Identifcation Please.

[BuilderofDreams]

This was pic was taken under 10k lights, which is not the Norm but i struggle with taking pictures under my normal 20k bulbs and Super Actinic VHOs getting the color correct.
Of Course much bluer under My normal lighting.
My wife calls this a Smurf Tree.
Any idea what it is really other than a very Beautiful SPS?
Thanks

 

[Frick]

Are the polyps out because they always are, or were they out at night and the lights got turned on to take a pic? It will be tough to say for these reasons; The polyps are in the way of the coralites, and it seems to be changing it's growth form. From what i can see it kinda looks like Acropora microclados.
Corals of the World Factsheet and images - Acropora microclados

 

[BuilderofDreams]

Polyps are always out.

 

[Frick]

Polyps are always out.

I see that, but what i meant was "Are they always out? Or do they close in the day time?"

Some SPS will have polyps come out in the daytime and close at night. Other species will retraction in the day and open at night. Some are always fuzzy.

 

[BuilderofDreams]

The Polyps on the tips are out at night and first thing in the morning. The yellow polyps are always open.
Sorry should have been more specfic.

 

[Alabamareef]

Some type of Acropora, maybe Purple Bonsai

 

[Frick]

Some type of Acropora, maybe Purple Bonsai

The "Bonsai" name originated from G.A.R.F. Anything else called Bonsai is an impostor, making it difficult to provide proper husbandry to the impostors because of false identification.

 

[Alabamareef]

Ok how about purple acro that looks like a purple bonsai. The only difference has to do with who brought it into the US, named it and gets a good price for it. My point is even a GARF has a species name. Purple bonsai it more of a trad name.

So this looks to me like a purple bonsai and could very well be from the same species.

 

[Frick]

Ok how about purple acro that looks like a purple bonsai. The only difference has to do with who brought it into the US, named it and gets a good price for it. My point is even a GARF has a species name. Purple bonsai it more of a trad name.

So this looks to me like a purple bonsai and could very well be from the same species.

With over three hundred species of Acrpora, all requiring different lighting and water flow and other water quality parameters it would be foolish to take care of all purple Acroporas like they are GARF bonsai. This one does not look like GARF Bonsai or any one else's knock off Bonsai. Odds are is definitely is not the same species. With out lineage to a named coral you would be shooting in the dark when it comes to care of the coral. Trying to fine the species is more possible at this point.

This is Jason Fox's GARF Bonsai for reference.

 

[Pappy]

I agree it doesn't look like a garf bonsai either. I have a garf bonsai and also 2 others that look almost identical to a garf but didn't know for sure until recently what they were. I did not call them that and found out over 6 months later they were a tri color Bali.

 

[Alabamareef]

Well if you can read my original post I said it MAYBE a purple bonsi. And in the world of coral GARF is only a name, Geothermal Aquaculture Research Facility. Most likely they are the people that named the purple bonsi. I offered no care instructions of this coral on this thread. As a matter of fact looks like this guy is doing a great job of taking care of this coral. I could say it might be a Acropora gomesi.
ANYWAY WAY ITS A COOL LOOKING CORAL. I'm not trying to argue but a trade name is just that a trade name. There maybe several corals within that same species. I hope someone that really knows about coral may be able to ID it or who knows the originator may be able to stick a name to it and get a good price for it also.........

With over three hundred species of Acrpora, all requiring different lighting and water flow and other water quality parameters it would be foolish to take care of all purple Acroporas like they are GARF bonsai. This one does not look like GARF Bonsai or any one else's knock off Bonsai. Odds are is definitely is not the same species. With out lineage to a named coral you would be shooting in the dark when it comes to care of the coral. Trying to fine the species is more possible at this point.

This is Jason Fox's GARF Bonsai for reference.

 

[Frick]

GARF Bonsai is the first Bonsai, and the only one in my book. Every other bonsai name was copied in hopes to glorify someones purple Acro. GARF possibly had one of the first great legendary Acropora. It became distributed with lineage to that exact colony. Hense, GARF Bonsai is true bonsai and purple bonsai is a fake. With legends becomes myths I guess.

