Dead red Open Brain?

[raserror645]

Hello,

First- if this is in the wrong forum, I am sorry and I0 ask that a Mod please move it to the correct one.

I was wondering if a dead red open brain will still be red or will it be all white? As in skeleton white.

My open brain has not puffed/opened fully in a while but it is still red. If it's still alive, any idea what would be the best way to nurse it to health? All the other tank occupants are thriving (mushrooms, clam, anemone and fishes). My water parameters are good including calcium and I do a 10 percent water change weekly. It's under a 14k bulb. I haven't noticed the tentacles come out when the light is off so I am not sure how I would feed it.

Thanks for your help!

[phishdreams]

how long have you had the brain? picts would help
is it in strong water current or slow flow? what kind of lights are you running how many watts? im sorry if i have more questions then answers but i need a little more info then what you have provided.

[Elegance Coral]

The living tissue is red. The skeleton is white. If it dies and the tissue decomposes, all that will be left is a white skeleton.

How much light do you have?

[raserror645]

Originally Posted by phishdreams

how long have you had the brain? picts would help
is it in strong water current or slow flow? what kind of lights are you running how many watts? im sorry if i have more questions then answers but i need a little more info then what you have provided.

Sorry I didn't provide all the necessary details.

I purchased the brain about 3 months ago and it was puffing daily for the first two months. Last month, I noticed it was rubbing against a clam so I moved it. Since then, it hasn't puffed up.

For the whole time I have owned it, I was giving it zooplex which I've read at a few places, should be good if my lighting is good. It was thriving until it rubbed against the clam.

I have a 25 gallon Aquapod with 150 watts HQI lighting. Phoenix 14k bulb. It's on sandy substrate and water flow is minimal down there. For two months, it was puffing in the same area.

Thanks for your help!

[raserror645]

Originally Posted by Elegance Coral

The living tissue is red. The skeleton is white. If it dies and the tissue decomposes, all that will be left is a white skeleton.

How much light do you have?

Thanks for confirming what I thought.

Good part is it's alive but now I have to figure out how to get it to thrive again.

I have a 25 gallon Aquapod with 150 watts HQI. Phoenix 14k bulb.

Thanks for your help!

[Elegance Coral]

While open brains may be able to collect some zooplankton in the wild, I like to feed mine something a little more substantial in captivity. A little piece of fish or shrimp tucked into its tentacles or held on its mouth for a few minutes seems to work well. I wouldn't try feeding it until it puffed back up though.

Can you move the clam and place the brain back were it was? Sometimes a slight change in flow or light can cause issues like you are seeing.

[raserror645]

Originally Posted by Elegance Coral

While open brains may be able to collect some zooplankton in the wild, I like to feed mine something a little more substantial in captivity. A little piece of fish or shrimp tucked into its tentacles or held on its mouth for a few minutes seems to work well. I wouldn't try feeding it until it puffed back up though.

Can you move the clam and place the brain back were it was? Sometimes a slight change in flow or light can cause issues like you are seeing.

They are both in their original place. The clam wiggled a bit and it ended up touching/rubbing the brain. I seperated them again and placed the clam back in it's spot.

The clam is... well... happy as a clam all opened up but the brain isn't. Does the tentacles on the open brain "die off" or "fall off" if the brain get sick? I tried to look for them when the light was off but didn't notice them.

Thanks for your help!