So I was at teh LFS last night, where i have been watching a large red lobophyllia slowly decline over the last several months. I asked if they would cut me a deal in it since it was looking pretty sad, and i left with it for a song. It's sitting on the SB in my tank now. I'm hoping it will open tonight so i can try to get it to take some mysis. Any other advice on trying to nurse it back?

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e332/pearsonhurst/HPIM3066.jpg

whats the common name for lobo?

I always her it referred to as just lobo, or lobed brain.

wow, that sucker is HUGE !!

the only advise i can offer here is this ... DO NOT try to force feed it !! wait for a feeding tentecle response when you feed the tank. i was told by a very knowledgable person that they are known for regurgitating after being force fed. i think it is because we tend to feed them to much at one time.

i have a rescued Lobo also. mine looks to be in a bit worse shape than yours, but i am still trying to save it. it is a slow process (3 months now), but it is making a comeback.

Yeah, it's nearly 10" across at the base. I'll keep an eye out for the feeders. No response last night, but I didn't get it home until an hour or so before lights out. Should I try to make sure each polyp gets some if it's feeding? They're not connected in the skeleton are they?

i would just target feed anything that looks like a mouth. if the coral doesn't eat it then the fish will.
i don't think they are connected inside, but they may all share the same digestive system. i will have to look into that and get back to you as soon as i can.

after some research here are the results ...

after the split occurs and is complete, each new colony is completely independant. they share nothing at all, so you will need so target feed each mouth as if it were a seperate coral (because technicaly it is). so feeding one mouth will not help the others recover.

did u say regurgitate? wow i know its not a good thing but i'd love to see my corals "barf" once.. just once tho hehe i dont want it to end up in my trash bin =]

Thanks lReef lKeeper!

Still hasn't opened, but I'm not too worried yet. Should it put out feeders during light, or after dark? I thought it fed after lights out, but I have seen a couple of pictures of them eating, and it looks like lights on. On the bright side, the color does look a little better.

you should probably notice a reaction anytime you feed the tank. mine feeds after the halides go out, but the actinics are on.

OK, sorry to keep harrassing you, but I have a couple more questions. This is my first brain, so maybe I'm misunderstanding. Last night when I fed the tank, I noticed that the mouths on the brain were open. I didn't see anything resembling feeder tentacles though. is this the reaction I'm looking for? The moughts were gaping, but it did not appear to be expelling anything. I sprinkled some mysis on it, but I'm not sure if it ingested any of them. I was under the impression it would actualy produce feeders similar to my candy cane, or any number of open brains that I have seen. Good news is, it doesn't appear to have deteriorated any further, and the color seems to be looking a little better.

Thanks again!

that would be my fault !! lobo's do NOT extend feeding tentacles. i was thinking about my open green brain (while typing). the gaping mouths ARE what you are looking for. try to shout 1 or 2 shrimp into the mouths if you can. if not maybe a little cyclopeeze or oyster eggs would work better (but with a lobo that size it should take a few shrimp).

BTW ... if it is an honest question, it is NOT harrassment. so if you need anything else just ask.

Thanks :thumbs:

I thought it took a couple, but I was worried I was deluding myself :rotfl:

I really appreciate all your help. I posted the same question on another forum and got exactly zero help.

that is why i like this site so much. people ALWAYS offer help !! i think that if i could not help anyone or get help from someone that i would no longer be interested in the hobby. i still learn something everyday, that keeps me interested.

Just an update, the lobo is looking GREAT! Thanks in no small part to lReef lKeeper. It has filled out considerably, the skeleton is no longer poking through the tissue, and it has reclaimed a fair bit of the area the tissue had receeded from, and the color is a LOT better. It eats regulary now, and it's a piggie. I'll try to get a new picture the next time I get out the camera. Just wanted to post an upgate and another bit of thanks for the advice. I finaly got to use Rob's new reputation system :-)

glad to hear that your is doing so much better. mine is actually looking 10x better too. mine was probably 90% gone when i got it, and now it has regrown to about 60% of the skeletal structure.
what is the reputation system ??

http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/site-info-news/3872-reputation-system.html

Here's the rather tardy updated pic...

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e332/pearsonhurst/HPIM3121.jpg

SWEET! Great job.

sweet !! it always makes you feel great to bring something (pretty much) back to life !! glad to help my friend, it looks AMAZING !!