encrusted to 4x6 base then grew vertical

[UCedumacasion]

I've been trying for months to find it in books and I have no idea what it is. There are large polyps that extend from the primary coralites at night. The growth pattern was also strange. I purchased the frag several years ago from Tong's FV under the assumption that it was a montipora frag (It was domed on a plug with no vertical growth. It grew over almost an entire rock (4" by 6"). When I looked at it last year around this time it had a couple of vertical growths. It has since grown into what it is pictured.


The coral seems to be tabling. The vertical growth evened out and is growing together. Its also growing relatively fast as the branches are growing about 1/4 in to 1/2 an inch each a month. Any ideas?

Flow: I have 2 K4s and a K3 in my 40g breeder.
Light: Sunlight supply tek light with 3 giesman Actinic + and 1 aquablue+

 

[mayjong]

wow-
i have no idea,
bump for a COOL coral!

 

[preef]

Nice!

I looked all through Corals of the World by JEN Vernon. Can't find an exact match. The closest I could come up with are Montipora Confusa or Montipora Vietnamensis.

 

[UCedumacasion]

I've looked thru several books and looked online. I'm getting close to the point where I might seek DNA testing, although expensive and kind of ridiculous I might do it anyways. Does anyone know a place that can do it?

 

[preef]

Before going that route I'd try to contact some of the experts. You can start at wetwebmedia: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm

You can also try emailing the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences at corals@aims.gov.au.

 

[gon08]

I have no idea what it is but looking at the tips I would say it's an Acropora. It's going to take some serious research to ID it... it's beautiful regardless.

 

[Whisperer]

Nice!

I looked all through Corals of the World by JEN Vernon. Can't find an exact match. The closest I could come up with are Montipora Confusa or Montipora Vietnamensis.

That is not a montipora. It is too young to get an accurate ID. Looking at the base and polyps, I will dare guess it is a secale.

 

[gon08]

I don't think it's a secale either. I'm leaning towards A. caroliniana A. granulosa or A. turaki

 

[preef]

That is not a montipora. It is too young to get an accurate ID. Looking at the base and polyps, I will dare guess it is a secale.

I don't think A. secale. Coralite structure is wrong.

I don't think it's a secale either. I'm leaning towards A. caroliniana A. granulosa or A. turaki

I thought about these since the coralites somewhat resemble these but the polyps on the OP's coral are much larger than the polyps on these. I have an A. caroliniana frag that is forming a nice base and the base looks nothing like the OP coral's base.

When you do figure out what it is please post again.

 

[gon08]

When you do figure out what it is please post again.

Ok but it will cost you a future frag of that bad boy :dance:

 

[UCedumacasion]

Ok but it will cost you a future frag of that bad boy :dance:

Haha. There's a waiting list already but I can add you to it. There would be shipping involved (located in So Cal). I make no promises on when I'll frag it. I like just watching it grow. Any help anyone can give me is much appreciated.

Charles

 

[Grant W]

I have a piece or 2 that I was going to call montis because of the puddling(encrusting) but I think you have a nice little efflo, I have one that did the same thing and then has just taken off. Mine is in a high flow area and I think that is part of the reason for its heavy encrusting Plus I think it was just claiming as much territory as it could because it grew out until it met other pieces on all sides and then started to grow up and is now starting to table out nicely. You are going to have a nice piece there in a while GL. Grant

 

[UCedumacasion]

Here is another picture. I was actually able to get my camera to take a picture, point and shoots are not made for dealing with actinic light. Hopefully this helps. I still don't know what it is. At this point I'm still hoping it hasn't been defined. Who doesn't want a unique coral. Ha.

Charles

 

[davelinks]

yeah i wouldnt look past an efflo coming out of that, the encrustation looks alot like the base of my efflo

heres the base of mine
<a href="http://s1091.photobucket.com/albums/i392/davelinks/?action=view&current=2011-01-15132355.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i392/davelinks/2011-01-15132355.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
and as a whole
<a href="http://s1091.photobucket.com/albums/i392/davelinks/?action=view&current=2011-01-15132408.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i392/davelinks/2011-01-15132408.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[maroun.c]

Very similar growth pattern to a very fast growing accro I'm trying to get an ID for. the vertical branches might be a bit different? but still it looks very similar.
IT also encrusted a lot before growing vertical.

 

[UCedumacasion]

Do you have a lot of flow in the tank? I mean does the acro get high amounts of flow? Mine gets full blast Koralia 4 and partial from a K3 and another K4, maybe yours is in a little bit less flow but it looks similar to me. Mine has recently started pushing its coralites further out (laterally) from the initial vertical spires

 

[maroun.c]

This one is actually a frag of mine in a friends tank where flow is medium. the one I have in my tank is a bit in higher flow and looks to be a bit thicker...

 

[dudley moray]

it could be A. aculeus but more growth is needed to make a positive match !

 

[UCedumacasion]

new pic...

 

[prop-frags]

+1 on efflo