Coral ID

[wisnia99]

I got this yellow soft frag and its starting to grow what is this?
The polyps never get bigger than in the picture.

 

[James M]

Looks like a nepthea

 

[i cant think]

I got this yellow soft frag and its starting to grow what is this?
The polyps never get bigger than in the picture.

Yellow Sinularia

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Sinularia/Nepthea. Both are basically the same thing. Easy to keep branching leather which grows at a medium rate (3 inches a year or so). Medium-high light and flow is best for them, but it can tolerate most conditions (within reason).

 

[i cant think]

Sinularia/Nepthea. Both are basically the same thing.

I disagree, Nepthea grows out differently in comparison to Sinularia. Especially when the Sinularia in question looks like a Sinularia flexibilis.. Sinularia flexibilis grows much more like a willow tree without leaves whilst Nepthea grow upright. Also in Sinularia there are 166 species known against 26 known in Nepthea.

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

I disagree, Nepthea grows out differently in comparison to Sinularia. Especially when the Sinularia in question looks like a Sinularia flexibilis.. Sinularia flexibilis grows much more like a willow tree without leaves whilst Nepthea grow upright.

I meant in regards to care. Besides, it's hard to be sure with a frag like this one. I am leaning towards Sinularia though.

 

[i cant think]

I meant in regards to care. Besides, it's hard to be sure with a frag like this one. I am leaning towards Sinularia though.

In terms of care, I agree yes. As for the size of frag you can tell what genus they are at that size, it’s harder with species but going by the most common species that come in bright green and yellow then Flexibilis is likely the only option.

Nepthea species are easily IDed at this size IME. And the way it’s arms aren’t sticking upright (let alone the polyps not being bushy and more obvious) like a Nepthea species will, it makes me lean for Sinularia flexibilis.

 

[encrustingacro]

It's not Sinularia; Sinularia is a monotypic genus comprising only of S. brassica, which are cabbage leathers.

WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Sinularia May, 1898

marinespecies.org

I see some people saying Sinularia flexibilis (reclassified to Sclerophytum), but S. flexibilis has longer branches, and polyps that are larger when open and flush with the coenenchyme when closed.

I also see people saying Nephthea (reclassified to Lithophtyon), which I think would be a more plausible answer.