Echino?

[seapug]

This is a recent acquisition. It's a bit hard to tell from the photo, but it's marbled pink/red with orange polyps. It was labeled as Echinophyllia and seems to have Echino-type polyp arrangement but the tissue doesn't "inflate" much. This would normally concern me a bit but it otherwise appears very healthy, not a single tear in the tissue and has very consistent coloring-- almost looks fake. It was in the dealer's tank for months where I had been eyeballing it as a future pruchase-- took the plunge last weekend.

I've had it a few days and haven't seen any sweeper tentacles or tissue inflation. Basically looks exactly as it did at the store for months. I keep a number of LPS corals in my tank and all are doing well (wellsophyllia, Scolymia, lobos, hammer, candy cane). I looked through the other threads here on Echinos and didn't see any that look much like it. I have a 48" Outer Oribit light fixture with 150W 14K and 20K MH and PC actinics. I have it situated about 18" below the lights about midway in the tank-- a bit closer to 20K side. Info on these guys seems to be a bit hard to find, so I'm curious to hear about other peoples experience with this particular variety, if you've seen it.

Thanks!

 

[REEFRHEAD]

looks more like a echinopora to me but dont quote me echinophylias are much more flat normally expecially at that smaller size

 

[elegance coral]

I wouldn't be to concerned about the tissue not expanding. If you moved it to a lower light area of the tank it would probably expand more but its colors may fade. I would leave it where it is and try feeding it as much as possible. Given the right water quality, high calcium level, your lighting, and a good diet that thing is going to be an awsome coral. As if its not allready!
Good luck and beautiful coral!

 

[funkyman]

I love enchinos. That's a sweet one.

 

[seapug]

Thanks for the replies and compliments. Glad to know I didn't get a lame one.
I've seen some pretty incredible photos of other ones.
I have a little bit of everything in my tank, but this is my first Echino so I look forward to seeing how it evolves.

 

[All Delight]

nice piece

 

[dr. espo]

I agree with Reeferhead, I think you have an echinopora...this is a piece I recently picked up...as far as I can tell, due to the lack of mouths...its an echinopyllia

under 20KMH's and actinics

with flash:

 

[seapug]

hmm, interesting....thanks for the info. These guys sure are strange. I did some searching for pics of echinoporas and they all had smallish evenly spaced polpys. The polyps on the one I have are big and protrude in different directions-- like almost 3/4 inch across. I guess I'll just leave it with a temporary ID of "Echino".

 

[REEFRHEAD]

well the reason why i say echinopora because i read somewhere i cant remember where but anyways. echinoporas mouths always grow towards the edge of the coral and have the more outward pointed growing mouths and echinophyllias mouths grow upwards not towards the edge and are more flat against its body. that is why i think yours is a echinopora. but like i said thats just my 2 cents

 

[seapug]

cool, thanks again....

 

[lfduty]

It look's good and happy