richardong
New member
Kind of in the mood to post some pictures, here are some of my LPS just start out lately.
Acan Maxima
- Thread starter richardong
- Start date
richardong
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Echino Aspera
Echino Aspera
Echino Aspera
richardong
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chalices
chalices
chalices
richardong
New member
Don't think they can take a jumbo prawn yet, maybe few months later 
They were eating brine shrimp. yum yum
They were eating brine shrimp. yum yum
richardong
New member
I actually don't know the name beside it was sold to me as Acan Maxima. The polyps is over an inch and still keep getting bigger and the mother colony it came from grow into 2"+.
richardong
New member
I bought it from The Cultivatedreef, i believe his coral's quality, i am pretty sure its acan maxima.
richardong
New member
Found the picture of the Acan where it came from with the ruler to show the size when it was taken. Baseball size? I will have to stop feeding it or it will eventually fill up my tank
richardong
New member
BTW, I never have Acan Bowerbanki and just got one couple weeks ago. Can anyone tell me what is the different of this type of acan compared to others? Thx in advance for any input.
RandyO
Active member
Now that I see the mother colony, I can see it looks exactly like A. maxima, as described in books.
If it were side by side with this maxima, I wouldn't be able to tell them apart.
Here's another photo of A. maxima
Characters: Colonies are cerioid with corallites up to 50 millimetres diameter. Septa are coarsely toothed. Polyps have a fleshy mantle up to 100 millimetres diameter and with a Lobophylliaâ€"œlike texture. Colour: Green, grey or brown. Similar species: Symphyllia wilsoni. The fleshy mantles are more extensive than those of any other Acanthastrea. Acanthastrea ishigakiensis has slightly smaller polyps. Habitat: Known only from moderately deep, turbid water. Abundance: Rare.
Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic reference: Sheppard and Salm (1988). Identification guides: Sheppard and Sheppard (1991), Coles (1996), Carpenter et al. (1997).
Notice that in the color description there is no orange, red, or pinks.
Another picture of A. maxima
Scientific Name Acanthastrea maxima
Common Name "Fleshy Artichoke Coral"
Color Dark brown or green.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Like the starry cup coral, heavy septal spines are the dominant characteristic of this species. However, the diameters of its calyces are much larger, up to 5 cm, and polyps may expand to twice this diameter. This species is endemic to Oman, meaning that it has been encountered in only Oman waters, having been described from a specimen first found off Ras al Hamra.
Habitat
Thus far, fleshy artichoke coral is very uncommon and has only been collected from the ridge area lying between Ras al Hamra and Al Fahl Island in the Muscat area, and in the nearshore waters at Sahd, Dhofar. It appears to be favored by relatively low light and high turbidity conditions that are present over sandy bottoms where most other coral species are not abundant.
Info taken from
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/research/pbs/Oman-coral-book/Chap3/CorBkCh3htm.htm
I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that you don't own an Acanthastrea maxima. No one does.
If it were side by side with this maxima, I wouldn't be able to tell them apart.
Here's another photo of A. maxima
Characters: Colonies are cerioid with corallites up to 50 millimetres diameter. Septa are coarsely toothed. Polyps have a fleshy mantle up to 100 millimetres diameter and with a Lobophylliaâ€"œlike texture. Colour: Green, grey or brown. Similar species: Symphyllia wilsoni. The fleshy mantles are more extensive than those of any other Acanthastrea. Acanthastrea ishigakiensis has slightly smaller polyps. Habitat: Known only from moderately deep, turbid water. Abundance: Rare.
Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic reference: Sheppard and Salm (1988). Identification guides: Sheppard and Sheppard (1991), Coles (1996), Carpenter et al. (1997).
Notice that in the color description there is no orange, red, or pinks.
Another picture of A. maxima
Scientific Name Acanthastrea maxima
Common Name "Fleshy Artichoke Coral"
Color Dark brown or green.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Like the starry cup coral, heavy septal spines are the dominant characteristic of this species. However, the diameters of its calyces are much larger, up to 5 cm, and polyps may expand to twice this diameter. This species is endemic to Oman, meaning that it has been encountered in only Oman waters, having been described from a specimen first found off Ras al Hamra.
Habitat
Thus far, fleshy artichoke coral is very uncommon and has only been collected from the ridge area lying between Ras al Hamra and Al Fahl Island in the Muscat area, and in the nearshore waters at Sahd, Dhofar. It appears to be favored by relatively low light and high turbidity conditions that are present over sandy bottoms where most other coral species are not abundant.
Info taken from
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/research/pbs/Oman-coral-book/Chap3/CorBkCh3htm.htm
I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that you don't own an Acanthastrea maxima. No one does.
richardong
New member
It look exactly like Maxima, but its not a maxima, :x 
I am starting to confuse haha.
So what you were saying that all those have been sold by some vendors has never be a maxima but a maxima alike type of acan? Interesting.
I am starting to confuse haha.
So what you were saying that all those have been sold by some vendors has never be a maxima but a maxima alike type of acan? Interesting.
zeppelin
www.corareef.org
I've seen several vendors jumping on the 'acan maxima' bandwagon lately. Maxima is only known to be found in Omen waters, where collection is prohibited (penalty is cutting off fingers I am told 
) Only drab colors have been described. Nothing with much color at all, so I'd bet its not a maxima.
) Only drab colors have been described. Nothing with much color at all, so I'd bet its not a maxima.
neyugn0w01
In Memoriam
I just don't understand why a maxima debate always comes up every few days or so. Why is it so hard to believe that they come from Omen waters and collecting in that area is not allowed?
water hazzard
In Memoriam
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.
