Soft coral ID?

[Agathos]

Hi,

Is this a blue Sinularia species? I can take a new picture when the polyps are out.

 

[gh0st]

Hard to say until it opens up.

It may be green, and just looks blue because it is shrunken, or due to lighting.

They are good hardy and fast growing corals, either way.

 

[Agathos]

Hard to say until it opens up.

It may be green, and just looks blue because it is shrunken, or due to lighting.

They are good hardy and fast growing corals, either way.

But you think it is a Sinularia? Or is it a Nepthea? Or something else?

 

[gflat65]

You can apparently test the tissue by dissolving it in bleach and checking out the sclerites, but I understand it is difficult if you don't know what you are looking for. I keep saying I'm going to try it, but haven't...

 

[kingfisher62]

The color and texture sure looks a lot like my finger leather when it is withdrawn.

 

[Agathos]

Coral not coping with my tank?

Coral not coping with my tank?

Here's a new picture of the coral (from another angle). It started leaning over right after I placed it in my tank (right after the first picture was taken). I do not know why it leans over, could it be that it is not well? It has elongated its "finger" and become more pink. It wedges the fingers into the rock it leans on, so as to hold on. Right after this picture was taken I turned it 90 degrees, but it still leans over, almost lying on the sand now. When I turned it around I noticed that the "trunk" is slimy.

Also, on the picture below, I can see polyps, or at least sign of them, are the polyps fully out here, or should I expect them to be bigger? )This is my first coral....)

 

[kingfisher62]

Most corals tend to be slimy to the touch. I would not worry about the leaning it is probably going with the flow, sort to speak if it continues to lean on that LR it will probably attach itself to it, which is a good thing. That is how they spread. I do not think the polyps are fully extended, give it some time, they will!
Still looks similar to mine . When closed it has a beautiful blue/green color and when open more pink and brown.
here is some pics of mine open and semi closed you can see on the closed picture that some of the branches ressemble yours.

I bet buy the end of the day yours will be open in its full glory!

 

[kingfisher62]

BTW congrats on your first coral ! You got a very nice specimen. You are now officially hooked!
Very impressed with your pics , good job.

 

[derekarch21]

i would say that is a finger leather mine is larger than that but looks similar when closed

 

[kingfisher62]

Agathos, How large is yours? It is hard to tell from the picture.

 

[Agathos]

Agathos, How large is yours? It is hard to tell from the picture.

It's about 6 inches (15 cm) high.

 

[kingfisher62]

How does it look now? Has the polyps opened anymore?

Btw, what do you have for substrate? It looks so differant, very round and uniform size.

 

[Agathos]

How does it look now? Has the polyps opened anymore?

Yes, but I don't know if they are fully extended, are they?:

Btw, what do you have for substrate? It looks so differant, very round and uniform size.

I use the substrate that came with my Red Sea Max 130 aquarium.

 

[kingfisher62]

Looks great, i think the polyps will open a little more. Is it standing on it's own now? Looks like it .
Maybe It is not the same thing I have. Polyps look a little different.

 

[Agathos]

Looks great, i think the polyps will open a little more. Is it standing on it's own now? Looks like it .
Maybe It is not the same thing I have. Polyps look a little different.

Yes, it can stand on its own now.

I am actually a bit surprised. I hoped for a blue coral, but now, when it is extended, it is just boring pink .

 

[kingfisher62]

Hey, don't be disappointed. You have a nice piece of coral there! Not too much blue stuff out there. How about some mushrooms or zoanthids they have some shades of blue.

 

[kingfisher62]

Hey Agathos, It should be pretty well acclimated by now! How does it looks ?