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FAQs about Stony Coral, Cnidarian
Identification 9 Related FAQs:
Stony Coral ID 1, Stony Coral ID 2,
Stony Coral ID 3,
Stony Coral ID 4, Stony Coral ID 5,
Stony Coral ID 6, Stony Coral ID 7,
Stony Coral ID 8, & Cnidarian
Identification,
Stony FAQs 1, Stony FAQs 2,
Foods/Feeding/Nutrition,
Disease/Health, Propagation, Coral
Compatibility, Stony
Coral Behavior, Related
Articles: Stony Corals, |
Euphyllia cristata Chevalier 1971,
Grape Coral. Colonies of 1-2 inch diameter. Large, circular polyp
tentacles with round to flattened knobbed ends.
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Unidentifiable Coral
-- 11/09/2009
<... why don't folks follow directions when asking our help? Why are you
sending 16 megs of pix? Ho buoy!>
I have asked the owner, I have asked ReefCentral, and I have asked
TheReefTank.com, and I have yet to get a straight answer.
<Mmm... what's the question?>
I have this beautiful coral which I believe is LPS, but could POSSIBLY
be SPS.
<An artificial designation... of limited value>
I have a couple of different pictures of it.
The first is of the coral about 1 hour after it was first put in the
tank.
The second picture is of it when it's completely and fully extended.
The third picture is another picture of the coral when it's completely
and fully extended, but you can also see the corals calcium skeleton, I
think that may help some?
The last picture is of it at night (lights out).
The best answers I have gotten are Tongue Coral and Encrusting
Hydnophora.
<? I don't think so>
But it's still a small specimen and very hard to tell what it is.
It's about the size of a half dollar coin and is a lightish pink color.
Please and thank you!
-Zack
<Looks to be some species of Symphyllia... a Mussid. Bob Fenner>
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Re: Unidentifiable Coral
-- 11/09/2009
I apologize about the pic size!
I guess I forgot about that rule.
<Heeeee! We're fresh out of disk space!>
But do you have a good comparison picture?
<Mmm, I'll look>
I searched for Mussids and Symphyllia on Google images and got nothing that
looked like it.
<Mmm, no... just looked... All mine are large specimens, during the day,
with flesh retracted. BobF> |
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LPS ID and phytoplankton product use
– 10/26/09
Hi Grew,
I'm one more person, who would like to say how great and informative
your site.
<We share!>
I'm new in the hobby. My tank is 6 mo, however thanks to all your
advices, everything is doing well. I read your articles almost every
day.
I have a question regarding LPS ID. I found it in one local fish store
under name Neon Green. A salesman could not give me any additional info.
It covers a life rock, polyps a small about 3 mm in diameter and 2-3 mm
tall. They retract when disturbed. Is it kind of Turbinaria?
<Mmm, need either better vision (no doubt actually) or a bit larger,
more-resolved image here, but I am pretty sure this is a Goniopora
(commonly called "Flowerpot") coral. Please see here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/gonioporapix.htm
and the linked files above re this genus' care>
And one more question. In most of your articles you mentioned that
corals eat zoo-plankton.
<Most all do to extents... along with no to some variable amount of
photosynthesis>
What kind of coral eat phytoplankton?
<... actually very few of what passes as "corals", definitely not
Scleractinians/Stonies consume much of any phyto>
An instruction on bottles with phytoplankton says, that it is food for
filter feeders and corals.
<... A good point, statement... Most all such material is of limited (to
the extreme) use in hobbyist systems. The bulk is taken out via
skimming... Some soft coral groups (Alcyonaceans) consume "some"
species, sizes of phytoplankton... and adding such products can lead
indirectly to "better conditions" in captive systems... but most of it
is a placebo>
Thank you for you time.
Igor
<And you for sharing. Bob Fenner>
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Another hitchhiker ID please
- 10/06/2009
Hello crew,
<Howdy>
First, thank you for your previous help on IDing Dendros on our LR. We
have been feeding them daily and they are growing. We counted about 20
total!
