Wellsos and Trachys Coral Canada

Products search

Wellsos and Trachys

The common terms ‘brain corals’ or ‘meat corals’ refer to welsophyllia and trachyphyllia species. These large polyp stony corals fill their ‘meaty’ tissue with water, as they expand from their calcium carbonate skeletons. Most wild collected colonies range from 2” to 8” in diameter when fully expanded, which can be about 3 times the size of the skeleton. Welsos and trachys range in colouration from having a single colour, to exhibiting amazingly diverse rainbow patterns throughout, in every colour imaginable. The price range varies greatly, making them a top choice of LPS coral for hobbyists on any type of budget.

Welsophyllia and trachyphyllia require ample nutrients in the water, lowish flow and moderately low light ( less than 150 par). Brain corals are highly efficient at catching prey with their feeding tentacles. These tentacles, which expand from the center of the coral, tend to expand more during the night hours or when a feeding response stimulant is added to the tank (ie: Polyp Booster). It is recommended to feed welsos and trachys at least once per week, sometimes with a larger size of food, such as a thawed, uncooked shrimp. Small fish are known to get caught and consumed by them from time to time. Similar to acans, brain corals are best suited for placement on the bottom of the tank or sand bed, with ample space from corals of different species. Since these corals grow in a network, which is connected by the coral’s tissue, they are difficult to fragment. As a result of this, most Welsophyllia and trachyphyllia are wild collected and are rarely propagated in captivity. We consider the care of brain corals to be intermediate and not a great choice for beginners. Water parameters should be kept in a similar range to other LPS, just be sure to feed them and don’t give them too much light.