrimp fed in the evening when its tentacles are visible.
Issues: none

Sun Coral

Scientific Name: Tubastrea aurea
Aquired: 11.2006
Info: The Tubastrea Orange Tube Coral is a large polyp stony coral, and may be referred to as the Orange Cup Coral. Its genus name, Tubastraea, is derived from the Latin words tubus (tube) and astron (star), describing its skeletal structure which is tubular, with stars at the tip of each tube. The center skeleton is round with the tubes branching off in all directions. It is a colonial coral with a peach-orange coloration when open; it is a more delicate color than its relative T. faulkneri which is bright orange. In the wild, it is often found on reef ledges or steep reef slopes.
    The Orange Tube Coral can be quite fragile and must be handled with extra care. When placing in the aquarium, it must be picked up by its underside. It should have moderate to high water current combined with low lighting levels. It will also benefit from the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water. It is a hardy coral for the reef aquarium, but is classified as moderate because of the special care that it requires.
    It is one of the few corals that does not contain a symbiotic algae, so it must be fed vitamin-enriched brine shrimp or micro-plankton from an eye dropper directly to each one of its polyps. It will usually only expand its polyps in the evening or when it is hungry.
Issues: Need to feed each individual polyp often.

Frogspawn 1

Scientific Name: Euphyllia paradivisa
Aquired: 07.2006
Info: The Frogspawn Coral is a large polyp stony coral (LPS) often referred to as the Wall, Octopus, Grape, or Honey Coral. Its polyps remain visible throughout both the day and night, resembling a mass of fish eggs or frog eggs, hence one of its common names Frogspawn.
    Its coloration is green or brown to tan in color. With its appearance and coloration it would make a nice addition to any reef aquarium.
    During the evenings, its sweeper tentacles can extend up to six inches beyond its base into the reef aquarium surroundings. It will sting other neighboring corals in the reef aquarium, therefore, it is best to leave plenty of room between itself and other types of corals. It is moderately difficult to maintain, but it is a popular coral that will thrive under the proper conditions. It will need to have moderate to heavy lighting combined with moderate water movement within the aquarium. For continued good health, it will also require the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.
#TAB# The symbiotic algae zooxanthellae hosted within its body provides the majority of its nutritional requirements from photosynthesis. It will also benefit from additional food in the form of micro-plankton or brine shrimp.
Issues: none

Branching Hammer

Scientific Name: Euphyllia paranchora
Aquired: 10.2005
Info: The Hammer Coral, Branched is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral and often referred to as Euphyllia Hammer Coral or Anchor Coral. Its common names are derived from the appearance of its hammer-, or anchor-shaped tentacles. Its polyps are visible throughout the day and night and hide its skeletal base. It may be green, tan, or brown in color, with lime green or yellow tips on the ends of its tentacles that glow under actinic lighting. Some varieties may be branched which makes them look similar to a Torch Coral (E. glabrescens).
    It is moderately difficult to maintain, but with proper water conditions in the aquarium, it will thrive. It will require moderate lighting combined with moderate water movement within the aquarium. At night, its sweeper tentacles can extend up to six inches in the reef aquarium, stinging other species of corals and animals. Allow plenty of room between it and other neighboring corals. For continued good health, it will also require the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.
    It will benefit from additional food fed weekly in the form of micro-plankton or brine shrimp.
Issues: none

Trumpet Coral

Scientific Name: Caulastrea curvata
Aquired: 07.2005
Info: The Trumpet Coral is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral often referred to as the Trumpet, Torch, Candy, or Bullseye Coral. The skeleton of this species is branched out of a central base, and terminates into a large head that resembles a trumpet. A large fleshy polyp covers The each head of the colony, and the polyps are florescent green in this species. The Trumpet Coral is able to expand its fleshy polyps to many times its skeleton size giving the coral a similar appearance when compared to a closed brain coral.
    It is hardy and a relatively peaceful reef inhabitant, with very short sweeper tentacles. It requires moderate lighting and moderate water movement, along with the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water. This and other species of Caulastrea sp. can be sensitive to metal halide lighting, so take time in acclimating these corals to this type of lighting. Simply place the coral low in the aquarium for a few weeks until it opens fully and slowly move the colony to the desired location.
    It will benefit from additional food fed weekly in the form of chopped meaty items, baby brine shrimp or zooplankton.
Issues: none