A rare bright Red Goniopora ... ID?

[Sea MunnKey]

Hey Y'all,

Acquired this very bright Red Goniopora colony on Friday and almost killed it as the bag was punctured even though it was double wrapped with extra plastic bags wrapped around the coral ... yikes!!! Anyways I've asked about the ID for this specific Goni both in person and online and so far I can't seem to pinpoint the actual identification on this specific Goni coral.

The polyps size are very small unlike the common ones that we usually witness and it is very bright blood red in coloration under metal halide and intense bright blood red under actinic blues. Here are two shots I'd snapped before the pick up & it's close to a small person's opened palm & fingers sized colony ... notice the well extended sweepers!! :neutral:

There's also a small amount of two tone colored polyps spread out thoughout the whole colony ... kinda like avocado green with red stripes/pattern/blotches as well!!

Can anyone ID this specimen ... I've sort of nailed it down to either Goniopora Stutchburyi, Goniopora Burgosi or Goniopra Polyformis ... maybe or maybe not? Something unique ... oh: it could be ...

Paul

 

[shred5]

Goniopora are hard to id from a picture. Really hard to tell polyp size but I think you are pretty close.

Goniopora Stutchburyi and burgosi have very very small polyps and almost looks like porites with a little meatier polyp.
both are hard to tell apart from each other..

By the way holy sweepers, that is one angy coral, might be the clove polyps or what ever is next to it.

Check this out:
http://www.korallenriff.de/Sindelfingen2006/Germany-neu2.pdf

 

[Neon Reef]

yeah, there's definitely a difference between yours and mine..one of my favorite pieces in my tank that's for sure. but yeah, mine doesn't have sweepers like yours either. very nice piece.

 

[Madreef]

Looks like one of the encrusting species. I don't have a scientific name off the top of my head. Likely will need a close up of the polyps anyways to be 100% sure.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

If I do remember tonite (I'm not that young no more ... ) I'll try to snap a couple of close up shots of the Goni ... retracted as well. Right now it hasn't extended it's sweepers and oh by the way ... what do you feed them Goni's? I was using NutraPlus liquid food last night ... might try Cyclopeeze, DT Oyster Eggs later on (once I have it picked up from the store).

Paul

 

[Sea MunnKey]

By the way holy sweepers, that is one angy coral, might be the clove polyps or what ever is next to it.

It was placed on top of a rock away from other corals ... they're green star polyps and macro algae you saw ... growing on the sides of the overflow at the lfs' tank.

BTW shred5 ... Thanks for the pdf info link!! :nerd:


Paul

 

[shred5]

Cyclopeeze and DT Oyster Eggs are good, I also like frozen rotifers. oyster egs and rots work good for the smaller ones and Cyclops for larger.

I like to feed them live BBS and roitfers sometimes when I raise them. BBS for the bigger gonis.

Food is the key to most gonis, with out food they will eventually die.

Dave Polzin

 

[Sea MunnKey]

yeah, there's definitely a difference between yours and mine..one of my favorite pieces in my tank that's for sure. but yeah, mine doesn't have sweepers like yours either. very nice piece.

Lookit the sea hare with it's "Tail" end ...:xd:!!

Paul

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Dave,

I'm gonna try some high grade fish flakes as well. Mush them up and mix with water & selcon and gently spray them all over the colony. I may have to use a cut off 2 liter pop container if it fits ... plus avoid fish from damaging the tissues as well! Yikes!

Paul

 

[Me z]

I'm guessing yours is a wild collected goni. My buddy has one that looks really similar has brillian blue strands coming off the ends but his base is blood red as well as the tips of the polyps, been tryin to get him to frag it for me for years cant blame him for not wanting to risk it though. Nice piece hope it does well in its new home.

 

[EpicWin]

I think I have the same one. It's an ORA release.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

I think I have the same one. It's an ORA release.

Is that a close up shot of the ORA Goni as shown from your avatar?

I forgot to bring the USB cable to download the pictures of the goni that I'd snapped the previous nite before.

Paul