Firecoral Acropora - very odd!

[chrisaggie]

About a month back I ran into one of the most intesting acroporas I have ever seen. I was at a local fish store here in town. From about 20 feet away from the sps tank I saw a thing I swore was a firecoral (hence the name). As I got closer I had the feeling that something was not right. It wasn't a firecoral, it was an ACRO!!! As quick as I could I called my friend Juan Carlos (of reef envy) and told him about my find. We brough it home and we each took some of the colony. I have looked page by page through "Corals of the World" by Veron and see nothing that looks remotely close. Maybe this is a hybrid? I am fairly sure it is a deep water since it came in with a shipment including several deepwater acros. I am 99.9% sure it is an acro. It has very few coralites and polyps. It bleached very badly in the begining and I thought I might loose it, but it has come around and has begun to get purple tips. Anyone have any clue what this thing is?!?

 

[Sk8r]

certainly nicelooking, and I agree: acro.

Look up CoralSearch, and a url something involving 'whelk,' and if you have the patience to go through lots and lots of pix, you might be able to get something like an id.

 

[chrisaggie]

That site has the same pictures as the "Corals of the World" Books. I looked through the books page by page several times and found nothing.

 

[Stoney Mahony]

It could have to do with the current it was growing in. Only time will tell as it adapts to tank conditions. Looks like a stretched out A. Lokani to me. Any closer pics?? Sweeeeeet coral bye the way

 

[chrisaggie]

close up

 

[chrisaggie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8053913#post8053913 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Stoney Mahony
It could have to do with the current it was growing in. Only time will tell as it adapts to tank conditions. Looks like a stretched out A. Lokani to me. Any closer pics?? Sweeeeeet coral bye the way

I have seen several lokanis, and trust me, this is not lokani. I have the 30,000 league lokani, and even under weird flow/lighting I highly doubt this new coral is a lokani.

 

[dvl445]

That is such a cool piece. I wish I had one! :rollface: This looks kinda similar even though its smaller-
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?ddid=9350&siteid=20

P.S. I am completely new to SPS so I'm just shooting in the dark!

 

[iantoh]

hi there chrisaggie,

lovely lovely piece there! but might it not be a distichopora or stylaster sp possibly?
all the same, have you been able to notice any polyp extension?

 

[Shawnts106]

I have the 30,000 league lokani, and even under weird flow/lighting I highly doubt this new coral is a lokani.

Yeah, that was my first thought, Lokani...



Oh and that URL for coral species:

Coral Search by WELK

Enjoy!

 

[chrisaggie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8054018#post8054018 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by iantoh
hi there chrisaggie,

lovely lovely piece there! but might it not be a distichopora or stylaster sp possibly?
all the same, have you been able to notice any polyp extension?

Yes, it does have small polyps similar to lokani polyps. I guess it's possible it's a distichopora or stylaster but I don't think so.

 

[Juan-Carlos]

Hey guys,

Both Chris and I are stumped by the wierd growth of this Acropora. Both Chris and I have A. lokani, and are certain it is not lokani. The only acro that we think has any similarity to is Acropora simplex. Although the more we look at pictures of simplex and compare it to what we have, we start rulling simplex out.

I'm going to try and post some more pictures of mine later tonight.

What ever it is, I have never seen this anywhere. Any more thoughts?

-Jc
Reefenvy

 

[ViPeR_930]

My first thought was A. simplex because it looks very similar to mine.

 

[chrisaggie]

Do you have a picture Viper?

 

[Dave2]

Is it maybe an Anacropora?

 

[ViPeR_930]

Here's a pic. Mine is the grafted simplex from Tyree, and it's still a mini colony for now.

 

[chrisaggie]

Well, it's a definite possibility, closest thing I've seen yet.

 

[Rogger Castells]

Wow, beautiful coral Chris, you had that hidden in your tank! It does looks very similar to vipers coral A.Simplex.

 

[Maximus]

I'm almost 100% convinced it's a simplex. I have a few frags of it scattered in my tank and it looks just like it. Here's a pic:

 

[dots]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8054370#post8054370 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ViPeR_930
My first thought was A. simplex because it looks very similar to mine.

Thats what I thought also, I believe Atlantis has one on thier website for refrence.

Deepwater I believe.

 

[Rays]

Not to get off subject Chris, where are you keeping your 30,000 lokani in reference to depth. I have two and thus far am keeping them on the bottom. BTW, sweet frag you have.