Unknown SPS/LPS frag?

[AdInfinitum]

When I was in the Hamilton area to pick up the sump tank, I stopped in to see The Coral Reef Shop (never been there before) and picked up this frag.  He didn't know exactly what it was (and was happy to admit that rather than try to make something up...) all he could tell me was that it came in with some other frags that he got from one of the local "A-list" guys.  ("If it came out of his tank it has to be good") BTW when I mentioned I was from the London area, he said "speaking of A-Listers do you know Darryl from Woodstock...

Anyway...Pic was taken with flash to show details but it washes out the colors.  Background is brilliant, almost glowing baby blue, polyps are brown/green with some teal in the centers.  In the three weeks that I have had it, it has spread down the sides of the plug and onto the rock and is growing three big pimples up from the surface.  Normally the only things that grow that fast in my tanks are pests...

I was thinking Cyphastrea, though the ones I've had in the past had much larger polyps that were not as "furry"...

 

[ricklalonde]

Re: Unknown SPS frag?

Possibly Cyphastrea Japonica

Or perhaps an Encrusting Goniopora

 

[AdInfinitum]

Re: Unknown SPS frag?

Thanks Rick, I looked up some other pics of Japonica and I think it's the winner...

 

[Darryl_V]

Re: Unknown SPS frag?

maybe but I dont think so.

Either way it's an LPS.  Cyphastrea is also an LPS.

 

[Big_Als_London]

Re: Unknown SPS frag?

I think it might be a type of Galaxea coral.

 

[AdInfinitum]

Re: Unknown SPS frag?

maybe but I dont think so.

Either way it's an LPS.  Cyphastrea is also an LPS.

This was so much easier when corals were just hard or soft....

Bill (IA) has Cyphastrea under SPS frags and there are arguments over where they belong on other forums. I'm considering setting up the first specialized MPS only tank in the area!
(Medium Polyp Stony..of course)

 

[Darryl_V]

Re: Unknown SPS frag?

Ha ...your right...these are just terms we made up...not much science behind it.

I think its a closed up goni....they can look similar to a cyphastrea.

 

[AdInfinitum]

Re: Unknown SPS frag?

I agree on the no to Cyphastrea.

I dug around in my rubble and found some remnants of the meteor shower Cyphastrea that grew all over my old 125 gal and the skeleton looks wrong.  When the polyps on this are fully extended they spread out flat and almost completely cover the surface with the dark green/brown with a hint of blue in the middle, then when a fish swims close by they all pull in flashing the glowing blue background. 

Cool effect... Maybe if it grows enough it will be easier to identify...

 

[AdInfinitum]

Just an update now that it has grown...

It has spread off the plug across and down the rock and now is growing out these plating structures.  All the new growth is brown with tiny blue spots then turns bright blue with brown polyps.

I've looked at lots of pics but can't find a good match....

 

[ricklalonde]

hmmmm I would pay for a frag when your ready to knock a small piece off. I'm interested in finding out what it is.

 

[ricklalonde]

Now that I've had a better look at the polyps I think it might be Leptastrea.

 

[davesolo29]

lmao... you did have way too much time the other night counting polyps.. lol

 

[Darryl_V]

I have seen leptastrea in person and I dont think this is it.

I have no answer though.

 

[ricklalonde]

lmao... you did have way too much time the other night counting polyps.. lol

I told you work is slow right now. lol