Aquarium City Red or Red Planet

[108reefer]

Ok we have a debate going on in our local forum and can't seem to determine the difference in these two corals... I would like to know if they are the same, or truly a different species. I have noticed that ACR has disappeared from the scene when ORA RP arrived a few years ago - and they both look the same to me. I have bought both (or so they said in descriptions) corals. I had to frag the one I bought as ACR from a fellow reefer locally - who thinks they are the same. I will post pictures of the mother colony (I will try to get a better one this afternoon) as well as the frags I just cut the other day... Thanks for the help!

Mother colony here: note, the mother colony is about 6" across

Frags - are about 1 1/2" to 2 1/2"

 

[GhostCon1]

It could be your lighting, but I don't see the slight green tint in the tissue that is common for Red Planets.

 

[Softhammer]

Touch them together for a while, if they sting each other they are different, if no attack then they are the same species.

 

[108reefer]

I am just learning the new camera - there is definitely the green tissue on the mother colony (on the left side of the top picture), and some of the bigger frags - I talked to the guy who I got this from, and he got it directly from GA Aquarium - who got it from Aquarium City... So, I guess my question is: is there a difference? I really don't care much - still a very nice coral! we are looking for a frag from ORA to test what Softhammer is recommending... TBD!

 

[jdhuyvetter]

I'm the supplier of his frag. the parent colony under solartubes with actinic supplements has no green. However, when I cut frags and put them under T-5's in my frag tank, they get lots of green.

 

[GhostCon1]

Touch them together for a while, if they sting each other they are different, if no attack then they are the same species.

Corals sting each other unless they are from the same colony

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Coral on the left is an accidental chip that I put on a plug and has been growing in my frag tank (T-5's, 50% actinic, 50% 10K) for about 6 months. Coral on the right was cut about 15 minutes ago. It has been growing under solar tubes (natural sunlight) with actinic supplements.

First pic is actinics, second pic is actinic and 10k's (T-5's)

 

[dvanacker]

They are really similar to RP that is forsure.

You got to get a RP so you can try to grow them together. If they do than likely the same coral.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Yeah, I know. I need to make sure I can trace the source back to ORA. Either buy direct (ORA via LFS) or from someone who has.

 

[frink]

Dustin @ ORA

Dustin @ ORA

Dustin is the guy who did sps for Aquarium city before he moved on to ORA,hmmm...

 

[jdhuyvetter]

OK, time to put the debate to bed. I acquired a Red Planet from Tropical Reef Corals at a local frag swap. They got the parent direct from ORA. The Aquarium City Red (ACR) I got from Atlantis several years ago. It is my understanding, they got it from either Tyree or direct from Aquarium City.

ACR frag was cut from this piece

Two frags on one plug (ORA RP is left frag and ACR is right frag) ORA RP frag came from coral behind and to the left of the plug

Top View

I'll post update every couple of weeks as they grow. I intentionally cut small frags so that they would encrust the plug completely before starting to throw up branches. We'll know as soon as they grow together

 

[Stupes]

If I had to guess I would say your ACR is going encrust faster than the Red Planet. Also the Red Planet is going to grow up more than it encrusts. That is just what I have seen in my tanks.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

We'll see. I looked at it last night. Both frags are starting to encrust and the coral has now covered the frag glue. I'll post an update pic this weekend.

 

[dvanacker]

nice little experiment!

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Pic taken July 31, 2011

 

[bz350]

Bump for an update