What is the difference between...

[JammyBirch]

Pocillopora and Stylophora...

I just bought one of these, i thought it was a Stylophora but upon further investigation it looks more like a green/pink pocillopora...

Probably a dumb question but i have got to learn some of this stuff...i'm getting question about my coral that i can't answer like the names...

 

[USAFReefer]

Non-scientific answer, Stylophora (Cat's Paw coral) have very thick branches that are very hard to break (I have to use a dremel or saw, or squeeze very hard with bone cutters to frag) vs pocillopora which has thin branches that you can break off easily with your fingers.

 

[rovster]

Like said above. Stylos have very thick branches, they are nubby. Like a really thick birdsnest. Poccis have thinner brances but they grow very dense so they really lack form and look very uniform. Think of a head of cauliflower for poccis

 

[ryeguyy84]

Like said above. Stylos have very thick branches, they are nubby. Like a really thick birdsnest. Poccis have thinner brances but they grow very dense so they really lack form and look very uniform. Think of a head of cauliflower for poccis

nice explanation.

 

[Tweaked]

And the dreaded polyp bail-out associated with poci's!

 

[JammyBirch]

And the dreaded polyp bail-out associated with poci's!

Ok explain?

 

[USAFReefer]

Ok explain?

Pocci's spread like crazy in tanks by popping up in odd places all over the tank. Most of the time I have it growing on bulkheads, loc-line fittings, and frag racks. It is the only SPS I have dealt with that spreads so easily in a tank without fragging, and can do so to the point it becomes a nuisance to some.

 

[JammyBirch]

Is this poco?

 

[USAFReefer]

I would say yes, that looks like a pocillopora to me (or possibly a Green Birdsnest, hard to tell that small). This is my mother colony to compare against.

 

[JammyBirch]

What is the best light and flow condition for this coral? This is the only sps that looks weak in my tank...

 

[Nate32185]

Yeah that is definitely a pocillopora on the frag disc. I can second that annoying characteristic of fragging itself. Also, the main reason I think your piece is pocillopora is that is encrusts really fast. I've never seen a stylo cover the base of a plug or disc before getting that big.

 

[AdamNC]

Brief descriptions here

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+1492+2294+1406&pcatid=1406

http://www.orafarm.com/products/hardcoral/pocillopora/green-damicornis/

 

[acrohead500ppm]

P. damicornis spawn in tanks so easily its stupid.