Is this stylophora?

icejam · Oct 27, 2018

I had this white patch on LR and always thought it was some old glue / epoxy.

Recently updated my lights to DIY LEDs and noticed the white patch turning pinkish (thinking the epoxy just glows slightly in UV).

Now I am starting to see little polyps all over it.

Is it stylophora? If so this is one hardy coral as this LR went through hell and would be my best hitchhiker to date.

It's towards the back of the tank so that's the best picture I could get with a phone.

Thanks.

Alfrareef · Oct 27, 2018

It’s a phora but not a Stylo!

Ibn · Oct 27, 2018

Looks like a Psammacora.

icejam · Oct 27, 2018

Got a slightly better pictures - waterproof phones rock

icejam · Oct 27, 2018

Ibn said:
Looks like a Psammacora.

The green one is psammocora and you can see it's different looking. I don't think pink is psamm

29bonsaireef · Oct 27, 2018

The pink/red is Montipora

icejam · Oct 27, 2018

29bonsaireef said:
The pink/red is Montipora

Thanks

Looking at how it grows i am guessing the encrusting type?

jda · Oct 27, 2018

The pink might be cyphastrea.

icejam · Oct 27, 2018

jda said:
The pink might be cyphastrea.

Thanks, at least I know what to look for on the Internet. I'll try to get better pictures with a real camera under white light.

DesertReefT4r · Oct 28, 2018

Very cool. It was a coral that died off and is coming back. If a single polyp lives and get what it needs to thrive it will come back.

pjdiddy · Oct 28, 2018

I think the pink one is also a cyphastrea

icejam · Oct 28, 2018

DesertReefT4r said:
Very cool. It was a coral that died off and is coming back. If a single polyp lives and get what it needs to thrive it will come back.

This is my first marine aquarium and I am learning as I go. I am super excited that I managed to bring coral back from the dead.

Now I need some good zombie name

Dennis Cartier · Oct 28, 2018

I am going to go with Montipora as well. The polyps do not look tall enough to be Stylophora and the tentacles are too short. Stylo's tend to have very long tentacles compared to the polyp size. As far as Cyphastrea goes, being tough as old boots and coming back from the dead are traits that Cyphastrea has in spades, but I don't see any distinct raised coralites, so based on the provided photos, I would say no.

It is a great feeling when you get a coral that seems to spring back from the tiniest sliver of life. It shows that you have corrected some imbalance (or the coral has acclimated to it!). In new reef tanks and new keepers, it is easy for instability to cause these situations. You may go through multiple instances of this, and it just shows that your tank has not reached a level of consistent stability yet.

Dennis

icejam · Oct 28, 2018

Dennis Cartier said:
I am going to go with Montipora as well. The polyps do not look tall enough to be Stylophora and the tentacles are too short. Stylo's tend to have very long tentacles compared to the polyp size. As far as Cyphastrea goes, being tough as old boots and coming back from the dead are traits that Cyphastrea has in spades, but I don't see any distinct raised coralites, so based on the provided photos, I would say no.

It is a great feeling when you get a coral that seems to spring back from the tiniest sliver of life. It shows that you have corrected some imbalance (or the coral has acclimated to it!). In new reef tanks and new keepers, it is easy for instability to cause these situations. You may go through multiple instances of this, and it just shows that your tank has not reached a level of consistent stability yet.

Dennis

This LR was stored in a sump for about 6 weeks after a tank leak before I got it. If anything I would day conditions have improved dramatically especially after I installed new light couple weeks back.

Because I have at least a foot of water to go through and bow front these are the best pictures I could get.

Thanks.

Stigigemla · Oct 31, 2018

Strange coral. It looks like it has 12 tentacles on each polyp. 6 upward bent and six backwards from tip. I thought Alveopora was the only ones having 12 tentacles but they are all bent the same so it does not look like an Alveopora to me. If You could get a better foto of one polyp it could make it easier. If you touch the polyp - is it retracting to a smooth surface or is it a skeleton tip under every polyp?

icejam · Oct 31, 2018

I will try to get some better close up photos of the polyps but it might be difficult. I'll check how polyps react to touch tonight after work.

Dennis Cartier · Oct 31, 2018

Now that you mention it, that does kind of look like Astreopora. Especially in the close ups.

Dennis

VSVP bet · Oct 31, 2018

love this mystery going on. The way the polyps extend it looks exactly like my monti spongodes, although it is clearly not a spongodes. It does look like an astreopora the way the polyps extend, that would be my guess. It also possesses the encrusting characteristics of an astreopora in its beginning stages, it looks like it will eventually plate as some parts seem to already be plating off.

Dennis Cartier · Oct 31, 2018

Hey, I just realized that @icejam is in Calgary. I am so used to other members being on the other side of that invisible force field of frag swap prevention, also known as the border, that I never even considered begging for a frag. I have a metallic green astreopora that would look great beside that red/pink one. Just saying!

Dennis