Really Wild Coral I.D.

I found this at the LFS yesterday and had to get it just because it is to weird to pass up.It appear's to be a plate coral except that it has conformed to the shape of the rock it is on. It is a very vibrant green in color (no tentacles) Where the skeleton is showing. The thing in the middle is bright green around the very outer edge and then a purple for about 1/4 of an inch then another green ring and the inside if it is a burnt orange. The bottom part does resemble a plate coral except for the shape. The other part look's like an open brain with out the donut ring on the outside edge. When it get's all of it's color back I will try to get a descent picture. But for now this is what I want to find out just what is this thing? Can a brain live on a plate? Or can anything live on top of a plate for that matter. Come on experts what is this thing? The top part did open the mouth and exchange water when first put in the tank. I cant see the plates mouth. Or is it a plate? It was only 20 bux so no loss. And I finally got a picture of this other thing open. They only open in the dark. any light and they tuck themselves back in. What are they? Thank you all for your time and patience. Cold still want's to get rid of his tank if there are any close interested parties. Northeast Oklahoma

 

Not sure but I have those other things and the bigger ones stay open all the time and the little ones open when the lights are on.

 

First two pics are of what is called a chalice, could be oxypora, echinopora, mycedium or echinophyllia
The last pic looks like zoas, could also be what they call snake polyps, which only open at night as you stated, the scientific name is isaurus

 

echinophyllia or oxypora.
I think it is a echinophyllia thank you

 

no prob, i always enjoy the id game

 

The first two are not a chalice. The skeleton is all wrong. It actually looks like a Scolymia vitiensis or like species. See how the skeleton is arranged and the lack of coralites other then then center? All things we call chalices have many eyes, even on a piece that size.

Button Coral, Scolymia

 

Good call, that looks pretty close, like a Scolymia that died off and is growing back out, looks like it has some pretty interesting coloration too so far, for $20 especially. You will probably see some tentacles come out at night or if you turn off all your pumps and set some food on it.

 

I would agree on the scylo. Not sure if it is a died back one though. Looks like it started growing on a plate coral skeleton. Never seen a died off scylo though.

 

it looks like a chalice growing on a plate coral skeleton.

 

I don't think it's a chalice, it does look like a scoly that has receded or is growing. My concern is that it may be receding and drying, or it's growing can't tell that from a pic. The skeleton is still pretty white, which IME means that the coral has died relatively recently as most older coral skeletons have green algae growing on them or some other type of algae. You may have bought a coral that was dying, but is now recovering or you may have bought a dying coral. The good news is that you only paid $20. However, you really shouldn't buy any coral whose skeleton is showing, or looks like it's skeleton is showing.