Some educated guesses please

147577A-loisettiae-kl.jpg


here is a shot of Acropora loisetteae. Looks very much like the same species, simply a different colour morph.
 
With all due respect, they look similar. But far from idenitcal. What really sets these two apart is the growth formations.

Look at the new growth sprout in Henry's picture. That is not indicative of a loisetteae. A. loisetteae's are pretty symetrical in their branching and outgrowth, and your picture is a good representation of there ID description. Thin, straight, conical shaped axial coralites .

Henry's, like mine has somewhat irregular growth, and major encrustment. While my loisettea that I got on a maricultured plug spent most of it's growth in up and outward projections, rather than encrusting.

-Justin
 
Justin, I understand what you are saying, but I've never had a coral do the kind of encrusting you two have in a typical aquarium....unless it was constantly being harvested for frags. For me, the growth is abnormal in general and the only part that looks correct is the newest growth. Ultimately, there are simply not that many possible IDs for the coral. Strongly appressed, to scale-like radials with a prominent axial, arbourescent and, apparently, branches around 3-5mm thick. That's pretty fine.

Also, don't forget natural variance in a species.
 
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