After we started getting a handle on the Dendros we noticed that another
coral on the same rocks (3 rocks, each rock has both types of coral, not
present anywhere else in the tank but these 3). When we first put it in
the tank we thought they were skeletons, but they have begun sprouting
tentacles. After our Dendro experiences we experimented with feeding
them directly as well and sure enough they are now growing. We would
like to see if we can figure out what these are so that we can take care
of them properly as well. We are not sure if they are photosynthetic or
not.
Thanks for your help,
Nicki
<... this is quite unusual... I do think this may be a Blastosmila. Is
that a big ole crab claw in the backgd.?
Bob Fenner>
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Re: Another hitchhiker ID please
10/7/09
Yes that is a Emerald claw in the background
<A big boy!>
. He got moved to the fuge. We got him to take care of some bubble
algae.
He was eating that plus things we really did not want him ripping off
the rocks. Those emeralds really like tubes. He would grab them by the
clawful and throw them into the air. Amusing, but not reef friendly.
<Ah yeah. My long-standing position re Mithraculus/Mithrax>
The mystery guest looks a lot like Archohelia rediviva,
<Mmmm, maybe>
but that is supposed to be extremely rare in tanks
<Is>
and the color is black instead of brown like we have. However if you
took black and white photos of the 2 they look exactly the same. It has
also now been suggested that is might be cladocora. Cladocora has the
correct coloring, but the shape is a little off. If you combined the
shape and tentacles of the AR with the color of the cladocora it would
be it. When I searched Blastosmila I only found pictures of skeletons.
Do you know what the coloring usually is on those and if they are
photosynthetic or not?
<Unfortunately, no>
Thanks for your help on our mysterious hitchhiker,
Nicki
<A keeper in any case! BobF>
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Help with coral ID
– 08/14/09
Hi Bob,
<Chris>
A friend gave me the coral in the attached pic, but I am having a
Dickens of a time ID'ing it. I'd appreciate any help (family, genera,
etc) that you all can provide.
Best,
Chris
<A Pectiniid of some sort: http://wetwebmedia.com/pectiniids.htm
BobF>
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Coral ID 5/21/09
Bob,
<James here, for the vacationing Bob, mixing work with pleasure.>
We received another shipment from Jakarta, and the packing slip was very
vague on descriptions(Acropora Exotic was most of the id's.) If I sent you
guys some close-up photos, is there someone in your crew that could ID them
for us.
Any help or direction would be appreciated very much.
<Likely, you will be able to ID going here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/acropori.htm. If not found there,
go here. http://www.livestockusa.org/CORALS.html James (Salty Dog)>
E & T Rood
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Live Rock ID 5/5/09
Hi Crew,
<Roxanne>
I've read your web site for months as we set up our saltwater tanks.
We've had tanks for about 35 years on and off, but things have changed
dramatically. That's most likely from folks like you who have disseminated
useful and valuable information to this hobby. Kudos for the great work.
<Thank you>
Now for my question.......
I purchased some live rock which I think came from the Florida Keys.
It's filled with polyps, sponges and the critter I'm trying to ID here.
They stand about 1/4 inch off the rock, though the smallest are still barely
above the surface. Even the smallest send out the polyps you see in the 2nd
picture. I'm just curious if you have any idea what they may be? (Sorry, if
the pictures are too large. Making them small lost all detail - hindering
ID.)
Thanks for your help.
Roxanne
<Mmm, given your clue as to origin... and the prominent/distinctive features
of the corallites (deep pits, alternating protruding and smaller septa...) I
do think these are Hidden Cup Coral, Phyllangia americana
(family Faviidae)... Is mostly found "under rocks and ledges" in the wild,
and often has more color... reddish-brown. Bob Fenner>
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Mystery Sac I.D. 04/29/09
Good Morning,
I am hopeful you can identify this mystery sac, that , on closer inspection,
seems to have a string (of eggs) inside it.
