Naaaaaaame that Coral!!

[Reefd Up]

This was sold to me as a Gorgonia, but I can't find anything anywhere near similar to this one.  It encrusts as it grows, and it's a highlighter orange base with half orange/half yellow polyps.  Pictures don't do this any justice.  Any idea what it is?  I'd like to get down to species level if it is a gorgonia so I can research to find out its nutritional requirements.

[Wall_Tank]

Rich had something that looked like that at the Coral Ranch......I forget what he said it was, but ask him.

[HUNGER]

its a coral 

[lazylivin]

I am going to guess Favia. Confidence is not really high though. Are its polyps extended all day or just when feeding? What were you thinking Nikki?

[Reefd Up]

Brian, I am absolutely stumped.  I even started looking through my aquarium books.  It only extends its polyps at night.  I have never seen a gorgonia or a favia with such small polyps.  When the polyps extend, they extend like a gorgonia (with a bit of stalk with the polyp at the end), but they only extend out as much as in the photo above. 

[lazylivin]

It looks from the picture like it is encrusting to? The short polyps have me stumped as well. If they were longer and open during the light on cycle I would guess was some type of encrusting gorgonia or alveopora. Kind of looks like the Tyree baby's breath favia from the pictures. Do you have a picture with it closed?

[Reefd Up]

No, but I need to do that anyway.  I'll brb. 

[Reefd Up]

Ok, I'm seriously stumped.  The corallites look like goniopora......  You can tell how tiny the polyps are in relation to the disk.

What about Madracis senaria? 

[Reefd Up]

Nevermind on the Madracis senaria...  I don't think it was a Carribean collect.  Plus I don't think the septa are prominent enough.

[Rayman]

English please lol jk i am no help at all good luck though and i think it is a cool piece you have there.

[HUNGER]

ya dont know but the piece is cool  cant wait till u frag it

[Reefd Up]

Well...I gotta figure out how to take care of it first...and that means I need to know if it's a gorgonia or not.  It seems to take pretty well to food, but I don't know if I'm feeding it the right stuff. 

[UD Flyer]

LE Reef'ed Up Nikki

[Reefd Up]

LOL...  I think it needs to be Orange Sherbert...really looks like it!

[lazylivin]

I am almost certain it is a Favia speciosa

[Reefd Up]

I think I'm going to respectfully disagree for a few reasons (mainly, the pictures don't give enough clues).  My conclusion is that it is Goniopora stutchburyi.  I *think* I am counting 24 tentacles...though it's hard to tell on a coral so small.  From what I've read, the polyps on stutchburyi only extend about 1/8"...which is about what mine extend.  I think Favia species polyps are just too large.  This coral's polyps are only about 1/8" in diameter, if that. 

Here's a goniopora stutchburyi:  http://www.reeffarmers.com/limitedgoniopora.htm

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/nftt/index.php

Says stutchburyi has polyps about 1-2 mm in diameter and polyps extend up to an inch long. 

I think the best way to identify this is just to wait it out.  The polyps may not be extending fully due to its recent acclimation, fragmenting, or it just might not have long polyps.  Or...it might not be a gorgonia at all. 

I plan to target feed this coral the "juice" from my DIY food...which consists of oysters, shrimp, 3 types of seaweed, clams, scallops, cyclopeeze, garlic, sugar, and cyclopeeze.  It seems to react well to receiving food.  I dose amino acid drops an hour before turning off the lights and then feed after the lights go off and the polyps come out.   

[lazylivin]

I think Favia species polyps are just too large.  This coral's polyps are only about 1/8" in diameter, if that.  

It is hard to get perspective from the picture. I was thinking it was about 3"-4" across but after reading the polyps are only 1/8" diameter I realized it is much smaller and agree likely to small to be favia.

[larrynews]

looks like it

[Reefd Up]

Yeah, I figured the perspective was off on the photo.  The coral is only about 1" across.  Last night the tentacles started coming out a bit more too.

Hmph, anyway, it's a cool coral.  Now I just have to keep it alive!

[Reefd Up]

So, I've totally fallen head over heels in love with this coral...so I went back and bought the mother colony.  Had to do some cleaning of the base of the coral...so it broke a few times, but here are some more shots.  I can't get any good photos with the polyps extended since it just looks like a blurry rainbow...lol

[UDJustin]

where did u get it at nikki

[harleyrider]

I am almost certain it is a Favia speciosa

Ill second that

[Reefd Up]

Oh, it's not a Favia, it's a Goniopora Stutchburyi.

[HUNGER]

it is cool looken

[coral ranch]

I can not get pictures from the phone, but you sort of describe encrusting goniapora. I'll take a look at the picture tomorrow and see if I can help out.

[coral ranch]

Now I can see the picture and I see you have already id it. We have had great long term success with this coral. One piece we had for over a year and was able to get quite a few frags off of the new growth alone.it fares much better than the common flowerpot type goniaporas.

[Reefd Up]

Awesome!  Great to know!  It's encrusting quite well for me too.  It's absolutely gorgeous, so I wanted to make sure it'll live.

[Vinnbelle1]

Hey Nikki,

That is an encrusting Goniopora. I really miss that piece.  I have one tiny frag of it still.  Haven't seen it for sale again though .