The mystery of the flaccid green acro

[reefbroao]

I got this acro at my LPS for $15 because it was given to them by a hobbyist who was unable to identify it. Nor were they, and not am I. This thing is oddly formed and I just want to know what it is. Honestly I didn't think it would do so well in my tank but it has been fine, and it's my first sps so help me identify the flaccid green acro.

 

[Irishman360]

It could be frogspawn or zoas. Depending if the buds extend out when they open up or just stay there while open up. Hard to tell for me at least when its closed up.

 

[reefbroao]

nah that's fragged I just plugged it into my lr

 

[reefbroao]

Now its under new lights and is turning pink

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Doesn't look like anyone here has a clue and neither do I. Why not try posting this in the SPS forum?

 

[reefbroao]

ahh good idea LOOL

 

[njreefguy]

Are you trying to find a fancy name for it? Its clearly an Acropora. Not at all sure why someone would think its a frogspawn or zoas LOL. With a frag that small its going to be hard to get a species ID.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

The thing that gets me is that it's flaccid, acropora aren't soft in anyway but this clearly looks like one, I'm just not aware of any soft acros.

I agree doesn't resemble frogspawn or zoas in any way shape or form. It clearly appears to be an acro of some sort. I'll see what I can come up with on a Google search.

 

[reefbroao]

I assumed it was an acropora immediately but I'm trying to narrow it down into a more exact strain or sub species. It's solid but grows thi that strange downward arch with those bulb blossoms. Also the pink color change is what I'm wondering about as well. I know they will change according to light and water but it changed coloration dramatically in a few hours after I got my new led. It's not flaccid as a soft coral it's the downward growth pattern probably should have titled it differently.

Is it possible that whoever had cultivated it had it in a position where it was arching to reach the light source or possible trying to avoid the light of maybe it had been too close?

 

[njreefguy]

I assumed it was an acropora immediately but I'm trying to narrow it down into a more exact strain or sub species. It's solid but grows thi that strange downward arch with those bulb blossoms. Also the pink color change is what I'm wondering about as well. I know they will change according to light and water but it changed coloration dramatically in a few hours after I got my new led. It's not flaccid as a soft coral it's the downward growth pattern probably should have titled it differently.

Don't let the growth fool you. Not all acro grow straight up or out. Flow will greatly affect the growth of it. If the flow was strong enough in a certain direction it would easily form that downward shape. As far as color goes only time will tell, what is one color in my tank could change somewhere else.

To help you narrow it down, my first though was it kind of resembled a frogskin acro in shape and form, but that too could change as it grows. Often frags are hard to ID.

 

[CafeReef]

it's clearly an arco, it wont be soft. The reason it curves is because of the way it was fragged, kind of like a tree growing on a hill, it will grow vertical to the light. Possible the colony it was fragged from had a branch that was turning to get more light.

 

[A1t2o]

I would stick with calling it an unnamed acro. Even if you were to find what you think is its name, would you ever be able to positively ID it with enough certainty to sell it as that? It's just too hard to identify anything that you can't track its lineage or where it came from.

 

[reefbroao]

All great feedback. I look forward to seeing this little guy grow to possible match it later down the road.

 

[skp]

It could be a staghorn or bottlebrush. My guess would be staghorn.

As for the rapid color change, leds can make brown look purple/violet/blue. It could be that the coral has browned out a little. I haven't seen color change in a few days but I have seen acros slightly brown out in a few days.

 

[reefbroao]

Possibly I've had to handle it a bit to stick in on my LR