What is this coral!?!?! Someone answer please....or at least look!!!!!!!

[misty927]

I was recently at my lfs and saw a coral I was thinking about getting. The guy who was filling in there that day (the usual guy wasn't there) didn't know what type of coral it was. So that's where all of you come in...it looks somewhat like a green brain (see picture below) when it's closed up, yet it has these things that look like flower pot ends coming out of all the holes, which are brownish green when it opens (in a large sphere). What could it be??The brain coral it resembles when it's closed up....the top green one under the brain coral category.
[ May 23, 2001: Message edited by: misty927 ]

 

[otto13]

hey misty,
what lfs did you go to? i am doing my rounds in austin tomorrow and will find out what it is? i did my coral thing for a bit and really regretted getting the wrong thing. some corals are hardier than others and it is good to start with the hardiest. once your corals start to thrive, then move to a more difficult coral. aquatek will give you the scoop on the best corals to start with. you dont have to buy it there though. they are very expensive. the blond guy with glasses is the owner. he is about 25 years old. he will really help you out. sometimes they are a little rude there. i hate stuck up aquariumists. good luck.
[ May 23, 2001: Message edited by: otto13 ]
[ May 24, 2001: Message edited by: otto13 ]

 

[reefgirl]

Misty?
Flowerpot ends? IS it a Goniopora aka 'flowerpot'? If so, avoid it - they have a dismal survival rate in captivity although they're gorgeous. They seem to do ok for 1 yr to 18 mths then recede & die. To tell if it's a Goni, count the tentacles coming off of the polyps sticking out of the 'holes' in the skeleton. If there are 24 - it's a Goniopora. If there are 12 it's probably Alveopora which is somewhat easier to keep.
I had a Goni for over 2 yrs before it started receding & so thought I knew what I was doing
Current thoughts about this coral is that as most are gathered from high nutrient lagoonal areas most skimmed tanks are too clean & the coral starves. I did observe feeding behaviour in the one I had.
I suggest you look at the coral pics at the FFExpress site to help ID it.
Hope this helps
RG

 

[reefgirl]

Misty?
Flowerpot ends? IS it a Goniopora aka 'flowerpot'? If so, avoid it - they have a dismal survival rate in captivity although they're gorgeous. They seem to do ok for 1 yr to 18 mths then recede & die. To tell if it's a Goni, count the tentacles coming off of the polyps sticking out of the 'holes' in the skeleton. If there are 24 - it's a Goniopora. If there are 12 it's probably Alveopora which is somewhat easier to keep.
I had a Goni for over 2 yrs before it started receding & so thought I knew what I was doing
Current thoughts about this coral is that as most are gathered from high nutrient lagoonal areas most skimmed tanks are too clean & the coral starves. I did observe feeding behaviour in the one I had.
I suggest you look at the coral pics at the FFExpress site to help ID it.
Hope this helps
RG
PS - KUDOS to you for asking before buying!
[ May 24, 2001: Message edited by: ReefGirl ]

 

[misty927]

No, it's neither a goniopora or alveopora. It's strange..when it opens it's spherical and the flower pot looking ends are all over the sphere. I've looked all over the net and I can find a picture of it anywhere. I must have checked six places including FFE.com and SWF.com Hey otto, which places in Austin do you frequent? I go to Aqua-tek a lot, but rarely buy anything. They are overpriced and I agree they are very stuck up!!! But have you been lately?? They have a huge, and I mean huge, golden puffer. It's awesome. Sometimes I go to Gallery of Pets or Pet Connection (in Cedar Park). Pet Connection always has a lot to choose from. I sometimes go to AquaDome. Do you know of any other places??
[ May 25, 2001: Message edited by: misty927 ]

 

[otto13]

i go to aquadome, aquatek, gallery of pets, and 3 of the petcos. however, petcos dont take care of their saltwater fish very well. they get new shipments in every friday. the other stores get theirs in on tuesday. yes, i have seen that puffer, it is huge. i currently have a dogface, stars and stripes, false eye and fahaka (freshwater) puffers. i keep them with a bunch of boxfishes, except the freshwater one. there are saltwater stores in round rock, san marcos, new braunfels and san antonio. sometimes when my wife goes antique shopping, i check them out. san antonio has the best i have seen so far. good luck.