Coral species · Lobed Brain Coral

Lobophyllia spp.

Big, fleshy lobes in bold colours: Lobophyllia is a hardy, impressive centrepiece LPS.

Overview

Lobophyllia forms large colonies of thick, fleshy lobes or valleys over a heavy stony skeleton. Commonly called lobo or lobed brain coral, it is valued for its size, colour and resilience.

Several corals previously placed in other genera, including some once sold as Acanthastrea and Symphyllia, are now classified as Lobophyllia.

Appearance and colour

Tissue is fleshy and smooth, in solid colours or patterned combinations of reds, greens, oranges, purples and browns. Many pieces show striking contrasting rims or stripes.

Care in the aquarium

Place it low in the reef or on the sand bed in gentle to moderate flow, under low to moderate light. It feeds readily on meaty foods, which supports growth. It can extend short sweeper tentacles at night, so allow some room around the colony.

At a glance

Lobed Brain Coral

Type LPS (large polyp stony)
Also known as Lobo, lobed brain coral, meat coral
Lighting Low to moderate
Water flow Low to moderate
Placement Lower reef or sand bed
Feeding Meaty foods; feeds readily
Care level Easy to moderate
Temperament Mildly aggressive

Every coral is unique. Photos are representative of the species; each colony varies in shape, size and colour.

Responsibly sourced

How we source Lobophyllia spp.

Our corals are collected on the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, from the northern areas of the Reef down to Bundaberg, our home. Our diving collection vessels are equipped for long-distance travel, so we can find the best corals and keep them in pristine condition on the way to our holding facility.

Jeremy leads our harvesting team, which is extensively trained in safe, sustainable collecting techniques. We work to a strictly limited quota across broad reef areas within specific zones, taking small numbers of corals of limited size and premium quality and leaving the majority of the coral intact.

At our Bundaberg holding facility, Travis and the team fine-tune feeding, lighting and husbandry so every coral is in top condition before it is carefully packed and shipped. Our growing aquaculture program supports our vision of offering a 100% aquacultured source of premium corals.

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Limited, selective harvest

A strictly limited quota, taken from broad reef areas in specific zones. Small numbers, limited sizes and premium quality.

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Stewardship and certification

We participate in Provision Reef, an industry stewardship program, and maintain CITES certification for responsible sourcing.

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Towards 100% aquacultured

Our growing aquaculture program in Bundaberg supports our vision of a fully aquacultured source of premium corals.

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