Coral I.D. (and a question about identification)

[InvertsBestVerts]

Are there any sources available for identifying corals commonly found in the hobby? I hate having to ask for an identification on every coral, but here's my new one.

 

[fishguy242]

hi to me looks like jack o lantern lepto

 

[InvertsBestVerts]

hi to me looks like jack o lantern lepto

The color kind of looked like that to me from a YT video from a guy called Reef Dork, but I wasn't 100% sure since Google pics look a bit different.

 

[BighohoReef]

The best book I've found is this called Corals of Australian and the Indo-Pacific by J.E.N Vernon. Though you won't find designer names just the real genus of corals. It's a fantastic book and by the end, you'll ask yourself "why do corals really have designer names?"... here's a 5 letter character hint $$$$$.

your coral picture is a JF Jack O' Lantern Leptosiris. I've given into the darkside ;Blackeye;Greedy

 

[X-37B]

Hard to tell but it does not look like my jaco.

 

[X-37B]

I zoomed in and it may be one but it does not look good if it is imo.

 

[fishguy242]

Hard to tell but it does not look like my jaco.

not to disagree ,i do not see the orange in yours,op's is much smaller,but showing orange ,could be lighting

 

[fishguy242]

best i can see looks good plating on plug ?they do like a lot of flow

 

[X-37B]

not to disagree ,i do not see the orange in yours,op's is much smaller,but showing orange ,could be lighting

Really all I see in mine is orange with green eyes.
His lighting is very blue.
Mine is what all jaco's look like imo.

 

[fishguy242]

i think same coral diff lights .happy reefing guys..out

 

[InvertsBestVerts]

Really all I see in mine is orange with green eyes.
His lighting is very blue.
Mine is what all jaco's look like imo.

Here it is under full blue and white, that picture before had no white light. I'm colorblind but it still looks orange to me.

What makes you say it looks bad?

 

[X-37B]

Its just hard to tell from the pic. If its a jaco it looks not so good imo.
Maybe not enough light.
It is encrusting so thats good.
Just give it some time.

 

[InvertsBestVerts]

Its just hard to tell from the pic. If its a jaco it looks not so good imo.
Maybe not enough light.
It is encrusting so thats good.
Just give it some time.

What are you looking for exactly?

So far every coral I've purchased from that fish store has visually improved in the days and weeks following me introducing them (not sure if that's normal or if my tank has better conditions than their coral tanks), so I don't doubt that it'll improve with time. I'm just curious on what you're looking out for, all I really looked for was that no parts were dying and that it had grown since being fragged.

 

[X-37B]

Look for encrusting and yours is encrusting well.
Your original question was what is it?
It does look like a jaco.
If it is it is very dull.
Google jaco lantern lepto.
Most have very bright colors when healthy.
Yours is very dull looking to me with no green eyes.
Just give it some time.
I have many corals that change color for the better when put in my tank but it can take awhile.
Some take months to color up.

 

[InvertsBestVerts]

Look for encrusting and yours is encrusting well.
Your original question was what is it?
It does look like a jaco.
If it is it is very dull.
Google jaco lantern lepto.
Most have very bright colors when healthy.
Yours is very dull looking to me with no green eyes.
Just give it some time.
I have many corals that change color for the better when put in my tank but it can take awhile.
Some take months to color up.

They certainly are more vibrant, but at least my frag seems to be healthy. The last frag I bought from that lfs was a purple tipped green hammer, and the colors have already really improved in just a couple weeks so this one will probably start to improve soon. If not I still think it looks pretty striking under blue lights.

 

[X-37B]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I have a few that many think are plain.
I like them so its relative to your perspective.
Let us know how it turns out.

 

[AcroNem]

While a decent resource, this does not contain recent changes.

http://www.coralsoftheworld.org/species_factsheets/

Which can be found here

hopefully that link to the taxonomy updates works. There are a few other changes but it's a start.