<In my opinion, no, this is not eggs. To me, this looks like a "swollen"
feeding tentacle with a mesenterial filament.>
It is attached to what I believe may be a dead chalice coral (free with
purchase of neighboring coral!). I've inset a closer view, but it is quite
transparent, about an inch long, with a small opaque tip and it is
difficult to photograph.
Thanks for your kind assistance. I tried Googling 'sac of eggs' or 'sac of
water' without any good results, as you well might imagine.
<Again, to me, it looks like a swollen feeder. But I don't know why the
tentacle might be swelling like that (maybe irritation, stress, etc...or
maybe just no "good" reason at all). Some Euphyllia sp (and other) corals
do release eggs from their tentacles (which you can actually see in the
tentacles before they are released). However, that's not what this looks
like to me.>
Reef Tank residents: 2 juvenile Picasso Clowns, 1 Midas Blenny, 1 Blue
Spotted Jawfish, 2 Cleaner Shrimp, 3 Glass Shrimp, 1 Lettuce Sea Slug, 1
Turbo Snail, 1 Tonga Fighting Conch, 1 Blue-legged Hermit (uninvited), 1
uninvited crab of unknown type, and about 7 corals of various types.
P.S. If this coral is indeed dead (my LFS did not know), I assumed it would
begin to degenerate, and I would then remove it, but it has looked unchanged
for about two months now, as I decided to wait and watch. Is this prudent?
<Yes... for now, the coral does not look unhealthy to me.>
Thanks again for any suggestions you might have.
Lianne
<De nada,
Sara M.>
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Coral ID - Catalaphyllia jardinei
or not Catalaphyllia jardinei? 4/29/09
Gentlemen!
<Mmm, have sent to SaraM for her better analysis>
Please find attached a few pictures of a species that I think may be
Catalaphyllia jardinei. I am however seeking your view on its
identification.
<Mmm... might be, but I don't think so>
The block of heads is circular with a diameter of 2 inches. The heads are
very close together and have individual heads with diameters of 1/3 of an
inch. The discs are all uniformly bright green and the tentacles are grey to
white in colour. The tentacle tips are white under my lighting conditions.
There is a sharp septa between each head, which is only visible when the
discs are very retracted or out of the water.
This species is placed about 3 inches under the water surface.
<Not the habitat of Catalaphyllia...>
The light is a combination of 10,000k VHO (2 x 24W) and white and actinic
LEDs. Water circulation is strong for the size of the tank, but does not hit
the species directly. Water quality is pristine (dixit my tests) with
regular water changes and overskimmed with ozone. The species had been
thriving in my tank for over 6 months, not being specifically fed,
<Needs to be>
but grabbing a Mysid or Artemia shrimp on occasion.
Your help in identifying the species is greatly appreciated!
Thank you &
Best regards,
Tim
<Appears to be a starved Duncanopsammia axifuga to me more than anything...
I'd be reading re its needs, meeting them. Bob Fenner>
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Re: Coral ID - Catalaphyllia
jardinei or not Catalaphyllia 4/29/09
jardinei?
Hi Bob,
<Tim>
Thank you for your reply. However, my expectation is for Duncanopsammia
axifuga to have stem/trunk where each of the heads individually attaches,
like hammerheads.
<You are correct. Both are meandroid in morphology>
This is not the case with the species in my tank: every head is closely
attached to the other and only separated by a sharp septum, and the coral
attaches directly to the rock.
<Oh! Sorry re... Is not obvious to me in the images>
But here again, I am a total beginner in coral taxonomy!
The other comment that I would make is that the species is very high in the
tank because that is where I chose to put it - and it does seem to be faring
quite well so far. Anyway, I will do more research into Duncanopsammia
axifuga.
Thank you &
Best regards,
Tim
<Let's wait on SaraM's better experience here. In the meanwhile, If you can
send along a larger image (1 mb let's say) better resolved... perhaps taken
from the surface down... with the pumps shut off temporarily. Bob Fenner> |
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Re: Coral ID - Catalaphyllia
jardinei or not Catalaphyllia jardinei? Sara M and Jake Adams input –
4/29/09
Hi Bob,
<Tim>
Thank you for your reply. However, my expectation is for Duncanopsammia
axifuga to have stem/trunk where each of the heads individually attaches,
like hammerheads.