My bad, I think that misidentifying a coral with a general show name is harmful. If that really is Bonsai, it looks terrible. Faded color, skinny branches, axial corallites are protruding out for no reason. If it is not Bonsai and the OP tries to take care of it as other have with their Bonsai Acro's they might kill it. Proper identification is the first step in good husbandry. IMO, guessing a show name that originated from a specific colony is a big gamble, and is in not responsible.

But that is my opinion.


Show Leeroy Headlee (R.I.P.) some respect and think of another show name if you need one so bad.

 

[Alabamareef]

So your saying in all that water that we call the ocean that GARF got the only purple bonsi frag? LOL just playing. I understand they brought it here and I commend them for that. Same holds true for lots of other corals. It's only the coral with a cool name we pay lots of money for.

GARF Bonsai is the first Bonsai, and the only one in my book. Every other bonsai name was copied in hopes to glorify someones purple Acro. GARF possibly had one of the first great legendary Acropora. It became distributed with lineage to that exact colony. Hense, GARF Bonsai is true bonsai and purple bonsai is a fake. With legends becomes myths I guess.

My bad, I think that misidentifying a coral with a general show name is harmful. If that really is Bonsai, it looks terrible. Faded color, skinny branches, axial corallites are protruding out for no reason. If it is not Bonsai and the OP tries to take care of it as other have with their Bonsai Acro's they might kill it. Proper identification is the first step in good husbandry. IMO, guessing a show name that originated from a specific colony is a big gamble, and is in not responsible.

But that is my opinion.


Show Leeroy Headlee (R.I.P.) some respect and think of another show name if you need one so bad.

 

[Alabamareef]

My thought on acropora, clean water, lots of flow and good light.

 

[Frick]

My thought on acropora, clean water, lots of flow and good light.

I wish it were that easy. With such a diversity in color, structure, growth, polyp and corallite formation i feel that identifying a complex species down to one show name because of it's purple color is a waste. I personally have several purple Acroporas that all require different intensities of light and different quantities of water flow. Some look great when the Alk is higher and at the same time the others will look terrible until the alk goes down a little.

In the end i guess we can agree to disagree. Happy New year Alabama.

 

[Alabamareef]

Lol, happy New Year to all. So can anyone help ID this nice looking coral?

 

[returnofsid]

Here's the deal...

IF someone misidentified the coral, in this thread, as a Purple Bonsai, and others bought that identification, those that are familiar with the true Bonsai would then say, "well, if it's a bonsai, it's sure not healthy." Then the OP would be worried about a perfectly healthy coral, trying to figure out what's wrong with it, changing water chemistry, coral location, etc. to "fix" the problem. In trying to "fix" the problem, the pefectly healthy coral could be killed.

It looks absolutely nothing like a Bonsai, which is most likely an A. valida BTW. The coral in this thread is definitely NOT an A. valida, and most likely needs different care requirements than an A. valida. As an example, an A. valida will do quite well, in lower light than most other Acropora. If the owner of this coral was convinced it was an A. valida, and put it in lower than needed light, the coral would probably suffer, eventually dying...all due to an improper identification.

 

[Alabamareef]

I think the guy just wanted to know what the name of the coral might be. I offered a suggestion trying to get the ball rolling in this thread. And the maybe really means I'm guessing, hence maybe. I don't think the care of this coral was the OP's concern. Only Identification. He seems very happy with the way it looks from his post. So other than trying to beat each other up just try to offer the guy a suggestion.
BTW I do agree, Acropora valida sp (Garf purple bonsai), maybe you just missed my point but thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Pappy]

I just wanted to apologize to builderofdreams and also say....frick ad Alabama reef why don't you guys just pm one another and compare measurements. I mean no disrespect here but if there was anymore ego in this thread my iPhone would float out of my hand. As far as the I'd I would love for someone else to chime in and help a fellow reefer out because I don't know what it is either

 

[Frick]

Alabama and I were just trying to get each other to see our view points. I meant now disrespect. We were just doing what people do on forums. I truly enjoy conversation with people that disagree with me more than people that do agree. It helps broaden my understanding, and hopefully theirs too. It was nothing personal so no need for a private message.