yellow unknown (dendro like?)

[d34532]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone can ID this coral. To me its somewhere dendro like. I recently got it and its feeding on mysis. The polpy is always out like dendro's. The polpy does not extent far out of the skeleton maybe just a 1/8 to a 1/4 inch. Also from the top view it looks like it might be split reproduction.

Side view 1

side view 2

Top View

 

[Echidna09]

Strange coral especially if it doesn't extend out farther. I would say it is likely in the Dendrophyllidae family. I've seen lots off different genus in this family including Eguchsammia, Balanophyllia, and Dendrophyllia.

 

[LegendLand]

looks like its related to the Sun Coral, but im not sure, ive never seen it before, keep feeding it shrimp, its most likely non-photosynthetic

 

[d34532]

I don't really think its related to sun coral as they are closed must of the time. Im on the side of Dendrophyllidae since if you look close to the whispers you will see the little spots like the dendro. Very very odd but I like it.

Thanks for your guys input

 

[airinhere]

Might be a Duncan. I have seen little bits of fragged pieces reform whole new mouths and split into multiple mouths at very tiny sizes.

And I just get a very "Duncan" feeling looking at it.

 

[Hormigaquatica]

Could you get a couple photos of the coral with the polyps closed all the way (including preferably a top-down)? It might be just an odd warp from the camera- or my eyes- but is the skeleton fairly rounded? And- where did you pick it up, and do you know the source country?

For some reason it immediately strikes me as Heteropsammia cochlea, though Ive never seen one in the hobby. They can be quite common in Australian waters especially, but for some reason they just dont seem to be in the US trade.

Here's a link to check out if you like:
Heteropsammia

 

[d34532]

Hormigaquatica,

The polpy is always open so I haven't been able to take a closed polpy pic. unless I move them around or take them out of the water. yes the skeleton is fairly around with 1 polpy round and the other elongated a bit as if it looks like that polpy is spliting from the other.

When the polpy is closed they don't look much different then when they open except when whisker/tentacles are out. they react and extent their polyp very little. If I get a chance to take a pic of them close up without moving the coral for right now. If they are easy to stress then its better and if they are not easily stress then I'll give them the time to adjust for now.

 

[chrisstie]

Wow that's really neat looking. i'm curious to see how it comes out!

 

[Sheol]

I'm guessing Duncan too. Very pretty too..

Matthew

 

[Hormigaquatica]

d34532, Any chance you can get a photo of this side?

Ill say Im 90% sure of Heteropsammia anyhow. It definitely is not Duncanopsammia- what skeletal structure I can see just isnt right for that. Hetero is in the Dendrophylliidae family though, so the polyps will looks very similar to Duncan, Dendrophyllia, Tubastrea, etc. Its worth noting that while many of the familiar family members are azooxanthellae, Hetero is often photosynthetic, so dont shove it back in a cave like you might with Tubastrea.

Nice score! Where did you pick it up??

 

[chrisstie]

Shotgun first frag ;p

 

[d34532]

Hormigaquatica,

Sweet I'm 95% sure it is a Heteropsammia from the link post, Sorry didn't see that earlier. I also notice that the base looks exactly like that top right picture with that hole and it is free living not attached.

I picked it up at Eye Candy Aquariums In Garden Grove, CA. http://www.eyecandyaquariums.com/ I picked up the last one of 2 from them. Their website is not completely finished up yet since they are a fairly new store about sometime this time last year.

 

[Hormigaquatica]

Good stuff! Well, that means Someone is importing them- Im gonna have to see if I can get my hands on one now