Please Help Identifying This

Hi All,

Well, I'm brand new here and I'm already asking for help. Luckily my reef is running pretty nice, so that's not a concern. However, I have a sick frag I received from a friend (and fellow 3reefer) that neither of us can identify. I'm hoping someone here can help so we may bring it back to health.

 

Goniopora (aka Flowerpot coral). I'm afraid that it's one of the most difficult corals to keep and from what I can see from your picture, the one that you've got is a goner.

 

Actually that is the wrong identification. A goniopora has 24 tips on the "flower" or polyp. You have an Alveopora (daisy coral) which has 12 tips. These are somewhat easier to keep then goniopora but eitherway, not the easiest coral.

Moderate Light
Nutrient rich lagoon type reef
Low to moderate water flow

HTH,
Mike

 

Our LFS guys also had the same debate. But when I look it up online it looks more like my Xenia (without the pulse). I mean the pictures have long soft stands with flowers at the end. Is this one just VERY sick? The white mass is growing back in my tank and I believe one or two new flowers have grown as well. This made me think it was getting better. But if it's supposed to end up with long branches, I think it will be too much work for me to get it back to that level.

 

Well it is definatly either a Alveopora or Gonipora...but not a xenia. Xenia do not grow that way

 

WOW, did you actually say xenia? For one thing, xenia isn't a LPS (large polyp STONY) coral, second, I don't know what site you looked and it looks like xenia but don't use it as a reference again. The polyps extend so I am not sure what you mean about branching...the skeleton will not branch, it usually stays like a ball shape, just grows in size.

I know for sure that is Alveopora...end of debate.

Mike

 

Please refer to this as skeleton. That is the *stony* part of the coral making it an LPS. Xenia have sort of a foot that they use to attach to rocks or whatever, an xenia is pure soft tissue.

Mike

 

Thanks Macn. I do believ you when you say it is Alvepora. And, just so everyone knows I'm not so dense as to confuse it with Xenia. I was trying to describe the look. This is what I find when I search for Alvepora online:

My flowers are little nubs. The flowers in the picture are long. Do I simply have a different type, or is mine sick beyond compare?

 

Take it easy could you? There's no need to be condescending.

 

Huh, amcarrig? Didn't mean it to be taken that way, was at work and had to hurry. Sorry for any confusion. I thought he was kidding about the xenia thing to be honest...that is why I put, did you say xenia?

Everything's cool on my end and it was just a rushed reply.

Mike