Lobophyllia Coral Care Guide (Lobo Brain Coral)
Lobophyllia — commonly called “Lobo” or lobed brain coral — is a large-polyp stony coral loved for its thick, fleshy, brain-like folds in wild swirls of color. A single Lobo can blend gold, red, green, blue, and orange in one puffy, meaty mound, making it a standout centerpiece. It’s hardy, forgiving, and an excellent LPS for beginners who want big color low in the tank. This guide covers lighting, flow, placement, parameters, feeding, aggression, and acclimation.
Care Level: Beginner-Friendly
Lobophyllia are hardy and tolerant, with two simple keys: keep flow gentle so the fleshy polyp isn’t torn or bruised, and place them low where light is moderate. They’re a great confidence-building LPS.
Quick-Reference Care Parameters
| Coral type | LPS (Large Polyp Stony) |
| Care level | Beginner–Intermediate |
| Lighting | Low–Moderate · PAR 50–120 |
| Flow | Low–Moderate, gentle |
| Placement | Sandbed or low rock (bottom third) |
| Temperature | 76–82°F (ideal ~78°F) |
| Salinity | 1.024–1.026 (~35 ppt) |
| Alkalinity | 8–11 dKH |
| Calcium | 400–450 ppm |
| Magnesium | 1250–1350 ppm |
| Nitrate | 2–10 ppm |
| Phosphate | 0.03–0.10 ppm |
| Feeding | Beneficial · meaty foods 1–2× per week |
| Aggression | Moderate · nighttime sweeper tentacles |
Lighting
Lobophyllia color up nicely under low-to-moderate light (PAR 50–120). They don’t want to be blasted with intense output — excessive light can bleach the fleshy tissue. Placed low in the tank with a blue-heavy spectrum, their colors are rich and saturated. Acclimate to any brighter lighting gradually.
Water Flow
Keep flow low-to-moderate and gentle. The polyp inflates with water and tissue, and strong, direct flow can tear or bruise it — damaged flesh invites infection. Gentle, indirect movement keeps it clean while letting the polyp puff up fully.
Placement
Lobos are naturally bottom-dwellers. Place them on the sandbed or low rockwork in the bottom third of the tank, where flow and light are moderate. Give the fleshy polyp room to expand — it will puff well beyond the skeleton — and keep it clear of neighbors.
Water Parameters
As a stony coral, Lobophyllia wants stable alkalinity (8–11 dKH), calcium (400–450 ppm), and magnesium (1250–1350 ppm), with rock-steady temperature and salinity. A little nutrient in the water (nitrate 2–10 ppm, phosphate 0.03–0.10 ppm) supports the fleshy tissue and color.
Feeding
Lobos are excellent feeders with big appetites. At night they extend feeder tentacles — target-feed meaty foods such as mysis, chopped shrimp, or silversides one to two times a week when the tentacles are out. Regular feeding noticeably improves growth, plumpness, and color. Feed in reduced flow so the food isn’t swept off.
Aggression
Lobophyllia have moderate sweeper tentacles that come out at night, so give them a few inches of space from other corals. They’re not the most aggressive coral, but a puffed-up Lobo takes up more room than its skeleton suggests — plan for its full expanded size.
Common Problems
- Not puffing up: usually too much flow or light, or new-coral stress. Move it lower and calmer and give it time.
- Torn or bruised tissue: from strong flow or handling — reduce flow and let it recover in clean, stable water.
- Recession or brown jelly: a sign of stress; stabilize parameters, and isolate/dip and remove affected tissue if brown jelly appears.
How to Acclimate Your New Lobophyllia
- Temperature match (15–20 min): Float the sealed bag with lights dimmed to equalize temperature.
- Drip acclimate (30–45 min): Open into a clean container and drip tank water in slowly until the volume roughly doubles.
- Coral dip (5–10 min): Use a reef-safe dip, swirling gently around the fleshy polyp, then rinse in clean saltwater.
- Placement: Set it on the sandbed or low rock in gentle flow and moderate light, clear of neighbors.
- Let it settle: A new Lobo may look deflated for a few days — that’s normal. Leave it undisturbed and it will puff back up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I place a Lobophyllia?
Low in the tank — on the sandbed or low rockwork — in gentle flow and moderate light. They’re natural bottom-dwellers.
Why isn’t my Lobo puffing up?
Most often the flow is too strong or the light too intense, or it’s simply new. Move it lower and calmer and give it a few days.
Do Lobophyllia need to be fed?
They benefit greatly from feeding — meaty foods one to two times a week improve color, size, and health.
What is WYSIWYG coral?
WYSIWYG means “What You See Is What You Get” — the exact coral pictured is the one shipped to you.
Shop WYSIWYG Lobophyllia & Care Guides
Browse our live coral for sale for this week’s hand-selected WYSIWYG Lobos. See more in our library, including the Cynarina Care Guide, the Chalice Coral Care Guide, and the Hammer & Frogspawn Care Guide.
