removing open brain from rock

[mikeb]

I've had an open brain coral for a couple of years that came attached to a piece of rock. Can I take it off of the rock and put it on a larger size rock without hurting it? Also if I do move it will it grow larger?

[reefman_MC]

Normally an open brain has a skeleton that it is attached to. Which is part of its body. So you can't take him off. The skeleton looks like a rock, but is a skeleton.

[Gresham]

If the skeleton is able to be seperated from the rock, sure you can remove it. You can cut the rock carefully with a saw (read:carefully, with out harming skeleton) and either glue it or simply place it in its no local. FWIW, I've actually pulled brains off the rocks they were attached too. It all depends on the amount ou contact the skeleton has with the rock.

[reefman_MC]

I never knew a brain could attach his skeleton to a rock.

[Gresham]

It can't reattach on its own though. It attaches in the earlist stages of its life, when the polyp has no skeleton. It grows from there and builds its skeleton, so once its initial connection to the rock is broken, it won't reattach on its own. Ever seen a fungia (plate coral) grow off a rock and finally drop off? I've had a plate come from no place on a clam shell, grow into a quarter size and drop off the shell to become free living.

[mikeb]

Thanks guys. Question answered. I'm sure then what I'm seeing is the skeleton.

[reefman_MC]

I've seen the plate do what your talking about , but didn't know that about the brain. You learn something new every day. Thanks Gresham.

[mikeb]

BTW, what type of a coral is the open brain? LPS, soft...?
(still a newbie)

[Matt Rogers]

[quote author=mikeb link=board=Coral;num=1093182666;start=0#7 date=08/24/04 at 16:38:28]BTW, what type of a coral is the open brain? LPS, soft...?
[/quote]

LPS.

[mikeb]

Thanks.