What coral is this?

Miami Reef · Mar 26, 2018

Thanks!

nautical_nathaniel · Mar 26, 2018

Sort of looks like a candy cane coral, Caulastraea.

cloak · Mar 26, 2018

Trachyphyllia sp?

reef lover · Mar 26, 2018

I'm' going candy cane....

pharazon · Mar 26, 2018

Looks like Caulastrea to me. Really like the color too. Can we get a picture under white lights?

Kayotic5011 · Mar 26, 2018

I'm with cloak...i'm going with Trachyphyllia..(aka open face brain coral)

Miami Reef · Mar 27, 2018

I’m a bit confused as I’m hearing both candy cane and brain. Those corals have very different placement requirements. I don’t know where to put this coral. Will a better picture help?

Tahoe61 · Mar 27, 2018

Does it have a stalk, like Hammer corals? Is the bottom rounded?

You can not go wrong putting it down much lower for now, if you have anyone of the most common LED fixtures.

Kayotic5011 · Mar 27, 2018

Look up trachyphyllia geoffroyi...i'm sure you will see it looks a lot like that. If this is a Hitch Hiker coral thats on fl live rock then its defiantly a trachyphyllia as they are common fl live rock hitch hikers and corals off the coast of florida.....If it is a trachyphyllia then its placement should be in calm water flow at bottom level of the water column...though they usually don't mind to be a little higher as long as there not in direct water flow. There skin is soft and the coral body has sharp jagged edges and if in to much water flow then it will bounce its soft flesh against the sharp body cutting it up and possibly causing decay in broken areas leading to death of the coral......I had one of these come in on some fl live rock and I took it for my tank.

Did you buy the coral? I'm going to assume its a hitch hiker unless it was given to you from someone, other wise you would know what type of coral you have.... right?

When you answer Tahoe61's question then we will have a better answer for you. Caulastrea have a tourch coral type stock where trachyphyllia do not and are more rounded at the bottom....Either way both are soft bodied sharp edged skeletal corals and should be kept in low to moderate flow though it really depends on how your coral takes to the environment in which you are providing for it....cant go wrong with starting lower in the water column anyway seeing that new corals should be placed lower in the tank and brought up closer to the light as needed for that coral, or moved as it becomes more acclimated to your light settings so you don't end up with a shocked or stunted coral.

Miami Reef · Mar 27, 2018

I got this coral at the lfs for free. I purchased a Zoa and someone who worked there gave it to me as a complementary gift. I didn’t ask because I was surprised and was too distracted. It does look more like a brain, but I’m pretty sure it has a stalk. I’m gonna check again tonight and take better pictures.