Id My Coral Please

[Jonny967]

Does anyone know the name for the polyp type coral in my picture to the right of the leather. I bought it a while back but forgot the name once i got it home. I thought maybe a Galaxia but other pictures i have seen don't match.

I have not posted a picture for a while so this might not work

 

[Jonny967]

Got some more pictures if it helps, i dont know which pictures they are so will upload the lot.

 

[Crazy fishes]

The coral to the upper right of the leather (on the first image) looks like a Favia Spp. I would guess that it is a moon coral and they are LPS corals.
I like your torch and elegance; very nice .

Regards

 

[Jonny967]

The coral to the upper right of the leather (on the first image) looks like a Favia Spp. I would guess that it is a moon coral and they are LPS corals.
I like your torch and elegance; very nice .

Regards

Thanks for your reply I have had a look through my books and it doesn't appear to be a Favia sp. The rock is a very strange shape and is covered with these small polyps at times there are a few tenticles that extend from individual polyps up to 3". They are light green in colour around 2mm diameter with a little bulb on the end which appears to glow under strong lighting.

 

[shibby]

i know what kind of coral it is long sweepers but i just cant remeber the name, i just used to call it a crystal way back in the day!


quick google search and i found a link:

[URL="http/www.coralshoppe.com/product.php?productid=56"]http/www.coralshoppe.com/product.php?productid=56[/URL]


im guessing it is a type of galaxea anyway...

 

[Sea Turtle]

The coral to the upper right of the leather (on the first image) looks like a Favia Spp. I would guess that it is a moon coral and they are LPS corals.
I like your torch and elegance; very nice .

Regards

agreed. Nice puffer fish.

 

[SkiFletch]

Partial to the elegance myself

 

[Jonny967]

quote name='SkiFletch' date='Oct 23 2008, 12:16 AM' post='2164273']
Partial to the elegance myself
[/quote]

Cheers, i had two elegance corals bought both at the same time for £60 each. I had never seen them i a shop before and the shopkeeper said it was the first time he had had some in for five years, anyway once they grew a mate of mine asked to but one for £120 so i got mine for free

Anyway back to my origional question. i think there are similarities between both the Favia and Galaxia and i have been searching google images for a match with no joy, then i stumbled upon a coral that belongs to the same family as Favia's which is a very rare and overlooked coral, have a look at the link and see what you think, the coral seems to be thriving in my tank but does anyone know a bit more about the coral in the link?

Cyphastrea

 

[SkiFletch]

Sure could be a cyphastrea... Sometimes (especially with stony corals) it's really hard to get a direct ID on it. You should try and getting down to the species level on some Acropora

 

[Jonny967]

Sure could be a cyphastrea... Sometimes (especially with stony corals) it's really hard to get a direct ID on it. You should try and getting down to the species level on some Acropora

Cheers Ski! do you know much about cyphastrea and their availabilty? from what i have read on the internet it seems i am quite lucky to have this varient. Also whilt on the subject of hard corals could you give me some info on Acropora and which would be the most interesting to introduce? I have no real knowledge of hard corals as i mainly stick to softies with the exception of my elegance, torch coral and the cyphastrea, i wan to introduce maybe some acropora but have no calcium reactor. I check my levels weekly and control through regular water changes and this seems to work fine but with any more hard corals i think there would be a problem. Are the reactors easy to use and what make should i be looking for. Tank is a 150 uk gallon setup.

 

[Alex Brown]

are those boxfish save for reefs? reason i ask is beacause i really want one, but LFS said i shouldnt put one in my tank if i want corals etc.

 

[shibby]

are those boxfish save for reefs? reason i ask is beacause i really want one, but LFS said i shouldnt put one in my tank if i want corals etc.

there not generally considered reef safe since they enjoy to munch. they also release toxins but thats only when there really stressed.

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, as with any coral I'm sure that availability varies with local shops, local demand, and national laws of the country you're in. In my neck of the woods Cyphastrea is readily availble but demand for it is low since we don't have many really eye-popping color morphs of it. Combine the lack of color with slow growth and not the easiest of care and demand around here is low... Things could be different 20 miles away in Canada for all I know though *shrug*

 

[Jonny967]

are those boxfish save for reefs? reason i ask is beacause i really want one, but LFS said i shouldnt put one in my tank if i want corals etc.

there not generally considered reef safe since they enjoy to munch. they also release toxins but thats only when there really stressed.

sounds to me like you have never had one before! I know what the books say but myself or anyone i know has never had a problem with a yellow boxfish and certainly not with toxins. Although this can happen it is very rare and should not put anyone off buying one. My tank is stocked with a wide variety of corals and anemones and none have ever being nipped by the boxfish. They also are very friendly and will beg for food by spitting water at you.

Alex - take no notice of your LFS and get one bought you won't regret it. If you need any more info on them just ask.

Cheers

 

[shibby]

maybe your just lucky, they will nip at corals in particular feather dusters and tubeworms not too bad when there young but problomatic when older.
maybe just maybe the books since all of them say it are right ... just a theory.

they are not easy fish to keep, how long have you had him for just out of interest?

i can even quote a site thats trying to sell these fish liveaquaria, not usually something i will quote but here goes :

"This is a very difficult fish to keep in the aquarium setting by any other than the most experienced aquarist. It should have a minimum of a 125 gallon tank. Use caution if placing the Spotted Boxfish in a reef tank as they will often nibble at tubeworms. If stressed, the Cubicus Boxfish releases a poisonous substance, called ostracitoxin, from its mucous glands which will kill other fish in the tank very quickly."