Coral Id Please

[gigmeyer]

After having my monti for many months, this little guy started growing out of the rock and ultimately started stinging the monti. I let him grow to about 1/2 inch, cut him off, and gave him a new home before he did too much damage. Can anybody identify this guy and comment on whether he is friend or foe?

It has small green stalks with what appear to be white tipped fingers. The stalks can fully retract into the skeleton when disturbed or handled.

Thanks!

 

[SkiFletch]

Humm, tough to say. Anyway you can get a more in-focus picture? Perhaps try zooming out, allowing the lense to focus better, and then digitally cropping/blowing it up afterwards?

So it has a skeleton? Is it's growth pattern plating, encrusting, branching, or something else?

 

[gigmeyer]

Unfortunately that is the best my camera can do. Originally, I thought it was just another tuft of hair algae until it reached a size where it came in contact with the encrusting montipora causing some die back. The skeleton seems to be a simple knob at this point, so it's hard to say what kind of shape it will ultimately take. For now it is isolated and in a rock crevice where hopefully it will not be kicked about by the CUC. I guess I'll just see what shape it takes from here.

 

[Nix]

Looks like it could be a torch or galaxia. I have one verrrrry similar to that in my tank, same color and everything. Never really knew what exactly it was between the two as it came at a hitch hiker.

 

[gigmeyer]

Thanks Nix, Galaxia looks like a possibility here. I'll give it plenty of room and see if it spreads.

 

[@ombomb]

just remember galaxias' have very long sweepers, so if it is one, it may not be the best coral to keep in a nano

 

[gigmeyer]

Thanks. This coral is tiny now and already I can see sweepers that I couldn't see before when it was next to the montipora. Maybe I'll keep it until it reaches a size I can use for trading at the LFS. For now, it is well out of reach of any other corals.

 

[Lynden]

Yes I would say Galaxea as well. Apparently they grow quickly.

 

[steelhealr]

If you DO ID it as galaxea...remove it now. Long sweepers, deadly sting as you can see. By far, the worst coral to have in a nano. SH