Coral advise

[Tomjay]

Hi, I am in need of help in identifying another coral in my tank...it’s not in any of the books I have so maybe someone might be able to identify it or point me in the right direction as to where I can begin to search.


Thanks in advance for your help. TJ

[fishytime]

Looks like a sun coral to me...

[parkinsn]

Hi, I am in need of help in identifying another coral in my tank...it’s not in any of the books I have so maybe someone might be able to identify it or point me in the right direction as to where I can begin to search.


Thanks in advance for your help. TJ

looks like it could be a sun coral, one in need of some good feeding by the looks of the first 2 pics.

[Tomjay]

I had about two weeks and the person I got it from said he didn’t know what it was...I didn’t think it was a sun coral from the ones I have seen healthy and from pictures....what can I do to bring it back?

[parkinsn]

when the polyps come out, more than likely at night or when you feed you fish mysis, the tentacles will come and target feed some mysis shrimp

[Tomjay]

when the polyps come out, more than likely at night or when you feed you fish mysis, the tentacles will come and target feed some mysis shrimp

Ok, yeah the polyps do only come out at night when the actinics go off...I will target feed from now on...thx

[blaster]

thats a dendro it needs to be fed

[Pazil]

thats a dendro it needs to be fed

I don't think its a dendro if the polyps only come out at night..... Fishytime is right... Sun Coral. And yes it needs to be spot fed.

[Myka]

Pssst!! A Dendro is a type of sun coral! ;)

[parkinsn]

But if it was a dendro wouldnt the polyps come out during the day because they are partially photosynthetic, as well as meat eaters?

[Myka]

Both Dendros and Sun Polyps are referred to as Sun Polyps. Dendros are Dendrophyllia sp, and Sun Polyps are Tubastrea sp. However, according to Bob Fenner on the Wet Web Media; "Balanophyllia, Dendrophyllia, not distinguishable from very similar Tubastrea without examination of dead skeletal (septal fusion) characteristics." and "Genus Dendrophyllia: Near impossible to distinguish from Tubastrea w/o microscopic analysis of corallite skeletons." All three of the above species are from the genus Dendrophylliidae, there are several other species in the genus as well.

Generally, I think you just pay the exorbitant amount of money if the coral in question has large polyps and tends to stay open during the day, which seems to be the only easily definable difference, and is apparently not particularly accurate. :D I bet there are more than a few people out there who paid for a Denro, but got a Tubastrea!!

[icecool217]

Just reading into this....

Rather than looking at the skeletal, would you say the difference between Sun Polyps (Sun coral) and Dendro/Balano are due to a difference in size with sun corals being a whole lot smaller?

How common are Dendros? Balanos?


TJ, I hope your sun corals are surviving from the last time I saw your tank. Just cross your fingers and hope they live :(