Coral ID Help Please?

[jumpfrog]

My LFS tells me this coral is some sort of monitora (sp?) but I think it could be one of the scroll corals, turbina (sp?) perhaps. Could I get some ID help please so I make sure I place and treat it right. It's been in the tank for a couple of weeks and I have seen some increase in polyp extension and it appears healthy. Just havn't had much time for board play lately.
TIA for any help/insight.

 

[jonthefb]

that sir is a yellow scroll coral.....Turbinaria pelata????? cant remember the exact species name, that may be the cup corals....oh well.....it does look like you have a nice and healthy specimen on your hands! congrats!
good luck
jon

 

[spsfreak100]

I agree with jon. It's a Turbinaria reniformis.
Turbinaria pelata
Do you mean Turbinaria patula or Turbinaria peltata?
T. patula usually have irregularly folded, unifacial, upright fronds with long tubular corallites strongly inclined towards the colony margins. Corallites have elliptical openings, and average 5 millimetres diameter. T. peltata colonies are flat laminae often forming overlapping tiers. Corallites are immersed to tubular and average 6 millimetres diameter. Polyps are large and tentacles are usually extended during the day.
T. reniformis looks exactly like the coral pictured, where the polyps are usually closed during the day.
As far as care goes, if under the correct conditions, they should be fairly easy to keep. I would recommend placing them under metal halides with strong amount of alternating currents. If you do not have halides, placing them as close to the light source as possible would help. Turbinaria is classified as a Small polyped scleractinian, although I reffer to it as a Medium polyped scleractinain
Take Care,
Graham

 

[jumpfrog]

Graham/Jon, thanks both for the replies.
I have placed him at the top of the tank probably only ~2-3" from the surface. Running PCs (260 watt). As for alternating current I need to address that better. Right now he's getting some swirl from a ph crossing from the other end of the tank and the return from a hang on filter that's for water movement and carbon only.
As a "medium ps" will this guy consume more calcium than the LPSs? Should I maybe buffer a bit more often? And, did I understand right that this coral tends to extend polyps more in the evening/night versus daytime?
Thanks again.

 

[jonthefb]

i agree grahm, t reniforms....just couldnt rem the exact species name........jump, it will consume calcium, at a slower rate than most sps though.....i would just make sure your Ca and alk levels are where theyre supposed to be and you should be fine!
good luck
jon