corals
 

dumb and probably obvious question......when ppl use the abbreviations SPS ....LPS...ect.... when referring to certain types of corals......what groups of corals fall under them.....??? what do they stand for?

lps - large polyp stony are stuff like frogspawn, hammer, bubble, fox, torch..

sps - small polyp stony are stuff like acropora, millepora, birdsnest, staghorn...

post
 

not to cut into Willows answer but I asked the same question when I started, and got the same basic answer. Then it was explained to me like this, and being the dumb ass I am this made it simple.

SPS = sticks that grow slowly

LPS = sticks that have a fleshy portion to them on the top


Now I do not know if this covers all but I think it is a fairly good general explination

SPS are mostly "fuzzy sticks" where the polyps retract completely into the hard skeleton at night but under good lighting, the tiny polyps stick out into the current.

LPS have much more fleshy, plump polyps. They usually have a large hard skeleton under the polyp & the polyps usually are still visible even at night, just shrunken.

Softies have no skeleton & are often slimy to the touch. they usually expand several times their shrunken night-time size when the lights go on.

Mushrooms or corallimorphs look like underwater mushrooms with a small central mouth.

Zoanthids are soft corals that have a small stalk & larger "flower-like" head or polyp with a tiny central mouth. These are normal small in size but large in number.

SPS - acropora, montipora, pocillipora, staghorn

LPS - bubble, brain, torch, hammer, frogspawn, elegance, trumpet, fox, pipe organ

Softies - pulsing xenia, anthelia, colt, leathers, toadstools

Mushrooms - frilly, hairy, ricordea, rhodactis, elephant ear

Zoanthids - common ones are combinations of brown, orange & green but may come in almost any colour.

Hope this helps. Google Image some of these terms & you'll have a clear idea.

Anthony

Re: post
 

I am not to sure about that as I have several SPS that grow faster than my LPS :confused:

Steve

these sites are good for photo id various corals and fishes:
http://melevsreef.com/id/kritter1.html
http://melevsreef.com/id/kritter2.html

Tak