Coral ID

cacique_ccs · #1 01/25/2006, 09:16 PM

Two days ago I got this LPS from my LFS (for free) - only clue they could give me was that this is from venezuelan's coast. My search on-line and in Borneman's Aquarium Corals didn't give me a clue - any ideas what this may be?

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xdusty6920 · #2 01/25/2006, 09:56 PM

it looks like a browned out and damaged candy cane. give it time, alittle flow, and a decent amount of lighting and youll see all that flesh fill in and the colors will slowly start coming back.

wantsalotta · #3 01/25/2006, 10:04 PM

looks like a caulastrea sp.

lizardking38 · #4 01/25/2006, 10:18 PM

I agree. It looks like caulastrea. The flesh will slowly expand with good water conditions, medium light and lower flow.

cacique_ccs · #5 01/25/2006, 10:20 PM

I have been reviewing http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/coralid_search.php and it seems all caulastrea sp. are from pacific - are they also reported from the Caribean Sea?

GMAX · #6 01/26/2006, 03:10 PM

You will have to forgive us. Nearly all corals that we see in the US come from the South Pacific. I do not remember ever seeing a coral in any LFS here that was from Venezuela. I would bet thats true for nearly all of the rest of Reef Central. Could your retailer be mistaken? Is it even legal to sell Venezuela corals ( I am asking I dont know the answer but in many places in the Caribbean it is not ).

It looks a lot like Caulestrea ( ie Candy Cane ) to me too. Perhaps there is a species that grows only in the Atlantic?

Anyone know how comprehensive the coral database is at Whelks?

cacique_ccs · #7 01/26/2006, 04:50 PM

Import and export of corals and fishes require a license (which at present time never is granted) but very few people got permits for local recollection and this is mostly the only stuff LFS can offer, besides frags or tank-raised fish some hobbyists offer them for re-sale. Any animal of foreign origin is very expensive, while locally collected stuff is relatively cheap. For example, an imported Yellow Tang (small) did cost me $ 81,- while a C. argi was only $ 32,- and the same applies to corals or other lifestock. My LFS has this same coral in question with about 20 polys at sale for $ 23,- and I got this piece free, so I'm really sure this coral was collected in venezuelan waters.

Compared to all the stuff you can by up there in the north, here it's not a hobbyist's paradise... but we sure have some very beautiful places to dive...

cacique_ccs · #8 01/27/2006, 11:38 PM

Today I visited my LFS again and the manager confirmed it's from venezuelan waters - any ideas?

RichardS · #9 01/30/2006, 01:53 AM

Perhaps Cladocora sp.

RichardS · #10 01/30/2006, 02:38 AM

This guy could be close...

http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch...0pages/567.htm

http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/reef/reef2503.htm

tld · #11 01/30/2006, 03:46 PM

Eusmilia fastigiata looks very much like typical candy coral (Caulastrea), but it occurs only in the Carribean. I was fooled by it the first time I saw it while diving in the keys.

cacique_ccs · #12 01/30/2006, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RichardS
This guy could be close...

http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch...0pages/567.htm

http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/reef/reef2503.htm

Thanks and sorry, but description says: 4 - 5 mm and my species is about 1 -2 cm some round, some oval.

cacique_ccs · #13 01/30/2006, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tld
Eusmilia fastigiata looks very much like typical candy coral (Caulastrea), but it occurs only in the Carribean. I was fooled by it the first time I saw it while diving in the keys.

Bingo - you got it. Thanks a lot. All the images and descriptions I browsed with Googles help confirm.

Ocurrs from 15 to 99 m, low light and low current, I guess it will do fine in my tank.

3S1K · #14 01/31/2006, 10:56 AM

I was at my LFS last week and they had a couple of these labeled Trumpet Coral.Not sure if thats the common name for them but looked very similar.

cacique_ccs · #15 01/31/2006, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 3S1K
I was at my LFS last week and they had a couple of these labeled Trumpet Coral.Not sure if thats the common name for them but looked very similar.

The common name for Eusmilia fastigiata is Smooth Flower Coral - Trumpet Coral as far as I know is only another name for Candy Cane Coral (Caulastrea sp.) They sure are very similar, though Caulastrea seems to be more "packed close" while the Eusmilia has it's polyp heads quite separated. My frag resembles very much an open stretched out hand, and of about the size of a hand as well.