acanthastrea pics...lets see em! - Page 9

pixburg-reefer · #**201** 07/12/2004, 10:56 AM

do acan walls touch? Like the corallites? How can you tell the difference between them, brains and certain kinds of lobophyllias? I just want to know how you can tell/what are the chareristics of acanthastreas
Kelly

itsjustme123456 · #**202** 07/12/2004, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pixburg-reefer
do acan walls touch? Like the corallites? How can you tell the difference between them, brains and certain kinds of lobophyllias? I just want to know how you can tell/what are the chareristics of acanthastreas
Kelly

Acanthastrea is found in encrusting colonies or flat to rounded heads. The corallites/walls are not separate but are very distinct.
Try this site
Acanthastrea
It has more infomation on the difference between lobophyllias,brains,and other corals that are simmilar to acan.

RandyO · #**203** 07/12/2004, 01:18 PM

Kelly,
The best way to determine between different Genus are by examining dead, or exposed Corallites. And since it is very difficult to do this, sometimes you'll never know exactly what you have.
I will say that the more you see of these corals, the better you will be at identifying them.
I have a few of them, but I would not say I know 100% that they are Acanthastrea lordhowensis. I don't think anyone could know for sure without a professional examination of the skeleton.
But we can be 95% sure, and that's good enough for me.
I'll add a few of my older pic's here to help in your education.

This pic is of two different colonies of A.lordhowenis (most likely)
The one of the left is red and gray in color, but when it's closed the gray looks green. It also swells up really nice, and is a fast grower.
The one on the right does not swell up as much. It is red and bright green. It is displaying it's tentacles in the pic, which turns the green part of the flesh inside, and hides it.

Here is a pic of an Acanthastrea, fully open.

Here is the same coral a few minutes after I poked it with a plastic rod.

And here's a closeup of the polyps.

carlosandre · #**204** 07/12/2004, 02:29 PM

My Acanthastrea under 6 k

pixburg-reefer · #**205** 07/12/2004, 03:19 PM

thank you very much itsjustme and randy. Very nice colony carlosandre. Could anyone post a pic of a dead colony, just the corallites?
Kelly

mane3215 · #**206** 07/12/2004, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RandyO

Here is the same coral a few minutes after I poked it with a plastic rod.

Pshhh total animal =).

itsjustme123456 · #**207** 07/12/2004, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pixburg-reefer
Could anyone post a pic of a dead colony, just the corallites?

this is a picture of a dead lord colony

pixburg-reefer · #**208** 07/12/2004, 06:11 PM

oh, thank you very much! So do all acan colony corallites touch? Like in the pic, how they are connected it looks like. And has any one seen any for sale in their lfs?
Kelly

itsjustme123456 · #**209** 07/12/2004, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pixburg-reefer
And has any one seen any for sale in their lfs?
Kelly

I have but only one time....pacificaquatics2000 and I went in halves on it...but I just keep checking the internet for frags

Dr.King · #**210** 07/12/2004, 08:41 PM

Acanthastrea Lordhowensis during the day.

Same colony at night captured with flash.

pixburg-reefer · #**211** 07/12/2004, 09:02 PM

wow, nice pics.
Kelly

Anemone · #**212** 07/12/2004, 11:03 PM

Folks,

Keep the trade (and sale) talk out of the thread. Otherwise, the thread will be closed.

Kevin

MarLooney · #**213** 07/13/2004, 12:08 AM

i don't get it? you can't ask if anyone's ever seen one for sale at a LFS? or were you referring to that guy on another page that was asking for 'em.

to answer Kelly's question... i bought mine in a LFS. i'm one of those lucky ones that bought a Blastomussa lordhowensis

!

istjustme123456 is that your Acanthastrea rotundoflora in question? it looks very nice. the mix of colors on that are crazy.

i tried fragging mine with limited success. did some damage but luckily didn't kill anything. i'm going to attempt another fragging pretty soon using the drill and chisel method. randy and chris are helping along the way.
although i should have frags soon. 1. don't ask because i don't have them yet. 2. don't ask because i'm not selling any. 3. don't ask because there's already a line. 4. don't ask because this isn't the trading forum and i don't want this thread to get closed.
i want to share my fragging experience with others so that we may more oftenly successfully propigate these lovely corals. so far i would not suggest using hand held cutters, just from my own experience. they're not precise enought to cut in between the corallites. you squeze and just hope. no way to really control where you're cutting.

i'm going to buy a drill bit soon for my next attempt. wish me luck!

mane3215 · #**214** 07/13/2004, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MarLooney
1. don't ask because i don't have them yet. 2. don't ask because i'm not selling any. 3. don't ask because there's already a line. 4. don't ask because this isn't the trading forum and i don't want this thread to get closed.

