new bottlebrush ID help (close pics)

[mntl]

This is a new bottlebrush-type coral I got, it's a small 3-4" colony that I lucked out on from a shipment at lfs. It is not turaki, I have one of them and this is thicker and the coralites are more blunt at the end and significantly longer. For size comparison the coralites are 1/2-1" long, tips glow light-blue under direct light, areas other than the tips look red-brown in lower light areas and get a green/blue tinge under direct light. The dots on the close pics are bubbles (coral was placed in tank 1 hour ago). Any guesses would be greatly appreciated.

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-John-

 

[AlgaeMan]

Looks like a Turaki

 

[elephen]

Not sure what it is but its very pretty.

 

[mntl]

Thanks for the responses!

AlgaeMan--the radius (thickness) of the individual coralites are more than 2x the thichness of my turaki, the two corals are sitting about 8" from eachother, they are not similiar in person (growth-pattern/color/thichness in all areas/polyps, all very different). I do understand how in the picture it resembles it but it is not even close in person.

elephen-Thanks!

Any other guesses? I try to use the AIMS web-site but I can never find the coral search feature from their main page.

-John-

 

[mntl]

I know it is blurry but turaki in the background, Bottlebrush in the foreground, the coralites really are not similiar.

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-John-

 

[Creetin]

How do ya know the other is a turaki?
It could be a carduus, or other related acro as well.

 

[mntl]

It came from a frag off of a large turaki colony. The colony was aquacultured and shipped with almost 10 other full colonies of the exact same coral, they were all 8" plus tall colonies.

Any other guesses or anyone know how to get to the search portion of the AIMS site?

-John-

 

[david8956]

anyone know how to get to the search portion of the AIMS site?

Here you go.........

http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/coralsearch.php

 

[mntl]

Thanks!!!

Any other guesses with similiar turaki/echinata/bottlebrush shape? The coralites look similiar to subglabra but when looking at the skeletal picture with a measurement, the coralites are much too short on the subglabra. The skeletal picture with measurement on the echinata is much closer and measurement is very close but the living specimine pictures show coralites that are much further spaced apart and looks much different imo. The reddish-brown color is the same as the shaded regions on my coral but the tips and portions of mine in the light are much more blue/baby-blue.

Any other guesses I can run through the coral search? I have followed what links I could on AIMS site but have not found anything closer than what is mentioned above. The lokani is also very close but the tips are pointed and mine are very much flat.

-john-

 

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

very nice nonetheless...

 

[Kreeger1]

looks like the aquacultured Echinadas that are coming in, the coralites seem to be thick maybe due to being grown in a heavier surf zone?
Just a guess
But at My LFS they call it a aquacultured echinada
Hope that helps
Erik

 

[ejocam]

A. Exquisita is pretty close. For some reason these like a good amount of light

 

[mntl]

Thanks ChAoTic

ejocam-I agree on the light, Im blasting it I'll look into that!!

Kreeger1- assumig where you are from the ones you have seen are most likely the same thing as this, probably the same shop .
I know what it is being called but I have seen other corals that look more like an actual echinata imo, but measurement wise this does match AIMS. I just dont think it matches the live picture well enough. It might be due too where they are being cultured as you stated/different conditions. Either way, they look 100x better at home than in the shop, the baby-blue tips glow extremely bright (I cant catch it in the picture) and the tissue other than the tips is a pretty aqua and reddish-purple in shaded regions. This is definately one of the more dramatic pieces in my tank now, it stands out well.

Anyone guess anything other than Echinata or Turaki, and if you think is one of these two please explain why. Or if you have a larger version of this post a pic if possible .

-John-

 

[Kreeger1]

John I didn't know that was you.
It's a hard one to call, I really don't think there echinatas, There not A. Exquisita either. Not a turaki. Something inbetween all those.
On a side note, Your second pic there looks to be some type of bug on the coral or is that tiny micro air bubbles?
Erik

 

[mhltcob]

how do people arrive at what species an acro is from a picture? what should i look for when trying to identify corals to the species level from pictures? any help would be greatly appreciated, as it would make coral identification in the field way easier.

 

[Kreeger1]

Its all just a close guess from pictures unless its a coral that has been commonly id. Verons book is a good starting place for id's
Erik

 

[mntl]

Erik-Just air bubbles, it was right after putting it in the tank, I knocked them off with the turkey baster a couple mins later That is the same poblem I am having with IDing it, It is too thick to be turaki, It is not (imo) echinata as the distributer/shops are calling it and it is not imo exquisita (not similiar AIMS) thats why I am looking for other possibilities, I have dug through AIMS and cannot find anything closer than what has been said in this thread.

-John-

 

[mntl]

Here is without air bubbles and I tried to cut the glare, color is not this dark in person but this is more clear. I would get a better shot but I am using my point-n-shoot and I dont have photoshop for corrections , I barely know how to use this thing anyways.

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-John-

 

[wentreefgirl]

Just a stab but i saw a lokani like that recently.