Name the coral

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

That's the best I can do. I tried blowing on it to get it to retract so you could see the skeleton but it didn't retract enough.

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Here it retracted more

 

[needmorecowbell]

A really big mushroom?

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

A really big mushroom?

I didnt think mushrooms had hard, calcified skeletons.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Oh, thought it was a softie

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Oh, thought it was a softie

No, definitely not. Its also about the size of a quarter.

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

I found out what it is!!! It's a Galaxy Coral!
I remembered that I'm on the e-mail list for the LFS so I get their weekly specials list. Well i went back a couple months in my e-mails and found the one for that particular week and that promo was in there listed as a free galaxy coral. I googled it and it's exactly that! Thanks guys (and Carey) for your help! : )

Here's the official list:

(1) Button polyp
(2) Xenia of some sort
(3) Galaxy coral
(4) Daisy polyp

What do you think? Anyone is welcome to solve the Xenia type.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Nice! Ive heard galaxy corals are interesting but kinda hard because of one of their reqs, although I forget what it was

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Well I'd definitely like to know what it is.
This frag has been growing super fast, eating well and is always out and loving life so I guess I'm doing something right!

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Oh! One more for you guys! What type of star is this...can't remember I'm horrible with names so I'm writing everything down. Lol

 

[Reeffanman]

I found out what it is!!! It's a Galaxy Coral!
I remembered that I'm on the e-mail list for the LFS so I get their weekly specials list. Well i went back a couple months in my e-mails and found the one for that particular week and that promo was in there listed as a free galaxy coral. I googled it and it's exactly that! Thanks guys (and Carey) for your help! : )

Here's the official list:

(1) Button polyp
(2) Xenia of some sort
(3) Galaxy coral
(4) Daisy polyp

What do you think? Anyone is welcome to solve the Xenia type.

Ha 3 for 4 not bad. Galaxy eh nice specimine

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Yep! Thanx! Now see if you can name the starfish! Go 4 for 5!

 

[Reeffanman]

I reAlly have no clue let's call it winkie

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

I reAlly have no clue let's call it winkie

Lmao! Congrats! You named him! Now we need to know what type Winkie is!

 

[redsea]

Is it any of these?

Red Sea Star

Saltwater Aquarium Inverts for Marine Reef Aquariums: Orange Sea Star

 

[Bonessurf]

Red fromia

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Red fromia

That's definitely it! Thanks!

 

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Thanks for playing everyone!

 

[kay-bee19]

..(2) I believe is a type of Xenia but has tiny polyps and don't get bigger than what they are now neither do they open and close like normal Xenia. Some have told me purple star polyp but it's definitely not that...

Despite the consenus that coral #2 is xenia, I think they look more like blue snowflake polyps (Sarcothelia edmondsoni), which can take on a purplish hue depending on lighting. Sometimes this coral is sold as blue anthelia or blue snowflake cloves (though s. edmondsoni doesn't form the connective matting the those corals develop from). The only similiarity between these two corals (in my opinion) is that they can superficially have the same feathery type of tentacles.

Here are some of my blue snowflakes for comparison:

Based on the photo you posted, your coral polyps seem very tiny (5mm or less).

I have both of these soft corals in my tank and one of the primary differences between blue snowflakes and xenia (and there are several differences) is the sheer size desparity of their polyps. The polyp-tentacle diameter of the blue snowflakes is only several millimeters in diameter (2mm-5mm), while the polyp-tentacle diameter of xenia's is in the 10-20mm range. Blue snowflake 'stalks' are even less than 5mm (maybe 2mm-3mm max), while xenia stalks can be several inches in height.

Here are some of my blue snowflakes (lower left sector of photo), with some pulsating xenia (upper right sector of photo) for comparison:

 

[kay-bee19]

...Ive heard galaxy corals are interesting but kinda hard because of one of their reqs, although I forget what it was

Galaxy corals aren't that hard to keep from a husbandry point of view. The main concern with them is they can become an aggressive coral and can extend their stinger tentacles 6 to 8 inches (sometimes more), so their placement near other corals needs to be considered.