<You are correct. Both are meandroid in morphology>
<<Hmm... I don't think this is a Duncan, but I do agree with Bob that it
does appear meandroid. Maybe a Platygyra sp.?>>
This is not the case with the species in my tank: every head is closely
attached to the other and only separated by a sharp septum, and the coral
attaches directly to the rock.
<Oh! Sorry re... Is not obvious to me in the images>
But here again, I am a total beginner in coral taxonomy! The other comment
that I would make is that the species is very high in the tank because that
is where I chose to put it - and it does seem to be faring quite well so
far. Anyway, I will do more research into Duncanopsammia axifuga.
Thank you &
Best regards,
Tim
<Let's wait on SaraM's better experience here.>
<<Ha. I'm a "beginner" in coral taxonomy myself... but I think better
pictures (ones of the coral completely retracted, showing the skeleton
better), would be helpful. Till then, my "best guess" is Platygyra sp. If
only I had my Veron books handy here... bunk!>>
<In the meanwhile, If you can send along a larger image (1 mb let's say)
better resolved... perhaps taken from the surface down... with the pumps
shut off temporarily. Bob Fenner>
<<Ditto. Sara M.>>
Ok... forget what I just said. I just
asked Jake Adams for help. He says it's a Hydnophora pilosa... and unless
pics of the skeleton show any different, I have to agree with him.
Cheers,
Sara M.
Re: Coral ID - Catalaphyllia
jardinei or not Catalaphyllia jardinei? – 4/29/09
PIC4
<Tim, please see my last e-mail. You absolutely must resize your images to
~500 KB. I've had to delete your original images -- all of them -- because
they're blocking our 10 MB e-mail allowance. In doing so, they're bouncing
back other people's messages, which isn't fair. Resize your images, and then
send them again. We do specifically ask for this from everyone who writes,
as you'll see on the page where you got the Crew e-mail address.
Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Coral ID - Catalaphyllia
jardinei or not Catalaphyllia jardinei? – 4/29/09
Apologies for this,
I sent the pics in large format as requested by Bob in his earlier email,
<<This is so. Sorry, I should have asked for just one image... or had you
send them to my personal email... which you eventually did. RMF>>
but will get them resent to you in a smaller format ASAP.
Best
Tim
<Hi Tim, one big image isn't so bad, but eight of them, each over 4 MB
each, simply blocks everything else getting to us. For screen work (as
opposed to print) then 72-96 dpi is fine, and resized to 640 x 480 or 800 x
600 should be ample. If all else fails, crop away everything that isn't
relevant. Thanks for understanding. Cheers, Neale.>
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Re: Coral ID - Catalaphyllia
jardinei or not Catalaphyllia jardinei? – 4/30/09
I went to look at pics of H pilosa, and it does look very similar
(http://www.meerwasser-lexikon.de/tiere/657_Hydnophora_pilosa.htm). In my
situation, it is an encrusting type of LPS.
I am currently not in a position to send resized pics now, but will do so at
the earliest opportunity.
Best regards,
Tim
<And you. BobF>
Re: Coral ID - Catalaphyllia jardinei or not Catalaphyllia jardinei?
– 4/30/09
Resized pics attached. reasonably sized...
Best
Tim
<Ah yes... I clearly see the skeletal hydnophores here. Bob Fenner> |
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What is this coral?
4/2/09
Hello,
<Hi there Teresa>
I have read on your site extensively. It has helped me in so many ways, I am
truly grateful. I purchased this coral and I did not research it before
hand. I know I should have but the pet store man who is their saltwater
specialist has sold me most of my tank inhabitants and is usually right on.
The trouble is I forgot the name of it and cannot find it on the site. I
think it maybe so sort of Porites.
