Acan Maxima

[RandyO]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10124125#post10124125 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by water hazzard
Hard to believe that these things are so rare, yet everyone has one. I have a few of the so called maximas and every one is different. Really nice corals whatever they are, but if these holy grail of corals are so rare I doudt that everyone has one, much less a few specimans. Would love to hear the Prince (of Oman) chime in here.

Prince, or Sultan?

 

[richardong]

Sultan is Malay word for prince.

I guess someone just need to come up with a new name to call the Acan that is not Maxima but bigger than regular Acan Lord. Nothing wrong to have maxima or some sort of acan, thats true that its as pretty as it is regardless of what it is, but good to know what type of corals that you are keeping in order to allow you keep track and do the trade etc in the future.

 

[water hazzard]

Agreed there, would just like to know what they really are

 

[critmin]

So then this is not a maxima right?

 

[Absolute Reef]

Those are very very nice!

 

[critmin]

RandyO, I was just wondering. The "acan. maximas" at atlantis, are those really acan. maximas? If not do you know what they could be?

 

[RandyO]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10157767#post10157767 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by critmin
RandyO, I was just wondering. The "acan. maximas" at atlantis, are those really acan. maximas? If not do you know what they could be?

Atlantis sells primo corals, and I have nothing but respect for them. But...

They have 4 different Acanthastrea maxima on their site right now and they not only look like 4 different species, but they don't even look like the same Genus.

So to answer your question, No. I've yet to see a coral in captivity that deserves to be called Acanthastrea maxima.

As for what they are, that's the real question. No one knows. And when a colorful, large polyp Musside looking coral comes in and no one knows what it is, it's put in the "Maxima" classification. Because that's really the only classification these corals have been put into.

I think a lot of these places don't really believe they have Acanthastrea maxima. They just believe they have the same coral everyone else is calling A. maxima.

It's become very wide spread, and it looks like it's only getting worse.

BTW, Atlantis got those new "maximas" from Australia. A far off place from Oman.

 

[critmin]

Cool thanks. So do you think that these large mussidae are a new species or that no one has bothered figuring out what they are yet?

 

[RandyO]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10157767#post10157767 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by critmin
RandyO, I was just wondering. The "acan. maximas" at atlantis, are those really acan. maximas? If not do you know what they could be?

I picked up a coral that would fall in Atlantis's category of Acan Maxima.

It's probably a lobophyllia

 

[airinhere]

Kinda looks like a Hillae to me.
I got two colonies and they have that irregular shape to the polyps, and the toothy ridges.

Polyps are about a half inch across.

I think most of the Maximas coming from Australia are really Bowerbankis. I also have two colonies of them and I have seen a couple local LFS selling the exact same thing as Maximas.

My Bowerbankis have polyps over an inch across.

 

[airinhere]

These are Hillaes

This is a Bowerbanki

 

[DarkLordCoral]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10215965#post10215965 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RandyO
I picked up a coral that would fall in Atlantis's category of Acan Maxima.

It's probably a lobophyllia

I might need a piece of that one Randy

Shoot me an email if your fragging.

 

[slojmn]

Randy, quite pretty. I'd have to agreee with your assessment 100%...for whatever that is worth . I must say, they are gorgeous corals no matter what they are. The colors are very vivid and diverse.

 

[wrasstaman3]

RandyO,
Would you mind mentioning where you picked up the Atlantis type maxima?
Also, what is it that has you convinced you have not seen a true acan maxima available other than presumed collection location. Is there something physical you can point out that would distinguish what we see from a true maxima?
Thanks,
Wrassta