Coral ID

[ben5impson]

Purchased this today. its my first soft coral besides Zoanthus. It came into my LFS labelled Miscellaneous Leather. really doesn't look like anything I've seen or that I'm familiar with. it first I thought it was a Stylophora or some other similar sps like Pocillopora or Porites

when disturbed and polyps are retrated it's a blue/white
but fuzzy brown/maroon when polyps are extended. quite dense with a slightly rough texture like a starfish.

Is it some sort of Sinularia that's just not a typical form or something completely different? I have no idea as I'm not at all familiar with softies either way I do like the look of it apart from where it's damaged.

 

[Reefing102]

Definitely going to need some white light pics. Is that a skeleton? If so it’s definitely not a softy. Without better pics, I’m leaning you’re way on pocillopora or Porites

 

[Cell]

Weird looking growth, but it could be a stylophora.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Purchased this today. its my first soft coral besides Zoanthus. It came into my LFS labelled Miscellaneous Leather. really doesn't look like anything I've seen or that I'm familiar with. it first I thought it was a Stylophora or some other similar sps like Pocillopora or Porites

when disturbed and polyps are retrated it's a blue/white
but fuzzy brown/maroon when polyps are extended. quite dense with a slightly rough texture like a starfish.

Is it some sort of Sinularia that's just not a typical form or something completely different? I have no idea as I'm not at all familiar with softies either way I do like the look of it apart from where it's damaged.

Pics very blue but looks like Pocillopora coral sometimes called cauliflower coral

 

[MoshJosh]

My guess was stylophora, but agree with Vette that could be a pocillopora

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

No idea. Lol

 

[Bucs20fan]

+1 to stylo or birdsnest type SPS. Easiest of SPS to care for, they tolerate a wide range of lighting and parameters. They prefer moderate to high lighting and around 5-20 nitrate, .01-.1 phosphate. Very easy beginner sps and very forgiving in a lot of cases. Good find.

 

[ben5impson]

+1 to stylo or birdsnest type SPS. Easiest of SPS to care for, they tolerate a wide range of lighting and parameters. They prefer moderate to high lighting and around 5-20 nitrate, .01-.1 phosphate. Very easy beginner sps and very forgiving in a lot of cases. Good find.

that's what it looks like doesn't it but it's definitely a soft with no skeleton at all. but that was what I thought I was unpacking at the LFS and got very excited as they don't sell SPS besides the odd monti or lepto. but while it's a soft coral it definitely does give a similar aesthetic

 

[ben5impson]

Pics very blue but looks like Pocillopora coral sometimes called cauliflower coral

yeah definitely not a picnic or stylo which was what I thought it was at first glance. it has no skeletal structure. sorry it's so blue I couldn't find the cleaning clothes for my filtered lense which is filthy. but doesn't look that different no matter what lighting it's under..I'm very puzzled by this one it's like a Poci with no skeleton and really seems to love the flow

 

[ben5impson]

Weird looking growth, but it could be a stylophora.

it's very strange isn't it I'm guessing the company that sent it also had no clue as they labelled it Miscellaneous Leather Coral. I really hope someone can identify this one as its driving me nuts

 

[vetteguy53081]

A pic or two under white lighting will help confirm what it is

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

They got one of these at my souther lfs as well. They are baffled by it too and can't ID it.
When they touch it, it changes colors cuz all the polyps retract. Very kool coral.
I'm leaving today for Iowa and have been meaning to look through my coral books for an ID for them too. Just don't have the time rn.
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Cuttlefish and corals. Look them up on IG. They posted a vid of it.
D

 

[ben5impson]

A pic or two under white lighting will help confirm what it is

will do tomorrow the aquarium is in the bedroom and my fiance is asleep being 1 30am here but the first photo the blue isn't affecting it not sure why the other 2 posted so many times.

They got one of these at my souther lfs as well. They are baffled by it too and can't ID it.
When they touch it, it changes colors cuz all the polyps retract. Very kool coral.
I'm leaving today for Iowa and have been meaning to look through my coral books for an ID for them too. Just don't have the time rn.
D

yeah its cool but strang and it shrinks to about half the size it is when it's comfortable like the branches tighten up. I got it very cheap because I was helping to unpack so I could get first dibs and yeah the owner was like I don't want something that's going to make me look bad for being unable to identify it when a customer asks so I got it at their cost price.
when you get a chance please do take a look.and get back to me if it's there. I've contacted than from Tidal Gardens and he's seen it but hasn't yet responded so I'm guessing he too is scratching his head right now. if I don't turn up a positive ID I'm going to see if James Cook University can ID it.

Cuttlefish and corals. Look them up on IG. They posted a vid of it.
D

that looks like it if the branches were much longer on mine and behaves the same. I think that could be it. people just keep saying finger leather but it's not it's has no stem and us just different to any I've seen. or Cladiella. they suspect blushing leather I'm about to send them pics to see if they think it is infact the same. thanks for pointing me in their direction

 

[ben5impson]

Definitely going to need some white light pics. Is that a skeleton? If so it’s definitely not a softy. Without better pics, I’m leaning you’re way on pocillopora or Porites

Pics very blue but looks like Pocillopora coral sometimes called cauliflower coral

They got one of these at my souther lfs as well. They are baffled by it too and can't ID it.
When they touch it, it changes colors cuz all the polyps retract. Very kool coral.
I'm leaving today for Iowa and have been meaning to look through my coral books for an ID for them too. Just don't have the time rn.
D

here it is under white light. ignore the algae please very embarrassing even though it's much better than it was a week ago

 

[Reefing102]

Hmm, although it appears to be a tight growth pattern, based on your description, and pics I've looked at online, perhaps a blue ridge coral?

 

[ying yang]

Some kind off finger coral ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

here it is under white light. ignore the algae please very embarrassing even though it's much better than it was a week ago

While this looks so much like purple blue stylo , I believe this is cats paw coral

 

[ben5impson]

Hmm, although it appears to be a tight growth pattern, based on your description, and pics I've looked at online, perhaps a blue ridge coral?

possibly though from what I'm reading they have a skeleton. but definitely the most similar looking both open and closed especially the branching variety

 

[ben5impson]

While this looks so much like purple blue stylo , I believe this is cats paw coral

it really does have that shape doesn't it but it's rubbery like hard rubber and when disturbed all its polyps and branches retract. its rubbery like an eraser or tyre. so far this has been the factor that's puzzled everyone. like it looks like an sps but it isn't even a stoney coral I'll try to get a video later of. but yeah it feels like a hard rubber toy