Coral help- monti cap or gonipora?

[Jkm2187]

Gonipora or montipora

Bought frag at my lfs today. She said it was brought to her and told it was a pink gonipora. I'm thinking monti cap. So please help. Thank you

 

[Jkm2187]

I posted this in the wrong spot earlier I think. But anyways. I bought this drag at my lfs today. Asked her what it was she said it was brought to her as a pink gonipora, I said it looked like a monti cap and showed her a pick and she said yeah you could be right. Well anyways. Neither one of us knew for sure so please help. Thank you

 

[Flreefer]

Looks like Red Cap. to me too. Polyps are really extended!

 

[Jkm2187]

Ok. So for $10 I am assuming this was a great buy. And polyps being really extended I am assuming is really good given the exclamation point. Lol

 

[Flreefer]

Yeah, it's a good buy. As far as extension, it's good it's extended and open.
They can grow really fast in the right situation.

 

[Jkm2187]

alright. I'm googling monti caps and everything has polyps that are spread way further apart. however, I'm not seeing one picture that even closely resembles a gonipora. I'm so confused.. the pics that i see based off polyp size and consistency it resembles a monti digitata. but it has no branches.

 

[Flreefer]

Polyp expansion and grouping, IMO are the result of intensity of lighting and water quality, during it's growth.
If you were to take 2 identical frags, and put them in 2 different systems, with different lighting and params, they will look a little different in 2 years.
They will be similar, but have subtle differences.
This isn't to say that a Monti won't grow like a Mont ( structure, color, etc.) but I think environment does have something to do with it.
I agree with you, it doesn't look like any Goniopora I've ever seen.
I have a lot of Red Cap, and that's what it looks like to me.

 

[Sniperhank]

Def a red monti. There are major differences between them and the goniopora, also known as the flowerpot. The monti has small polyps, which makes sense since it is an SPS. The flowerpot was given this nickname because when it extends its polyps, it looks like a handful or pot full of flowers. I'll provide a link to liveaquaria to see if seeing the difference helps. If needed, when I get home from work around 10 I'll post a pic of my flowerpot that has huge extention and it has a very noticable difference.

Flower Pot Coral - Green

This is the best pic of a monti cap I could find for polyp extention. Their extention as an SPS is very fine, almost hard to see and even harder to get a picture of at times.
Google Image Result for http://www.tribenwater.com/gallery/data/570/medium/IMG_9339.JPG

 

[Bonessurf]

The polyps seem strange.. If it is a monti. I have seen goniapora that looked just like this... But they were dead.

 

[Flreefer]

After looking at the pic more, polyps do look like Goniopora, but never seen one with such small polyps, or growing like a plate. Flowerpots always tend to look domed, like half a football.
Base structure looks just like Monti Cap., but I agree with Bonesurf, polyps don't look like Monti either. Wish I could be more help, but thats a tough one.
Maybe it is Goniopora, just a form I'm not familiar with.
Sorry to add to your confusion.

 

[Jkm2187]

Lol. It's alright. I'm figuring this one is gonna have to grow out to fugue what it is.

 

[Flreefer]

Best of luck with it Jkm, if it is Goniopora, they are tough to keep.

 

[Jkm2187]

Well I figured for $10 either way it was worth it. I'm running t5s on my 20g right now. Next Sunday I am switching to mh. For now it's places dang near as high as it can go in my tank. Just invade its montipora.

 

[Sniperhank]

Is it possible to get a clearer and closer picture of it? I'm not sold on it being a flowerpot. If it is a red flowerpot, they are difficult like already stated and it is on its way out. I just don't see it personally, I see the monti.

 

[Jkm2187]

I will do my best to get a closer pic. I bought this yesterday from my lfs. It was in a very mature 125g and so far hasn't changed in looks. It was under mh/t5 combo in my lfs and has been either her 1-2 months. I have seen it in there as long as I can remember, for some reason I decided to ask about it yesterday. Not sure why. But anyways, when I get home in about 20-30 min I will post another pic and see if I can get a better/clearer shot

 

[Jkm2187]

This is about the best I can get with my phone.