Candy Cane Coral and Trumpet the Same?

I keep getting mixed messages! One person tells me that the candy cane coral and the trumpet coral are the same species and then another tells me that they are different. Even online, one site says same and the other says different. I'm asking because I just picked one up yesterday and it was marked as trumpet and when I asked if candy cane and trumpet are the same she said yes, so I thought I would ask you guys! And if they aren't the same, which do you think mine is?

 

Very similar but not the same...typically trumpet would be Caulastrea curvata, while candy cane is Caulastrea furcata. There are many variations of each as well as some other species within the same genus so positive ID is often difficult.

 

Hmmm now you got me wondering what mine is too.

 

That would be Caulastrea curvata the Trumpet Coral. To me, I see a distinct difference between the two, even though they do resemble each other. C. curvata does look much like a trumpet with more of a flattened "face" to the polyp. The Candy Cane looks more like a thick doughnut surrounding a central disk, at least with the types I have. Also, my trumpets are more circular in shape while the CCs seem to be more irregular or oval.

 

I can't tell the difference. I call them all Trumpets and treat them all the same as far as flow, light, etc.

I don't know why science classifies these as an example as different species... To me, trumpets and candy canes are more akin to being different races of the same species... Not that my opinion on that matters lol.

 

So this is a candy cane then?

I always wondered about the same thing for a looong time! LOL

 

That would be a trumpet. They are similar but different. Here are a couple quick pics- poor quality but they show the difference.

First a trumpet:



Now, one candy cane:



And another candy cane:

 

Actually, Holly, now that I look at your picture again, I am leaning more toward a well expanded candy cane. Nana and exactly are both trumpets.

 

They look the same to me.

 

As Peredhill pointed out, they do fine under the same conditions so if the difference is not discenable to you and does not make a difference to you then it is nothing to worry about. Enjoy them all as the same thing.