Cyphastrea. Meteor Shower or Superman

[gbcichlids]

What exactly is the difference between the two? I have seen several pictures of both of them and most look very similar. A certain place in WI. has a Meteor Shower that has a greenish base with the red polyps and a certain place in FL. has one with a blue base and the red polyps which look like mostly everyone elses Superman????.
Pics if you have them would be great?
Thanks,
Randy

 

[roblack]

I have the blue with red polyps and always thought it was the Meteor Shower.

 

[gbcichlids]

Whatever it is, it is beautiful.

 

[Rukis]

there are a quite a few different colored cyphastrea, but never heard of the superman?? The red and blue cyphastrea is called the Meteor Shower, there's a green and pink cyphastrea (which isnt the meteor shower), a orange branching cyphastrea, etc... I think the Meteor Shower is the closest cyphastrea to Superman colors of blue and red.

 

[roblack]

Check this one out. Jason Fox's PPE Cyphastrea. Just colored back up for me.

 

[SDguy]

I was under the impression that the original "meteor shower" was the turquopise/light blue-green background with pinkish polyps. Not to be confused with the green with red/orange polyps. I have both in my tank, and they look very different...not sure if my pics show that well...

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Wow...i have never looked into these before. Now i want them, whats the going rate for a frag of any of these?

 

[Superstretch18]

My meteor shower looks just like the one that SDguy posted; baby blue with red polyps. I imagine that "superman" anything would be more royal blue/red. Who knows if it would actually be a different coral and not just natural color variation...

 

[reeferoo]

Peter- I have never seen a cyph open its polyps so much! You must have excellent water conditions!

 

[DSR]

here is my meteor shower cyphastrea.

SD, that is nothing short of incredible...

 

[gbcichlids]

Very nice pics everyone!

roblack, NICE PIECE!

1DeR9_3Hy, Exactly. Just recently came across these myself. And from what I have found they are typical LPS; Hardy and variable lighting conditions. $30-$100 depending on size of frag.

DSR, I would put that beauty in the superman category. VERY NICE!

SDguy, I think you may be right. My meteor shower has very bright pinkish/ candy apple red polyps. The base is tannish but it is very small at around a half inch and just in my tank a week.

Are there Limited Editions, Tyree, or Tubbs cyphastrea out there.

 

[jsdancer]

I picked up both types of mine at WWC. There are great growers,
here are mine.
Bought this one which they called Meteor Shower Cyphastrea in Jan of 09

Here it is today

Here is a green body and pink polyps cyphastrea

All these pics were taken in daylight, I have not tried under actinics but will try someday.

 

[gbcichlids]

Very nice jsdancer.
Meteor has a green base and superman has a blue base.

 

[jsdancer]

thnxs gb!

 

[AquaticMadness]

Yeah those are good looking corals.

 

[mclaman]

SDGuy,

How do you get the polyps to come out? Could it be possible that a fish is nipping at mine?

-Mark

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15379226#post15379226 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mclaman
SDGuy,

How do you get the polyps to come out? Could it be possible that a fish is nipping at mine?

-Mark

Mine have always looked like that. Until the comments in this thread, I honestly had no idea they could look otherwise. Sorry I can't be any help

 

[roblack]

Mine stay out most of the time too. Retracted in pic because took it out to get a decent shot.

 

[gbcichlids]

See: Diver's Den: Aquacultured Corals

 

[GPhiAce]

To answer your original question, the Superman you are most likely refering to is the Superman Monti and the Cyphastrea you are referring to is the Meteor Shower Cyphastrea. They are completely different corals in that the familys/groups (whatever) they belong to are different. These two mentioned both have a blue base and red polyps. The Superman has smaller more compact polyps while the Meteor Shower has larger polyps that resemble a rose (kinda). They both are great hardy corals and encrust as they grow. There are sveral different types of montis and cyphastrea but those are two of the more popular and more common collectables. The pictures above are cyphastrea.

Sorry for the next horrible picture: small frags and I am a bad photographer, but I am gettig better. There is a frag of the original ATL meteor shower cyphastrea in the top left and Superman monti (i think it is from the original tyree Superman) in the bottom left. The pic is horrible, but ou can appreciate the polyp size and sructure.

Roblack... if you ever frag that Jason Fox PPE, please contact me ASAP. That is a nice one.