2 Coral IDs needed - Might have your work cut out for ya !

[avalanche wolf]

I picked these up a month ago and didnt write the names down , well someone might be interested in getting a frag in trade for a Kenya that I have been wanting so I need to find out what they are ( and secondly how to frag them )

The first one has a ton of small plyops on it and is orange in color over all size is about 5 inches not including the base and about 3" - 4" wide. Each branch is only about 1/8" or less thick.


2nd is a total unknown - got it cheap at the LFS figured i would try to nurse it back It was very light brown in color but since coming home has darkened up. Never really see any plyop extension on it like at all but seems to be doing really good. Is a burnt orange color with hints of green on the main stalk.

[avalanche wolf]

*tap tap tap * Is this thing on ? :P No random clue out there that might point me in the right direction ?

[Fly Guy]

Acropora and acropora

[avalanche wolf]

Well I just went through 28 pages of images under Acropora and nothing looked like it Guess i will keep trying. i did finally find out what that leather i was wondering about a few months back lol

[Fly Guy]

I assure you they both are indeed acropora.

Thats why its much simpler to calll them "sweet blue with purple tips acropora".........or "burnt orange with hints of green" acropora...... etc.

I dont mean in any way to discourage you......but if you are trying to match colors instead of shapes in that book...........thats why you arent having any luck getting close. Both of those corals you have are very browned out IMO. The one you say has a hint of green(im assuming its kind of a flourescent green?), is either starting to get some color back or still showing some of what it used to be.

Identifying many acropora is so difficult, that you need to look at the skeleton under a microscope, AND know what you are looking at to do so.

[Reef-Keeper]

i agree with Fly Guy. near impossible to possitively ID with out a microscope and knowing what you are looking at under the microscope.

BUT, on a good note ... THEY ARE BOTH ACROPORA.

[avalanche wolf]

I need to mess with the white balance on the camera a bit. THe first one is very orange a lot like my Orange cap but the 2nd is very much brown but the brown has gotten deeper with the green florences as well. The green shows up good at night also.

I rigged a pepsi bottle to fit over them for feeding time and have been feeding them about 1/2 and eye dropper ( total ) every 3 days or so and they are higher in the tank center line with the lights above in a med flow area but not right in the path of the PHead.

My 2nd exp with sps so hope it goes well. My first didnt go so well with a green slimer frag Hopefully with the large ones they are a little more hearty.

[avalanche wolf]

Acropora valida



"It use to be green with purple tips and should eventually color back up. As for the other Acropora species I am unsure "


Well atleast that one is out of the way lol I put it at the bottom of the tank and finally saw some pylops come out.