Leptoseris is it LPS or SPS?

[Tab28]

That question probably has been asked before.

I just was at a LFS and the had an orange long tentacle leptoseris. It looked by a small cycloseris so had to get it. Found no info on it was wondering about care if differs than normal leptpseris?

 

[SeeingGreen]

Unique corals has them listed in the family agriciide. That is where psammacorra and pavona are. They are sps, so it would be my understanding that it is also.

Had I not read that, I would have said lps on a gut feeling.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I think it's kind of a toss up as to how it's classified. I've seen it in both SPS and LPS. :noidea:

 

[evolved]

By virtue of it's care requirements, it's LPS in my mind.

 

[rogersb]

By virtue of it's care requirements, it's LPS in my mind.

Care to explain a little more? I have 210g tank with birdsnest on the bottom in low flow and torches near the middle in higher flow. By definition, torches are SPS and birdsnests are LPS. I don't have any leptos, so should they be with my torches or my birdsnests? :wink:

 

[SeeingGreen]

Torches are euphylia... That's an lps.. Isn't it?

 

[Tab28]

Euphyllia is LPS. It seems there will always be some odd species that border the sps/lps line.

 

[hart24601]

By strict definition there is no distinction between SPS and LPS. They are all stony corals, only we silly reefers label them as such so it's probably better to think of it according that. I have one that I care for with lower light and moderate flow. Same light as some of my birdsnests but not nearly as much light as my euphyllia. Flow wise I have not found it matters too much with these guys along as there is moderate flow.

 

[rogersb]

Torches are euphylia... That's an lps.. Isn't it?

I was trying to make a little joke with the other poster, I know euphyllia is a LPS.

 

[evolved]

I was trying to make a little joke with the other poster, I know euphyllia is a LPS.

Hardy har...

By strict definition there is no distinction between SPS and LPS.

Exactly!

SPS or LPS? It's a hobbyist definition; there's no science behind it. The distinction is typically made off the perceived polyp size, but the other aspect to the thinking are the care requirements.

At the most basic level:

SPS: High light, high flow, direct feedings not necessary
LPS: Low-medium light, low-medium flow, direct feedings possible (and sometimes necessary)

When we start discussing the genus/species of coral where the polyps aren't obviously large or small, it's the latter groupings which we tend to label them as SPS or LPS.

And based off that, a Lepto is an LPS to me. YMMV

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

Hunter nailed it :thumb:

The terms used to literally drive me insane... as they really mean nothing. With that said I believe they are useful for beginners in the hobby, "Only a few months reefing? Probably best to avoid "SPS" for a while." Anything past that one should be looking a little closer at what the specific coral (species level) requires

 

[hart24601]

Anymore I tend to think of corals not like sps or lps, but as reef coral or lagoon coral. A bit of explanation: reef coral being from the main body of the reef with high lighting, tons of flow and low nutrient but high particulate matter for "prey", while lagoon is slower flow, perhaps mud or sand bottom that may be murkier and higher in dissolved nutrients. For many this is the same as they view sps vs lps and in general most sps fit into the reef catagory and most lps fit into the lagoon, but the term reef or lagoon gives a better indication of care imo. Of course best is still to have specific care conditions as some coral like deepwater acros don't fit well into this either, but I like it better than sps and lps.

 

[Tab28]

I had encrusting montipora they prefer medium light, and die under high light. While skeleton making montipora like high light, but will tolerate medium light. This may characteristic to encrust they would tend to be lower in water anyway, where the rocks are. This may be the case for encrusting type SPS. So leptoseris still could fall in sps if you categorize it with light. The same can be said for hydnophora. The skeleton making variety perfers high light while the encrusting will perish under those lights.

 

[evolved]

All growth forms in the above build skeletons, regardless of grow pattern. They're all stoney corals.

 

[Tab28]

All growth forms in the above build skeletons, regardless of grow pattern. They're all stoney corals.

When i said skeleton in refer to montipora. It was as a description for visible upright growth to support itself. All lps and sps have skeletons of some sort. Encrusting types require a foreign solid surface for support. But encrusting sps should be listed as lps if lighting and water conditions were the criteria. But you can't use size if polyp mouth either since hydnophora encrusting has large mouth in comparison to its high light upright cousin.

 

[hart24601]

When i said skeleton in refer to montipora. It was as a description for visible upright growth to support itself. All lps and sps have skeletons of some sort. Encrusting types require a foreign solid surface for support. But encrusting sps should be listed as lps if lighting and water conditions were the criteria. But you can't use size if polyp mouth either since hydnophora encrusting has large mouth in comparison to its high light upright cousin.

The encrusting guys do seem to be different care wise. I would say they are a lower level primary reef coral according to my made up system above, hahaha.