Caribbean Brain Corals

[michael_cb_125]

I recently received a batch of really nice LR from the Gulf of Mexico.
I have found literally dozens of corals, but there are two in particular that I really like.
I have a guess on the species, but I wanted to get further input.

Thanks for any help with identifying these two guys:

Here is the green and purple one:
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t118/michael_cb_125/GreenBrain_zps3ab3cb91.jpg

The green and purple and the small red and green in the top:
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t118/michael_cb_125/GreenBrain_zps3ab3cb91.jpg

A close up of the Red and Green:
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t118/michael_cb_125/RedandGreenBrain_zps6abd08e4.jpg

Sorry for the crappy iPhone shots.

~Michael

 

[organism]

No idea, but you've got the same image on the first two.

 

[zachfishman]

I used to survey reefs off Lauderdale. Brain and cactus corals (which I believe those two might be), can be hard to ID to species when they are small. My best guesses are Colpophyllia natans or Diploria strigosa brain corals for the smaller, brownish one, and a Mycetophyllia species cactus coral for the larger, green one. If you send some better pics I could be more sure.

Send pics when they've doubled in size and I might be able to give you a concrete ID...

 

[elegance coral]

If I'm looking at the right thing, they both look like the Florida rose coral, Manicina areolata

 

[zachfishman]

If I'm looking at the right thing, they both look like the Florida rose coral, Manicina areolata

Possibly, small C. natans do look similar to M. areolata. However:

Manicina generally never grow attached to rocks, and of the thousands I've seen, none have ever been green...

 

[michael_cb_125]

Zackfishman- thanks for your input. I was thinking the same thing about the cactus coral.
Once these guys grow out some I will post pictures.

~Michael

 

[IIV]

Where may I ask did you get your liverock from?

~Jack

 

[elegance coral]

Manicina generally never grow attached to rocks, and of the thousands I've seen, none have ever been green...

Manicina areolata always spends part of its life on rocks or other solid surfaces. The life cycle demands it. The tiny larva can not settle on sand. It's to fluid. Every tide change, or storm that rolled through shifts the sand and the tiny larvae would simply get covered and die. The larvae settles on a solid surface, like a rock, and begins depositing calcium carbonate. One slightly larger layer on top of the other. This process builds a larger and larger coral, with a small point of attachment. Typically, this small point of attachment breaks, and the coral begins its solitary life where ever it may land. Other times the coral can grow a larger point of attachment and remain fixed to a rock for most of its life.

Of the "thousands I've seen" roughly 25 to 30 percent have been green.

Scroll down almost half way on this link and you'll see a green Manicina areolata still attached to a rock.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...5LLUlQN8SIoM6VWk3FIK-XQ&bvm=bv.45645796,d.eWU