Another Cool Day/Night Photo

[justin_cutri]

Orange Crush Echinata... Mmmm sooo orangey

Couldn't get a cleaner shot, camera on the phone has a hard time focusing on close ups. But you can get an idea of the color on this thing

 

[Grant W]

Pretty cool Justin nice piece and pics

 

[Reef Bass]

Good looking echinata. You're going to want to keep it at least 3-4 inches away from everything up and down current. They have not only aggressive sweepers but brutal threads of death (mesentery filaments?)

 

[justin_cutri]

That's what I've been hearing, sweepers are super short maybe a 1/2" at most but I'll have to keep an eye out for the filaments.

 

[Reef Bass]

The coral is just lulling you into a false sense of security. Those sweepers may be short now but they can get 3 inches plus at will. If it is not putting out long sweepers it hasn't settled in yet. Trust me on this. I've had several echinatas and they have killed a number of corals. The sweepers will blow with the flow but the filaments can creep up current along the substrate, frag rack, tank bottom, glass sides, whatever. Acanthastrea echinata can be quite aggressive.

 

[justin_cutri]

I will be keeping a very close eye on this one. If it gives me or my other corals any grief I'll just stick it in the corner on time out

 

[woodnaquanut]

I'm new to all this so I google a LOT.

LiveAquaria lists this species as 'Peaceful' in the temperament section. Then in the text detail says, "Be aware that Acanthastrea are voracious nocturnal predators and competitively extrude mesenterial filaments and digest organisms within reach"

I wonder what an organism has to do to be listed as aggressive?

 

[woodnaquanut]

Damm double post. I'm deleting most of it!