ID please

[JokerGirl]

I was down at Premium Aquatics this past weekend and saw this little guy down there. I thought it looked like it had some potential. Also picked up a little frag of something else, but it's too small to even get a good photo of.

I'm new at the whole IDing acros thing, so some help would be greatly appreciated!

[danfrith]

Maybe loripes or granulosa.

[katpurdy]

not a granulosa...the polyps aren't like that

[JokerGirl]

I was thinking loripes as well just through looking at some of the stuff in the divers den.

[JokerGirl]

Got a new camera for x-mas, so I figured I'd post the change in colour over the last couple of weeks. The colour it is developing is amazing.

[danfrith]

I'd have to say A. granulosa

[returnofsid]

Might be way off but I'd guess A. Valida

[trueblackpercula]

looks great sorry can't ID

[Kolognekoral]

Early to tell, but probobly not from the loripes group. Most likely A. valida, which has these puffed-pocket coralites and often displays such complex colouring. A truly exquisite find! Happy New Year!"

[JokerGirl]

Thanks for the possible ID I still can't get over how quickly it's coloured up. Most of the SPS down at Premium is usually so browned out it's hard to tell what it's going to look like.

I've got a couple more you can have a stab at here....

The first one I was thinking is some kind of deepwater - the branches are very thin and brittle. I got it the same time as that other one.



This second one hitch hiked in with some live rock I bought for my mantis tank a few months ago. I'm assuming it's Porites.

[danfrith]

The top one looks like the ORA purple pillow ( possibly A. turaki).
Not sure on the bottom one, maybe a Favia skeleton?

[JokerGirl]

Originally posted by danfrith
The top one looks like the ORA purple pillow ( possibly A. turaki).
Not sure on the bottom one, maybe a Favia skeleton?

Thanks.

The bottom one is still alive actually, but the corallites are too small to be Favia. They are smaller than one of my Goniopora's corallites.

[JokerGirl]

Managed to get a photo that was more in focus.

[danfrith]

How about this:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden...3659&siteid=20

[Kolognekoral]

That small guy certainly looks to be a Porites. Often a hitchliker on live rocks.

The small Acro I've seen here in Germany and am uncertain what it is. Possibly A. turaki, but the growth form is somewhat abberant. The ones I've seen almost always have their polyps extended and are dark green with a violet tinge.

[JokerGirl]

I figured it was a Porites colony. It was on the brink of death when I got it home and has recovered quite well. It'll be interesting to see if it continues to grow.

This other coral has certainly been weird. It most certainly was a very dark green with that slight violet tinge when I got it, but has been turning almost a light blue. Maybe I'll move it down a bit. The polyps are almost always extended on this coral.

[Kolognekoral]

Joker,

if the coral is otherwise happy, and it sounds so, then I would leave it where it is. You may be seeing its true colour and those I have seen were always at the LFS, where extra nutrients in the water are a given.

Do report back on its developement. I may have to snap one up next time I see it!

[JokerGirl]

Will do