<Perhaps>
I remember it started with a D but I would love to know how to feed it and
care for it.
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/poritidfdgfaqs.htm>
He said it was not aggressive so it is in the middle of a 155 bow with mega
flow 2 sump 3 250w MH and 6 blue bulbs. I feed oyster eggs and rotifer 2x a
week. Tank numbers are good.
Thanks for any help you may have
Teresa
<If you have time, interest in a more sure answer/ID, please make and send
along a more-resolved (larger file, close-up) pic. Bob Fenner>
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Re: What is this coral?
04/02/09
Thanks for your reply Bob, and I hope you are doing well today!
<Thank you my friend. Am trying. BobF>
Here are a few more pictures in hopes you may be able to name this
critter.
Thanks Teresa
<Oh, sorry re the incomplete resp... These new pix... the coral
polyps... the arrangement of the skeleton... Could still be a Poritid,
but... I can't say definitively if it is or not... I would proceed with
care per this family however. Bob Fenner>
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Live Rock Critter Question - Not A
Critter, A Coral, Perhaps A Fungiid 03/19/2009
Hello.
<Hi there, Mich here.>
This little guy is growing out of a piece of live rock in my tank.
<I see.>
I am not sure what it is. Can you help?
<It looks to be a coral>
It appears to be some sort of anemone, but not sure what kind.
<Don't think so.>
Its "body" has a hard shell similar to a volcano, and the tentacles go into
the rock and come back out.
<If it has a skeleton, which it sounds and looks like it does, it is not an
anemone.>
Three other "volcanoes" have formed on this same piece of live rock. But I
haven't seen any "anemone" arms pop out of it yet.
<Ok.>
Is it some type of coral?
<Likely so, perhaps a baby Fungiid. More here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fungiidae.htm >
Thanks!
<Welcome!> |
Scleractinian for sure. RMF |
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Coral Identification - Goniopora
3/19/2009
Hello.
<Hi there, Mich with you.>
Can you tell me what type of coral this is?
<Yes it is a Goniopora, commonly called a flowerpot coral, and they
typically don't do well in captivity as each and every individual polyp
needs to be fed, ie each of the little "flowers". It is generally not a
coral that should be tried by a beginner. Please don't take this the wrong
way, but if you don't know the name, it is not an animal you should be
keeping. You should always know the care requirements of any creature for
which you assume responsibility and if you don't know what it is, you are
not likely to know the animals care requirements. The animal is at your
mercy. I implore you to learn about the needs of any animal in your custody.
Not knowing is irresponsible. I am hoping you are in the researching stage
and this is a photo from the LFS, which is where this coral should be left
in my opinion. More here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/gonioporapix.htm >
I cannot find a picture of it anywhere to identify it.
<Hope this helped.>
Thanks.
<Welcome!>
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Anemone identification 2/14/09
Any idea what
genus/species this anemone is? It showed up in some live rock after
about 6 months in my tank (that I could see anyway). Thanks for all
you guys do!!!!
<Mmm, an Aiptasiid... a Glass Anemone... Read
here re:
http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
and the linked files above... BobF> |
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Daily Questions, Anem./Scler. ID – 02/14/09
Dear
Crew,
I was reading the daily questions today and wanted to offer
my thoughts on one of the ID requests. In "Anemone identification
2/14/09", Bob suggested that the creature in the picture was a glass
anemone. I don't think so--I
think it's a non-photosynthetic
stony coral that comes on a lot of live rock, like the one featured
at the top of this page:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/stonycoridfaq.htm
Andy
<Thank you
for your input Andy. Will accrue. BobF> |
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Coral and Anthias ID 1/17/09
Hi,
Can you please ID the coral and the Anthias?
