Trachyphyllia Budding 03/24/08
I have a Trachyphyllia that appears to be budding as described in your article here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/trachyphlliidae.htm
The soon to be daughter colony has a small piece of tissue still connecting it to the main body of the parent colony. The soon to be daughter colony appears to have its own set of feeding tentacles extended at night. My question is this:
<cool>
1. Should I cut the very thin piece of tissue connecting the parent and daughter colony?
<If you want to, go ahead.>
2. If I separate the two portions, should I mount the resulting frag on a frag plug?
<There's no need to necessarily. But if it makes things more convenient for you, there's likely no harm in it.>
I've never seen a Trach. mounted in such a fashion but if I don't mount it somehow it will be lost behind my rocks due to the current.
<In that case, yes, I'd mount it.>
Water Parameters
75 Gallon
Ca 415
Alk 10
Salinity 1.025
Lighting - Dual 250 watt HQI
Thanks for all you do for this wonderful hobby!
God bless,
Chris
<Best,
Sara M.>

Spitting Trachyphyllia - 12/06/05
Our brain coral (Trachyphylliidae) appears to have just spit out some thin red threads about 1/2 inch long. It is near the end daylight period of the tank. The brain coral appears quite healthy and has a reddish-brown outer ring and a bright light-green center area near the mouth. I usually feed it oyster eggs or Mysis shrimp every 2 or 3 days.
<<Excellent>>
What are the red threads (which are almost like saffron threads)?
<<Hmm, I have seen short tentacles on these, but never as fine as you describe. These may possibly be mesenterial filaments...do a keyword search re on our website and beyond... EricR>>

Propagating Trachyphyllia and Indiana Marine Club 7/30/05
questions 7/30/05
Hello!......re my Trachyphyllia.....I really don't
think it is going to make it.  Could you point me in
the direction where I can find out how I could (if I
could) frag the coral to possibly save some of it...if
that's possible.   
<You can literally cut this coral on a band saw... or
better: a wet saw for tile or ceramic. Other tools
will work fine of course. You might use a tile cutting
bit on a Dremel, e.g.. But the gist of it is saw at
least 1/2" into the good tissue (away from the
infected part) and make the cut fast and clean. The
saved portion does not need to have a mouth on the
polyp. But you do need to expose the cut edge to
decent water flow for faster healing>
Sorry about the ignorant questions. Have you heard
anything about "miracle mud"...what are your opinions
concerning it.
<Compositionally... it can be useful like other
terrestrial substrates for plants and algae>
Do you know of any marine fish organizations in
Indiana.....I would like to get in touch with some
people who are connected with the same hobby
as myself (that way I don't have to bug the hell out
of you guys when I want to talk about fish :) Thanks
so much!!!! Codie
<I do indeed know of a good Indiana club:
http://www.indmas.org/
and the forum they frequent on:
www.reeffrontriers.com
and a fav shop:
www.inlandaqautics.com
best regards, Anthony>

Trachyphyllia anomaly
Dear Crew
<cheers>
I have recently discovered what can only be described as a hard calcareous nodule on the base of my Trachyphyllia (please see photo). I have tapped it very gently with some plastic tongs and have got some definite resistance from it.
<hmmm... tough to see from the photo, but could simply be a daughter satellite. Many stony corals reproduce by forming a small calcareous nodule that drips free once mature. Rather common with such free-living species as your Trachyphyllia>
At first I thought it might be a hungry snail. Can you tell me what it is? Could it be reproducing? It has been in my tank nearly 18 months and has thrived in optimum water with weekly feedings all this time.
<excellent to hear... yes, the weekly feedings are very conducive to good health, growth and reproduction>
It has only come to my attention because the coral has been deflated for a few days. Something I know they do regularly to get rid of water. Your advice would be helpful. best regards, Jim PS the greenish nodule is in the middle just up from the bottom.  Thanks
<I cannot fathom it being a problem. Nothing of concern here if not reproduction (just a sequestered damaged frag of corallum at worst). Anthony>

