Trachyphyllia (Open Brain Coral)

​Looking to add a massive splash of neon colour and intricate, folding patterns to your reef's sandbed? The Trachyphyllia, commonly known as the Open Brain Coral or Folded Brain Coral, is an absolute must-have LPS (Large Polyp Stony) showpiece.

​Known for its figure-eight or fluted, lobed shapes, the "Trachy" boasts an incredibly fleshy mantle that swells up beautifully during the day. Under blue actinic lighting, their fluorescent colours—ranging from metallic greens and deep reds to highly sought-after "rainbow" morphs—truly come to life.

​At UKReef Hampshire, we love the Trachyphyllia for its jaw-dropping visual impact and its highly rewarding, dramatic feeding response when the lights go down.

​Quick Care Guide:

​Care Level: Easy to Moderate. They are generally robust and forgiving, provided your tank parameters are stable.

​Temperament: Semi-aggressive. While they look like peaceful, fleshy pillows during the day, they can extend translucent sweeper tentacles at night to sting encroaching neighbours. Give them plenty of personal space!

​Placement: Bottom / Sandbed strictly. This is vital! Trachys have a sharp, cone-shaped skeleton underneath their soft tissue. They must be placed flat on a soft, sandy substrate. If placed on hard rockwork, their heavy, inflated flesh will easily tear against their own skeleton.

​Lighting: Low to Moderate. Since they naturally sit on the sandbed, this usually provides the perfect amount of reduced lighting. Too much intense light can cause them to bleach or shrink.

​Water Flow: Low to Moderate. Provide a gentle, alternating current to keep detritus and sand off their fleshy surface. Never subject them to a direct, heavy blast of water, as this will damage their tissue.

​Feeding: Highly photosynthetic, but they are aggressive eaters! At night, or when they sense food in the water, they will reveal hidden rows of feeding tentacles. Spot-feeding them meaty foods like mysis shrimp or high-quality LPS pellets 1–2 times a week will massively boost their health, colour, and size.