<I believe the this
is a Dispar Anthias (Pseudanthias dispar). More here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anthiina.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anthiinFAQs.htm and related links in blue
and the coral looks like Galaxea fascicularis to me. More here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/oculinidae.htm >
Regards
Beta M
India
<Cheers,
Mich L
in warm and sunny Los Angeles> |
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Hitchhiker... Single polyp, Scleractinian 12/10/08
I have a hitchhiker coral on a piece of Tonga branch I have been trying
to identify it for a couple of months now. It has been in the tank for
about 4 years but it has not grown much, I started to spot feed it and
has now spawned into to 3 polyps. It looks like it might be
Rhizotrochus???
<Mmm, maybe... definitely a Stony... my bet is on the
genus Balanophyllia, a Dendrophylliid here. BTW, the emergence of such
animals is testament to your good care>
but I am not sure. It is very
hardy from what I can tell, it has what looks to be a mouth in the
center and the tentacles are white tipped and a light brown see-thru.
See attached photos they are only about a 1/4 inch so it is hard to get
the details in a picture.
Thanks in advance
Nick
<Should you
have one of these polyps perish Nick. Please do try, make some close up
pix of the skeleton and send them along. Cheers, Bob Fenner> |
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Thanks in Advance - 2 quick...? questions, Scler. recruitment
11/17/2008
Gang (think
that covers both genders),
<Okay>
I have 2 questions I was hoping
you could shed some light on. The first is a mystery that seems to be
repeating itself. I first noticed about 9 months ago that I had what
looked like 1 -2 small pink Pocillopora (sp?)
<Mmm, Pocillopora?>
polyps growing on my return. High up many feet from my colony. I thought
it was odd. About a month or so after that I saw a path growing on two
other rocks also a good distance from that. Again after some time I saw
a patch growing on my glass of my tank on the opposite side of the other
action. Now I have a 2-4" multi arm colony growing on 2 of my rocks,
<Usually discoid...>
on my return, a 2 inch disk growing on the glass
and notice that at the water line along the back of my tank, on other
live rock and on different sections of my returns I have new little
growths... My question is what is going on?
<Asexual repro.? Or...
possibly another organism/species... phylum altogether>
If it was
already on the live rock, fine, but not the glass of my tank. If was
displaced when I had an algae issue and was scrubbing rock a year ago,
OK, but how is it spreading now? Is it reproducing?
<Or just
growing...>
I can't imagine that. Could my urchins be spreading it?
<Mmm, doubtful>
I am at a loss... a happy loss, but thought I would
ask.
<A photo (or three) please... something close up,
well-resolved...>
My second question is star polyps... They are
getting close to my corals and onto larger rocks I don't want to pull
out... can I control them or should I get the out now before it is too
bad?
<Up to you... there are many instances of adaptation twixt
Clavulariids/Stoloniferans and other Cnidarians... learning to "get
along" well enough... but if it were me/mine... I'd keep them
separated...>
(ok worse.) Also where they are on big rocks can I
fight back? Who will win when they hit my birds nest?
<The Polyps>
Tooth coral?
<Here too>
Lastly, since I am cleaning them out. I
put some on the back wall of the tank (on the glass) it too is
spreading. Should I get rid of that too?
<Up to you...>
Thanks,
counting the number of question marks, I think I may have exceeded
two....
Jim
<Do read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/polypcompfaqs.htm
Bob Fenner> |
Re: Thanks in Advance - 2 quick...? questions 11/18/2008
Here are some photos. One from Top of the tank fuzzy sorry water
reflection. Another of the largest new piece. One on the side of the
tank.
One of the newest small piece. One on the return and one
of the tank...
just for fun.
<Mmm, do look like colonies of
some stony coral. B>
Re: Thanks in Advance - 2
quick...? questions
One with the wife's Camera... better
I think. This is a piece that started as the small one in the last
set. It has been about 9 months to get to this size maybe less.
Again and always. Thanks
<This as well... I'd leave as is...
enjoy. B>
Re: Thanks in Advance - 2 quick...?
questions
any idea how they got there?
<Yes... very
likely "recruits" from some errant (as in wandering) polyps on your
live rock or base/s of other hard materials organisms placed in the
system. Quite common. Bob Fenner> |
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