Confirming Coral ID

[bioteacher]

Just got home from the lfs….actually a new one. For those of you in Chicago, The Living Sea is really awesome! I am somewhat of a noob (about a year) but that place blows my lfs away!

Anyway, I grabbed a couple things from the frag tank and want to confirm their identity before I go learn all the wrong stuff.

1st one was identified to me as a Leather Coral. The only reason I ask is that a lot of the images I see online seem to have more polyp extension. Mine looks rough on the outside but not fuzzy…..if that make any sense.

2nd one was identified to me as a branching Montipora. It was definitely more orange at the store. Think its just acclimating.

3rd is obviously zoas, and I know the fun common names don't mean a whole lot, but just interested what you may have seen it called. the mouth is blueish, then a ring of pink, then ring of purple, finally green fringe. It was only $20 for like 50 heads, so I think I got a good deal on that one.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Sniperhank]

Looks like either a deflated finger leather or a mushroom leather. I'd say finger.
Second is a bleached and unhappy sps. It could be a monti, just hard to tell.
Third are zoas, but the names on zoas are just cosmetic.

 

[bioteacher]

Yeah the sps definitely had better color at the store, but that picture is just a couple minutes after a dip and drop to a new tank. His polyps are more open now and his color is improved though not yet back to how it looked at the store. Hopefully it will continue to improve.

 

[Leonardo7689]

I agree on the finger leather, the second looks like a bleached out orange montipora digitata, the last is watermelon zoas. Hope they color up and open nicely specially the Sps. Fast growers IME. Good luck!

 

[Sniperhank]

Well def share what the monti looks like when its finally adjusted.

 

[bioteacher]

I think he's looking much better. Is he bleached?

 

[Sniperhank]

Looks like it to me, thought there are white branching montis with orange polyps...might be the case...but either way the polyps dont seem to be extended either.

 

[Leonardo7689]

Let it acclimate more but yes, it's looking better. Btw, Sps requires more light.

 

[bioteacher]

Let it acclimate more but yes, it's looking better. Btw, Sps requires more light.

I know I was just letting him acclimate. I am going to move him up slowly. I have a plate monti that is about 6" from the surface that seems quite happy there.