Unknown polyp

[Skyrmir]

Can anyone identify the species for this guy? It's some kind of polyp, but I can't seem to find a picture of anything that matches the lack of fingers on the buttons and the mat that they retract into.

[Kurt_Nelson]

Gonna need a closer/better picture, but it almost looks like an acanthastrea. Not sure without a better picture though.

[Skyrmir]

I'll go for another shot tonight. I just picked up a new camera, as you can see, the old one kinda sucked to put it nicely.

[ccCapt]

A better pic would help, but my guess is favia.sp.

[Skyrmir]

This one is a bit clearer. I'm still working on getting good pictures. Excess caffeine is the only thing that keeps me alive during the day, but it does make the hands a bit jittery for photography.

[Innovator]

Looks to be Goniopora/Alveopora spp. to me. Have the polyps fully extended at any time?

[usmcmarc]

That Multi-colored Nudibranch might not survive. As I understand they have a very specialized diet of a certain sponge. And, they may not be reef safe.

[Devilishturtles]

Originally Posted by Innovator

Looks to be Goniopora/Alveopora spp. to me. Have the polyps fully extended at any time?

This is my guess too.

[Skyrmir]

The polyps extend fully every night when the lights are off and pulse during the day.

As for the nudibranch, you're correct. I've been researching him a bit. I'm pretty sure he's a quadricolor and not the Magnifica that I thought he was. Either way, they need a red sea sponge that I'm not putting anywhere near my tank. It secretes a toxin that's so nasty they're researching it because of it's effects on cellular life. I'm going to have some words with the store where I got him. Hopefully they'll take a trade, but there's no way they'll be able to keep him alive either. That sponge would kill everything in every tank connected to it, it'd be carnage in a fish store. The only bright side is I might get some extra clean up crew snails, and it's gotten me into researching sponges. I've got all the fish I want in this tank already, so now it's just mix and match time with corals until I figure out a good variety that works and looks good.

[Skyrmir]

From what I can find Goniopora/Alveopora spp. both have tentacles. Mine only has knobs, it's never extended them even at night when I've seen it all fluffed out. Also I've noticed what appears to be a secreted net floating above it like a mucus feeding net.

[Innovator]

When they extend, do you notice individual tentacles? Can you count the tentacles individually (Alveopora have 12 tentacles and septa whereas Goniopora have 24 tentacles and septa)? Alveopora also have clubbed and/or flattened polyps.

Note: The lfs should be able to look into their inventory notes and trace it back to the wholesaler. Wholesalers have scientific names available.

[Skyrmir]

Nope, no tentacles at all, just like the pictures, they have bumps/knobs at the end of each stalk. That's what's stumped me in looking at dozens and dozens of coral pictures. All of the polyps I see have some sort of tentacles. Even my other polyps all have tentacles.

[Kurt_Nelson]

I'll retract my acan idea, but can't add much more than others. I'm kind of thinking like the others, and it just isn't happy enough yet to fully expand out its polyps.

[Skyrmir]

Here's a shot of it after lights out on the tank. I've seen it stretch out further than this, but I just moved the rock it's on the other day so I'm not sure he's settled in to his new spot yet.

[Skyrmir]

I found it! I finally found a picture and ID for this little bugger. It's a Goniopora coral.
Goniopora Coral: Blue/Purple
I'm also feeling a lot better about the price I paid for it. Also looks like I need to step up the feeding a bit to keep him happy. Still researching, but I'm starting to think he feeds at night and photosynthesizes during the day.

[SassyAngel111]

Nice pick up