Difference between sun corals
- Thread starter 9supratt4
- Start date
N
nonphotosynt
Guest
There is article of S. P. Cairns about Dendrophylliidae , that includes sun corals (Tubastrea, globular not branching, except the black ones) and their cousins (branching or not Dendrophyllia, Cladopsammia, and other less common corals.
Tubastreas (intense orange, pale pinkish-orange and yellow, all not branching) are most common, compact branching black Tubastrea diaphana is also frequently available, and Tubastrea micrantha (long branching, lighter shade with greenish tentacles) is rare and -as I had read, don't have it - requires higher flow and daily feedings.
Dendrophyllias are usually more expensive, than Tubastreas, and if not - more rare. Some of them are open all day long, when Tubastreas and Cladopsammia gracilis are predominantly nocturnal. But basic care is the same.
You can see photos in this thread, this, and this. The last site shows uncommon for us varieties too.
I have what I think is T. faulknery (pale pinkish-orange), T. coccinea (deep orange), T. aurea (lemon yellow, high polyps' skeletons), the same, only branching (possibly Dendrophyllia cornigera), T. diaphana (compact branching black) and Cladopsammia gracilis (low growing bush shape, smaller diameter of polyps).
If colonies are not starved too much, with recessed tissue, then care and feeding is the same, with no particular sensitivities. All are mostly nocturnal, but open for a feeding during the daytime too.
It the starved colony not opens at once for a feeding, then making it open efforts will be required. Easier to buy well fed plump colony.
Black starved Tubastrea was very slow in opening to feed, up to 1.5 hrs each session, pure yellow starved Tubastrea was closing, as soon as flow was off for a feeding. Others opened at once, independently from their condition.
I would say that they are more or less the same, except, as I had read, T. micrantha.
HTH
Tubastreas (intense orange, pale pinkish-orange and yellow, all not branching) are most common, compact branching black Tubastrea diaphana is also frequently available, and Tubastrea micrantha (long branching, lighter shade with greenish tentacles) is rare and -as I had read, don't have it - requires higher flow and daily feedings.
Dendrophyllias are usually more expensive, than Tubastreas, and if not - more rare. Some of them are open all day long, when Tubastreas and Cladopsammia gracilis are predominantly nocturnal. But basic care is the same.
You can see photos in this thread, this, and this. The last site shows uncommon for us varieties too.
I have what I think is T. faulknery (pale pinkish-orange), T. coccinea (deep orange), T. aurea (lemon yellow, high polyps' skeletons), the same, only branching (possibly Dendrophyllia cornigera), T. diaphana (compact branching black) and Cladopsammia gracilis (low growing bush shape, smaller diameter of polyps).
If colonies are not starved too much, with recessed tissue, then care and feeding is the same, with no particular sensitivities. All are mostly nocturnal, but open for a feeding during the daytime too.
It the starved colony not opens at once for a feeding, then making it open efforts will be required. Easier to buy well fed plump colony.
Black starved Tubastrea was very slow in opening to feed, up to 1.5 hrs each session, pure yellow starved Tubastrea was closing, as soon as flow was off for a feeding. Others opened at once, independently from their condition.
I would say that they are more or less the same, except, as I had read, T. micrantha.
HTH
9supratt4
Active Member
Originally Posted by majormaz
http:///forum/post/2739001
You were the one on NJ reefers who was interested in the sun coral. I could of told you the difference.
I figured that!! It just seems like that site is much less used than this one.
http:///forum/post/2739001
You were the one on NJ reefers who was interested in the sun coral. I could of told you the difference.
I figured that!! It just seems like that site is much less used than this one.
majormaz
Member
Originally Posted by 9supratt4
http:///forum/post/2739404
I figured that!! It just seems like that site is much less used than this one.
I would tend to agree with you.
http:///forum/post/2739404
I figured that!! It just seems like that site is much less used than this one.
I would tend to agree with you.