Lobophyllia Coral

Lobophyllia are a classic large polyp stony coral, often called a "Lobo" or "Brain Coral" by hobbyists. They are known for their large, fleshy, and often colourful polyps that conceal the underlying skeleton. In the wild, they form large colonies, and in a home reef, they bring a unique texture and sense of maturity to the aquascape.

Each Lobophyllia polyp is an individual animal, capable of inflating to a surprising size during the day. The tissue is typically smooth or slightly textured, and colours can range from deep reds and greens to oranges, greys, and striking marbled combinations. At night, or when food is in the water, they may extend small feeder tentacles from around the mouth, a fascinating behaviour to observe.

For best care, place your Lobophyllia on the sandbed or on a low-lying rock structure. They prefer low to moderate lighting, around 75-150 PAR, and will lose colour if exposed to intense light too quickly. Water flow should be gentle and indirect; enough to keep detritus from settling on the polyps, but not so strong that it causes the flesh to pull back from the skeleton. While photosynthetic, they appreciate being fed once or twice a week with meaty foods like mysis or chopped prawn. Keep stable water parameters with calcium around 400-450 ppm, alkalinity between 8-11 dKH, and magnesium at 1300-1450 ppm. Be sure to give them space, as they can extend sweeper tentacles at night that will sting neighbouring corals.

The slow and steady growth of a Lobophyllia makes it a rewarding long-term resident. Its placement on the sandbed is perfect for filling in the lower landscape of a mixed reef, providing a solid point of interest without overshadowing more delicate pieces. They are generally hardy and are a good choice for someone looking to move into keeping larger LPS corals.

This is a WYSIWYG item, so you'll receive the exact specimen pictured.

We take livestock seriously. That's why we don't sell anything we wouldn't be comfortable putting in our own tank.

As we are direct from source, we import and sell direct to the public. This means you can buy with confidence knowing EMA prides itself on excellent handling and conditioning protocols.

Fish

All our fish held in a quarantine system for a minimum of 3 weeks. During this time, regular water changes are performed, and twice daily (or sometimes more) feedings are performed.

Copper is dosed and checked twice a day for ich and velvet.

During this treatment fish are given formalin baths for brooklynella and a minimum of 3 praziquantel doses is performed for flukes.

Coral

Our coral is quarantined for a minimum of 3 weeks, just like fish. During this time, regular water changes are performed, water testing done, and once a month a Fauna Marin ICP Total is performed.

Corals are inspected for pests/general health and are provided with a pest dip once a week for at least 3 weeks.

If we see signs of pests, the quarantine period is extended and/or additional dips are performed

If coral is bleached/unhealthy, it will remain in quarantine until healthy enough to sell.