Brain reproduction?
Greetings Crew! <Happy Holidays Ray, MacL here with you>
Hope you are in a warmer climate than I am right now (10F with wind-chill of -15).  Makes me want to climb into my reef tank where it is nice and warm!  <Its not quite that cold where I am, and Bob is in Hawaii.>
OK, done a quick search and can't find the answer to my question.  I have an open brain coral in my reef tank Wellsophyllia/Trachyphyllia).  Anyway, been in there for about 8 months and has nearly tripled in size, grown 2 new "mouths" and developed several new folds. Lately I have noticed that two folds are growing towards each other so that if they keep going, they will divide the entire coral in two equal parts with several
"mouths" on each side.  
So my question is:  how do they reproduce?  By fragmentation/division or by sexual reproduction? <It's asexual reproduction, usually by budding just like what you are seeing.>
Everything else in the tank is doing great so I am sure it is not an environmental thing. <No its a good thing, you should be proud.> The only oddity is that after a year, my yellow-tailed damsel has chosen a new rock to claim as his own on the opposite side of the tank......and all the other fish inhabitants (mostly my yellow tang and coral beauty) still ignore his little fits to defend his territory (small guy in the tank).
Thanks again for all your help in the past! <Ray, congratulations you are obviously doing great.>
-Ray

Re: Eye Abrasion
Mr. Fenner,
I didn't intend to write to you so soon. I hope you don't mind my doing so. I moved my injured tang to the QT, and with the help of a friend we administered the first disinfectant treatment. Her eye looks even worse today but my hopes are high.
<Mine as well>
I would like to ask another question about a totally different subject. I have two open brains in my system. I had to move them out of the way when I netted my tang. To the side of my red open brain I found a cluster of what appears to be tiny baby brains!?!
<Yes, possible>
I'm not sure if I am right. It looks like brain rubble, but healthy looking and I swear to see a resemblance to my fully formed red brain. If they are in fact baby open brains what in the world to I do for them? Scatter them (genteelly of course) about or leave them be. Or do you think am I looking at something totally different? I would love to hear what you think. I am quite excited about my discovery. :)
Carl D.
<Leave them where they are for now. Bob Fenner>

Question (Bailing out Trachyphyllia)
Ha!
I get to ask a question posed me today by a local maintenance professional I couldn't answer.
Ever hear of a Trachyphyllia Red Open Brain detaching from the skeleton and living free-floating for 6 mos. ?
<Have heard of such a thing... does kind of make sense (like coral polyp bailout period) in the scheme of time/space, saving ones skin... getting "out" in bad situations... hopefully to end up some place more favorable. Bob F>
Has been in tank 2 years.
Craig

Acropora fragging and aggression - 4/5/04 
Hi, what would happen if two of my Acropora corals touched each other? <Sometimes they grow together, other times they kill of the area where they are touching. Do search for SPS aggression on Google. There is much info available on this subject> Also, is there a minimum size an Acropora coral frag has to be? <Not really. I have tried 1/2 inch on up. Sometimes they make it, but there is usually high mortality in very small frags (under an inch)> Thanks, Adam

New Effort by Antoine and Esteban on WWM!
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/trachyreproart.htm
The version placed and sent to Sue.S was 1.5 line spaced (no other changes). I placed my own PS 6.0 modified copies of your graphics. 
Do you boyz want your personal or other e-mail addresses added to the WWM posted article?
Bob Fenner

Trachyphyllia art. cvr. ltr./FAMA <wink>
Susan Steele
Art Editor
Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Magazine
144 West Sierra Madre Boulevard
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
fax 818-355-0312
4/27/01
Sue, 
Please find enclosed an article (electronic and analog) and image scans by friends, associates Steve Pro and Anthony Calfo elucidating and illustrating “Fascinating Reproduction in Open Brain Coral”. This piece should open up the eyes of marine reef aquarists; especially those engaged in stony coral propagation… and slow down the hapless aquarists who deem that they’ve lost such animals that have had their tissue recessed, appear dead.
Please do run this piece and Anthony and Steve’s accompanying photographs at FAMA's earliest convenience. 
Thank you,
Bob Fenner