Please identify Hammer of Torch frag?

[maazreef]

Lol frammer. Come on guy's.

And $50 bucks for a small frag that size is way overpriced. We see softball size colonies for $60 here in IL.
$20 Is a fair price at lfs for a frag that small.

But to be honest this here looks more like a frogspawn to me. Some grow weird tentacles that can trick you into thinking it's a hammer. either wat you probably can't tell what it is yet being so new in your tank.. give it about a week so it can fully open and extend it's tentacles.

 

[mcfa2403]

I am with tweaked, clearly Euphyllia parancora (Branching Hammer). Broad tips, few tips relative to tentacle count, and relatively short tentacles (yes they can extend longer but that specimen is not fully retracted based on the inflation of the tentacles) so I would have to say no way is it Euphyllia paradivisia or yaeyamaensis.
This would be the Frogspawn you are trying to call the one above...

Close but still noticeably different.

Breadth of tentacle tip and shape of tentacle indicate it is not likely what we commonly refer to as a "torch" (Euphyllia glabrencens). It is possible that it could be Euphyllia cristata or "grape" coral which is also sometimes referred to as a "torch" but I don't believe it is. Tentacle arrangement and color still lead me to believe parancora (that neon green with bright purple tips under actinics is a classic hammer color, frogspawn are typically more muted and torch tips are usually more of a blue).

All that said it looks nice and they are easy to care for great growers, so congrats.

As for Mistersponge I believe yours is a hammer as well although there might be a better case for cristata with yours. As for the price I wouldn't sweat it, Euphyllia has probably the biggest price discrepancies of any coral genus and as with everything in this hobby it is worth what you are willing to pay for it. I have seen people intentionally pay the same price for smaller colonies due to the rapid growth rate of species in this genus as growing a large colony is not difficult and they tend to be aggressive.

This link has a pretty good article about different Euphyllia with some decent explanations of how to identify as well as the links at the bottom having scientific explanations.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/10/corals

hope this helps

 

[Mistersponge]

I am with tweaked, clearly Euphyllia parancora (Branching Hammer). Broad tips, few tips relative to tentacle count, and relatively short tentacles (yes they can extend longer but that specimen is not fully retracted based on the inflation of the tentacles) so I would have to say no way is it Euphyllia paradivisia or yaeyamaensis.
This would be the Frogspawn you are trying to call the one above...

Close but still noticeably different.

Breadth of tentacle tip and shape of tentacle indicate it is not likely what we commonly refer to as a "torch" (Euphyllia glabrencens). It is possible that it could be Euphyllia cristata or "grape" coral which is also sometimes referred to as a "torch" but I don't believe it is. Tentacle arrangement and color still lead me to believe parancora (that neon green with bright purple tips under actinics is a classic hammer color, frogspawn are typically more muted and torch tips are usually more of a blue).

All that said it looks nice and they are easy to care for great growers, so congrats.

As for Mistersponge I believe yours is a hammer as well although there might be a better case for cristata with yours. As for the price I wouldn't sweat it, Euphyllia has probably the biggest price discrepancies of any coral genus and as with everything in this hobby it is worth what you are willing to pay for it. I have seen people intentionally pay the same price for smaller colonies due to the rapid growth rate of species in this genus as growing a large colony is not difficult and they tend to be aggressive.

This link has a pretty good article about different Euphyllia with some decent explanations of how to identify as well as the links at the bottom having scientific explanations.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/10/corals

hope this helps

Great information, thank you. I did want a smaller frag so I could really enjoy its growth. I certainly didn't get into this hobby to sweat the price of coral frags. I love my lfs. All they had this listed as was "Frogspawn" but I had a feeling there was more to it.

 

[Tweaked]

I am with tweaked, clearly Euphyllia parancora (Branching Hammer). Broad tips, few tips relative to tentacle count, and relatively short tentacles (yes they can extend longer but that specimen is not fully retracted based on the inflation of the tentacles) so I would have to say no way is it Euphyllia paradivisia or yaeyamaensis.
This would be the Frogspawn you are trying to call the one above...

Close but still noticeably different.

Breadth of tentacle tip and shape of tentacle indicate it is not likely what we commonly refer to as a "torch" (Euphyllia glabrencens). It is possible that it could be Euphyllia cristata or "grape" coral which is also sometimes referred to as a "torch" but I don't believe it is. Tentacle arrangement and color still lead me to believe parancora (that neon green with bright purple tips under actinics is a classic hammer color, frogspawn are typically more muted and torch tips are usually more of a blue).

All that said it looks nice and they are easy to care for great growers, so congrats.

As for Mistersponge I believe yours is a hammer as well although there might be a better case for cristata with yours. As for the price I wouldn't sweat it, Euphyllia has probably the biggest price discrepancies of any coral genus and as with everything in this hobby it is worth what you are willing to pay for it. I have seen people intentionally pay the same price for smaller colonies due to the rapid growth rate of species in this genus as growing a large colony is not difficult and they tend to be aggressive.

This link has a pretty good article about different Euphyllia with some decent explanations of how to identify as well as the links at the bottom having scientific explanations.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/10/corals

hope this helps

Well said my friend.

 

[DaveRaz]

Ok well my LFS was correct then! Glad I wasnt the only one confused! Thanks y'all!