Soft coral ID?

[JasonVH]

At a LFS, what are those? Tried my best to get clear pictures but it was tough with their lighting system. Putting up the best close up side, top down and group picture in hopes of getting an ID. They appear to have a trunk with profuse bushy branching. Seemed to be different from the usual softie so I got curious.

 

[fishski13]

did you ask the lfs?

Its hard to tell with these photos under heavy blues

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Hard to tell w these pics but I’m guessing Xenia

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

W ticked polyps.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Colt?

 

[JasonVH]

did you ask the lfs?

Its hard to tell with these photos under heavy blues

Should have added that- they didn't know what it was either. Yeah it's hard to get good pictures under blues. The whole frag tank was under heavy blues, unfortunately.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

did you ask the lfs?

^^^^^

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Should have added that- they didn't know what it was either. Yeah it's hard to get good pictures under blues. The whole frag tank was under heavy blues, unfortunately.

You can always ask them to change the light settings for you...

 

[JasonVH]

Hard to tell w these pics but I’m guessing Xenia

Was afraid the blues would make ID too hard. They had the 'typical' Xenia also. Looked completely different from this. The polyps were very short, basically nothing more than buds on the 'branches'. Or are you saying there's short polyp Xenias? I don't know much about corals yet.

 

[JasonVH]

You can always ask them to change the light settings for you...

Ah did not think of that. Dang.

 

[JasonVH]

^^^^^

Should have added that the lfs didn't know either. I was wondering if they might be "Kenya" but they said no, they don't grow 'tall'. Stay in a bushy shape. Apparently 5 inches in height and wider in width.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Did it look anything like this?

 

[JasonVH]

Colt?

That seems a possibility from a quick google image search. Trying to find close up of the polyps.. in person the coral above looked a lot like Sympodium polyps. Little spokes or teeth on sides of the tentacles.. do colts have that?

 

[JasonVH]

Did it look anything like this?

Not at all. The polyps were mere buds on the branches. No "stalk" between the polyp head and main body if that makes sense?

EDIT- I was wrong. Looking at the pictures on phone, there IS some stalk between polyp and body. It shows better in the brightened pictures. (added below). In person they give an appearance of being short cropped fuzzy all over.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Well, if it was pretty, then buy some, grow it out, name it, and sell frags for lots of $$, lol.

 

[JasonVH]

Reuploaded pictures with the brightness cranked up.. not sure that will help any though.

Extra info I should have included in the OP: lfs did not know what they were. Said they grow wider than tall- apparently about 5-6 inches tall. I should have asked about getting pictures under white light.. lesson learned.

The polyps remind me of Sympodium polyps as in general appearance and especially tentacle shape("toothy").
Someone suggested colt coral, from a quick image search some images seemed to come pretty close. Still trying to find close ups of colt polyps to see how they compare.

 

[JasonVH]

Well, if it was pretty, then buy some, grow it out, name it, and sell frags for lots of $$, lol.

Haha! I was kinda tempted, tbh! It doesn't look anything like other softies I've seen so far. But being a newbie, I was worried about it being possibly a 'pest coral' you can never ever get rid of. Staying clear of Xenias for this reason. I do stop and admire the pulsing ones at the lfs though.

 

[JasonVH]

Listed as Alcyonium aka Colt Coral

This picture seems spot on from what these look like in person. Thanks to @HudsonReefer2.0 for helping narrow down the search!