ID Please....Symphyllia?

[victoria]

I'd recently purchased this coral, I had thought it was some form of Symphyllia or Cactus Coral but now not sure at all,
It's over a foot wide, has multiple mouths on each. Med- bright Green.
If someone can ID that would be great and if you know whether they need to be spot fed, I was told no but read that Symphyllia (if that's what this is) does need to be fed daily.
Thanks so much for taking a look!

 

[namas05]

Looks like Lobophyllia (spelling) to me, but I am no expert by any means.
Can you get some better pictures?

 

[victoria]

I fed him tonight and it was the most amazing experience, suddenly he was 2 colors, he opened up and a filtery material apeeared in purple, connecting all of the mouths. I'll read up more.
Thank you again

 

[1bigboy69]

It looks like Symphyllia to me. You can actually lay a silverslide on it when it feeds at night.

 

[victoria]

Thanks Bigboy, I'll have to buy some silversides, this blows the sun coral feedings away, this feeding is FUN !!!!
Do you know how often I can feed it, would everyother day be too often? Judging by last night it was aggressively hungry, I've never seen anything like it. Last night it ate Mysis and clyopeeze (sp?). May be today I'll try prawns.

 

[1bigboy69]

I feed mine like once a week.
You got to lay it on one of the mouths gently, and wait until it takes a hold of it.

 

[victoria]

Quick question...thanks so much for the advice, mine had only opened up like that with the purple feathery opening connecting the mouth that one time. That was sooo great to watch.
Does that happen with yours everytime, once in a while or will it only do that when hungry?
Otherwise, I'll just feed the mouths specifically.
thanks a bunch!

 

[1bigboy69]

Sorry, I just seen you made another post.
No, mine doesn't do it every time. But when it does, out come the silverslides.
You can just mist them with brine or cyclopeeze. I alsao feed my own phyto to the tank.

 

[victoria]

There's a picture of my coral in a previous entry on this thread (LESS GREEN NOW), over the past 5 days I've noticed the body of the coral retracting a bit and boney thorns protruding..is it starving? It's at the top of the tank at low flow in a 125 with 4 VHO 6 footers. I had been trying to feed it silversides and mysis but not working, last night used Clyzopeeze and it worked.
The temp in my tank swings from 78 to 80.6. The coral has not been moved.
I was told that feeding them was an option and not required. Does anyone know if it is starving or just stressed and any suggestions?
THANKS!