Identification help - new coral

[mikedgrok]

Hi all,

I picked up a new piece from the LFS this Friday.

They had previously cut off a hunk (about 2" x 1" x 1" - like half of a tennis ball and hollow inside) from a large, established coral (maybe 2 feet all the way around!) that I bought.

NOT sure what this is, but I'm guessing some sort of an encrusting coral. Sorry, just not familiar enough yet!

Could anyone please help me identify so I can give the best home in my tank?

THX!!

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

Looks like a hydnophora exesa.

 

[mikedgrok]

Tks !

Looks a bit too like a pavona .. having a hard time lining it up with photos from online retailers.

Guess I could also just call and ask the shop instead of buying and leaving without asking! D'oh!

 

[Saltyreef]

Looks more like a leptastrea vs hydnophora or pavona.

The polyps are more symmetrical but the growth looks a little hydno to me too.

 

[BranchingHammer]

Looks like a hydnophora to me

 

[mikedgrok]

Think it's closest to the green (2nd) picture on this RB site - https://reefbuilders.com/2020/11/20/scribbled-hydnophora-is-a-coral-strain-for-the-connoisseurs/

My coral, and the colony it came from, is smooth - doesn't have branches / etc - looked like the green carpet just grew over a large piece of rock ... However, mine is "hollow" having been cut from that larger piece !

Anyway, appreciate the help guys ... Time to enjoy this puppy

 

[Saltyreef]

Ok now looking at the original photo i agree hydnophora.

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

They are vicious. Just put a ricordia on it and see what happends.

 

[Saltyreef]

They are vicious. Just put a ricordia on it and see what happends.

How long has it been there?
My long term battle bet is on the shroom to hold its ground

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

Ye

How long has it been there?
My long term battle bet is on the shroom to hold its ground

Yeah, that mushroom was completely dissolved by the morning.

 

[Saltyreef]

Ye

Yeah, that mushroom was completely dissolved by the morning.

Meh. Rics are kinda whimpy for shrooms.
I wonder how a disco would hold up....

 

[Softhammer]

That looks a lot more like a plesiastrea versus a hydnophora. It lacks the angular coralites of a hydno.

 

[mikedgrok]

That looks a lot more like a plesiastrea versus a hydnophora. It lacks the angular coralites of a hydno.

thanks for this as well!

coralites are more "volcano-like" (they protrude out from the surface, and are NOT in "craters" like you'd see in a favite, for instance) and are generally surrounded by tentacles, with some smooth surface in between the coralites (how it encrusts, i guess?)

with a bit more time, i think it would look a lot like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydnophora#/media/File:Hydnophora_exesa,_Lizard.jpeg

the only difference vs. that photo is it seems my coral has more tentacles around the coralites than what is clear in the photo

 

[mikedgrok]

Btw, one more pic showing coral "mounds" and tentacles a bit more clearly

Btw, this coral apparently is 20-30 years old and was returned to the LFS when the business (where the tank was) had to close down.

So... This baby been around a while!!

 

[Justanano]

The person at the store you bought it from could probably tell you

 

[mikedgrok]

The person at the store you bought it from could probably tell you

yep, so i finally just did this (the smart thing) and they're not sure - this was something they took from a customer for whom they provide tank services (they were going out of biz, needed to find a home for their stuff) rather than bought

THANK YOU AGAIN to everyone for the help

things we have agreed: it is SPS, it looks cool, and don't put a ricordea on it overnight