Coral ID help please

[LakeEd]

I picked up this coral last Thrusday... and just now got a picture of it. Hopefully someone can help me learn how to identify these darn "Fuzzy Sticks" now. (Jeff, Tom & Dave... this is all YOUR fault guys!!!)

I've looked thru the pictures in the Coral/Invert Gallery, and am not having any luck. I really don't care if I can't get this down to a piticular "Name"... as much as getting it to a Catagory (i.e. Acropora, Millepora, Pocillopora... etc). Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a Sticky... or anything here other than those pictures to help newbies like me start to identify what they have... so I have to bother you all with the questions.

Anyways... here is a picture.

Its a shade or two more deeper pink than in this picture... I think the lights kinda washed it out... sorry.

I tried a close up, but need to figure out how to get the camera to focus past the outside glass... but here it is for now.

Thanks in advance, for all your help!

 

[bigdave]

Looks like a Acropora millepora. Maybe someone else like Big T, Mojo, or Bradsreef can chime in here. Captive Difficulty Easy with Moderate lighting and Moderate current, and stay on top of your water parameters. Good luck Dave

 

[LakeEd]

Thanks Dave,

So... what are you looking at, to help in your identification??? Or, in other words... what do "I" look at, to try and help myself get a clue???? I looked at the 4 pictures in the "Coral / Invert library" of the Millepora's... and none of those Millepora looked anything close to this.

I was slightly disapointed that there isn't something on this order (the "what do I look for to start figuring out what I have") as a Sticky someplace... that helps us newbies know what to look for.

 

[LakeEd]

Dave,

I went back, and looked at the "Acropora" pictures... and actually found the "Acropora millepora" you are meaning.

Silly me... I thought you were telling me it was a "Millepora"... of which the 4 pictures in that catagory it didn't come close to mathching.

After seeing the picture now... I would have to agree with you!

THANKS!!! *Big Smile*

 

[bigdave]

I also looked it up in one of my Books. Wayne Shang's book The Captive Marine Aquaruim has a purple one just like it. Unless he is screwed up I think that is it. I will Call you in the morning I will be in the shop. Dave

 

[LakeEd]

I'll be at work in the morning guy... sending ya a PM

 

[bradreef]

Post all of the picks you want. that coral should be good about anywhere the tips might go an orangeish higher up. Millepora or prostrata. The prostrata tend to have thinner branches and the radial coralites are not as compacted. I think prostrata but those are the hardest for me.

 

[big t]

A lot of people would just call that a Milli, and as you found out they mean Acropora milli. I think that brad is right tho in that it may be a Prostrata. I think that the true A.Milli's usually grow into a pretty cool tight table, where the A. Prostrata grows into a larger table form with intertwining branches.

 

[NaH2O]

Ed - with regards to learning how to identify an SPS, Veron's "Corals of the world" book series is really good. I'll point you to this thread: Identifying Corals. Eric Borneman offers some input about species identification. There is also a link to a mini-class Eric did on RC about coral identification. Hope this helps.

 

[LakeEd]

Nikki,

That "mini-class" that Eric did on RC was amazing! *Smile* Being a newbie, I'm still mostly baffled, but sooo much enjoy being baffled and learn something at the same time! I'm going to have to read thru that a few dozen times before I really start to keep the new words and terms straight in my mind. Thank you for the links!

Is there a link (Ms Link... that you are *grin*) someplace that would help a beginner SPS'er like myself with some basic identifications??? As I stated at the beginning of this post, I'm not as interested in getting down to a Name... as I am just knowing which major phylum or class things fall into.

Thanks again

 

[bradreef]

If eric would finish the class it would be nice. He said he was going to when he was here but Hey I didn't pay anything for it so o well.,

 

[LakeEd]

For a beginner like me in this SPS world Brad... what Eric was doing there was at the same time awesome, and over my head. I've only had the chance to read thru it once so far... think I need about another 4 or 5 times to really start catching on. Its much more indepth than what I was interested in... but never hurts to learn. *grinz*

 

[bradreef]

yes the start where he goes over different growth shapes and such is great to become familliar with. I have it printed out somewhere around here.

 

[NaH2O]

Ed - I would just browse the Coral ID Section to get the basic appearance of the coral Genus down. Also, look through the photos people post of their corals, or browse vendors websites to see what is offered for sale.

This is a good link: Coral Anatomy and Morphology

and for species identification: CoralSearch. The anatomy and morphology link above, may help in answering the morphology question in this link. This link is based on the Veron book series.

 

[LakeEd]

Thank you Nikki... as always you pull thru with the good links! *grinz*