understanding what I have

New to the realm of sps - I got this coral from a friend that has torn down his tank. He told me it had blue tips on it when he purchased it. When I got it the colour was tan. He told me it never showed polyps.

I have had it for three weeks now and it is starting to turn a light blue again. But I have never seen polyps (day or night) I have feed my other corals coral snow and phyto. (two other sps chalice and jewel rock)

Identification would be helpful


do all sps like the photo have polyps? and what should I look for over the next few weeks insuring it is surviving?

thanks ahead of time

 

All SPS do have polyps, and so does the one in your photo.

But also based off the photo and how you describe how it looked before, it seems it was in poor conditions and rather stressed. If color is coming back, than that's a good sign. However, it could take months for it to make a fully recovery, and start having polyp extension again. Provide it good water parameters and flow, and it should eventually turn around for you.

 

Always good wisdom. But a few more questions.

should i expect polyp extension before it turns light blue? or only after?

the guy I got this coral from told me he never saw polyps - can this mean it's starving?

I keep a close eye on parms

410 cal
0 phos
0 nit
ph 8.1 (midday) With refugium at night 8 or 7.9

Any thing I can do to insure survival? It is placed high.

 

What kind of lightning do you have it under? SPS like lots of light and good flow.

 

Tank I would also look for Red bugs on that piece, Red bugs can inhibit PE.

Hunter is correct it looks a little beat up.

That fact that it's coloring up is a good sign, it can be a very slow process.

Light, mod to higher flow and maintain the big 3.

Typically SPS eat zooplankton, youcan enhance it's diet by feeding a fine slurry of meaty sea foods, Rod's Foods is good product for that purpose. Marine snow and phyto will not suffice. There are many brands of corals foods so just look around.

Look at night for PE and in the am before the lights come on.

Good luck.

 

Thank you Corailline,kriv4o and evolved

can anyone identify the coral? is it a stag horn?

in my signature my lights are listed. they are on 9hours a day. (with sunrise to sunset)

I have placed it at the top of the aquarium were the three currents meet (the most turbulent area)

P.S evolved - just added a long tail fairy wrasse

 

With the size and current coloration I can not even speculate.

When I need an sps ID I go to Liveaquaria.com/DD or Vivid, any of the bigger coral distributors and just start comparing images.

Stagehorn vs. Tortuosa is as close as I can guess and that is a wild guess. The corallite structures looks subtle if not worn down a tad. Looks like a smooth skin versus your Milleporas and such.

Definitely consider red bugs.

Since it has not bleached and is showing better coloration I would leave it right where it is lighting wise.

 

great call Corailline I am sure it's a Tortuosa(blue) looks like I have my hands full

 

I see radial corallites so i would rule out Acropora tortuosa. It is rough looking, not enough there to get a good ID.

 

I would wait for it to get better situated in your system especially being neglected in it's previous home, before trying to figure out what it is.