Hahahah..........

Dude, looks like there re 4 pieces of heads there =). Any whole polyps on that frag?

MarLooney · #**215** 07/13/2004, 12:51 AM

the one on top came out perfect! =P a little more support would be nice. how did the drilling method work out for you again? share with us. anyone else with experience fragging acan? please feel free to chime in.

mane3215 · #**216** 07/13/2004, 12:56 AM

Well I haven't used the drilling method yet. I just threw it up to Randy as an idea. I really like how it seems you would have much more control of exactly where you are cutting the frag at. The next try I have may be on the band saw though.

That frag will heal up nicely in a few months.

itsjustme123456 · #**217** 07/13/2004, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MarLooney
istjustme123456 is that your Acanthastrea rotundoflora in question? it looks very nice. the mix of colors on that are crazy.

No its not mine....I was thinking about buying it....but I dont know yet

pacificaquatics2000 · #**218** 07/13/2004, 01:26 AM

ive noticed whith my fragging i geta some die off on the frags and then they come back i was scared outta my witts the first time i fragged
frags came back nicley important to have mouths in frags

pixburg-reefer · #**219** 07/13/2004, 07:19 AM

so are you guys saying that you can frag it like a mushroom? That you don't need whole polyps? That's odd.
And do acans grow like blastomussa? It looks more like acans spread out more.
Kelly

Anemone · #**220** 07/13/2004, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MarLooney
i don't get it? you can't ask if anyone's ever seen one for sale at a LFS? or were you referring to that guy on another page that was asking for 'em.

I was referring to the folks who have been posting their requests for trades or sales (some repeatedly). I've removed them, BTW.

Kevin

RandyO · #**221** 07/13/2004, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pacificaquatics2000
ive noticed whith my fragging i geta some die off on the frags and then they come back i was scared outta my witts the first time i fragged
frags came back nicley important to have mouths in frags

I would agree with this statement. When I only get half a polyp, it is more likely to die off. I did try using cutters to frag mine, and it crushed a few of the polyps. They eventually died off. The whole polyps did the best. The frag took a while to heal up, with all the crushed edges. It looks great, as Dr. King has showed a few posts above.

I've also used a dremel to frag this coral. This is more of a precise way to get the exact polyps off the mother colony. I use the flat cutting wheel, and try to find an edge of the coral, with 3 polyps. I use a paper towel to dry the coral as best I can. But I still recommend goggles. It makes a mess. I will make a 90 degree cut, straight down, in between the polyps closer to the middle of the colony. Then, I cut underneath the outer polyps. I try to get low enough under the polyp, so that I get a little extra rock. Maybe about 1/4'' of rock. If it's too thin, it could snap in half, and damage the polyp above. When your done, the cutout looks like an L. Take your time not to heat up the flesh too much when cutting the polyps from above. I will hit the top for a few seconds, and then go back to working on the rock below.
I hope you guys can follow that. I know it sounds confusing.

RandyO · #**222** 07/13/2004, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mane3215
Pshhh total animal =).

Ok, who called the animal cruelty people? I just got a call from them saying I have to stop poking my corals, or they will confiscate them from me.

I know it was you Chris.

pixburg-reefer · #**223** 07/13/2004, 11:38 AM

lol. How long does it generally take to get one frag off of a colony? And do you still glue the polyp to the rock like other frags or do you just set it their to attach?
Thanks for all the help
Kelly

mane3215 · #**224** 07/13/2004, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RandyO
Ok, who called the animal cruelty people? I just got a call from them saying I have to stop poking my corals, or they will confiscate them from me.

I know it was you Chris.

Oh, you think it was me posing as an animal rights person trying to confiscate your killer acan colonies for my owne collection?

I mean called the animal ppl =).

Heheh.

pixburg-reefer · #**225** 07/13/2004, 03:37 PM

what is the average growth rate? Faster than blasto or about the same?
Kelly