ORA Micronesian Lobophyllia Coral

Quick facts

Handling caution: Fleshy polyps are easily torn when handled, risking tissue damage and infection; avoid direct contact.

Identity

Also known as

Lobed brain coral; Lobo coral; Lobo brain coral; Meat coral

Synonyms

Symphyllia spp.

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Indo-Pacific, Indonesia, Great Barrier Reef, Micronesia

Habitat

Reef slopes and lagoons across the Indo-Pacific, typically lower on the reef where light is more subdued.

Sourcing

Both

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Moderate

Coral type

LPS

Temperament

Aggressive

Growth form

Solitary

Adult size

2 – 12 in (5.1 – 30 cm)

Spread

12 in (30 cm)

Growth rate

Slow

Placement

Sand bed, Low

Water

Temperature

75 – 81 °F (24 – 27 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 12 dKH

Salinity

1.024 – 1.026 SG

PAR

80 – 150 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

Medium

Reef care

Nutrient preference

Medium

Alk/Ca uptake

Medium

Target feeding

Beneficial

Give it room

6 in (15 cm)

Colors

Red, Green, Brown, Orange, Multicolor

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Photosynthetic

Foods

Frozen, Zooplankton, Coral food

Propagation

Fragging

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Care guide

Overview

Propagated through ORA's Micronesian mariculture program rather than collected from wild reef slopes, this Lobophyllia shows the folded, fleshy lobes typical of the genus, expanding fully only after dark. Keep it isolated on open sand or low rockwork under 80-150 PAR with gentle flow, since nocturnal feeding tentacles can damage nearby corals.

Care

Lobophyllia is a large-polyp stony coral that fares best once acclimated to captivity, so specimens that have been in the trade for a while or are aquacultured tend to settle in more reliably than freshly imported wild colonies. It wants low to moderate lighting, roughly 80 to 150 PAR, and just enough flow to clear detritus from its mouths without keeping the fleshy lobes retracted. Give it generous open space on the sand bed or lower rockwork, since the tissue expands well beyond the underlying skeleton and can sting or digest neighboring corals it contacts, especially at night.

Placement & acclimation

Acclimate gradually to lighting over one to two weeks, starting in a shaded or lower-light spot in the tank if the coral's prior lighting history is unknown. Place on open sand bed or low rockwork with clearance from neighbors, allowing the fleshy skirt room to expand fully without touching adjacent corals or rock.

Feeding

Most of its nutrition comes from zooxanthellae, but it responds well to occasional target feeding of mysis or brine shrimp with flow paused for several minutes. Feeding once or twice a week is generally enough to support good coloration and tissue fill. Overfeeding or feeding during strong flow tends to go to waste and can foul the water instead of reaching the polyps.

Neighbors

Despite its docile daytime appearance, Lobophyllia extends mesenterial filaments after dark to digest neighboring coral tissue it can reach, so keep a genuine gap of several inches to a foot from other corals. It does not produce long stinging sweeper tentacles like Euphyllia, but proximity aggression is still a real risk. Fish that peck at LPS flesh, such as some butterflyfish, should be avoided in the same system.

Fragging

Fragging is done by cutting between the fleshy lobes to separate sections of the skeleton, though Lobophyllia grows slowly and does not frag as readily or heal as fast as many other LPS, making large-scale propagation uncommon.

Pests & problems

Recently imported colonies often arrive stressed and can suffer tissue recession or bacterial infection if handled roughly during transport or placement. Elevated nitrate, generally above 30 to 40 ppm, has been linked to tissue loss, so stable water chemistry matters more than intense lighting. Bleaching or excessive polyp retraction usually signals too much light or flow rather than disease.

Sources

1. Tidal Gardens - Lobophyllia Coral Care
2. Lobophyllia coral care - Saltwater Aquarium Blog
3. Reef Chasers | Coral Care Guide How-To | Lobophyllia Care
4. Lobed brain coral care: tank size, temperature and tankmates · TankBud

Varieties in the catalog

ORA Micronesian Red Lobophyllia Coral

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