Elephant skin coral ( picture added)

Trabby · #1 08-24-2010, 01:35 AM

Just curious if anyone has or has had this coral..... If so what are your experiences, and thoughts on this coral.. Thanks in advance .....

Trabby · #2 08-24-2010, 05:58 AM

Perhaps it's not elephant skin.. Does anyone have a different ID?

Trabby · #3 08-24-2010, 03:25 PM

does anyone have one of these??? I've looked around on the net and found that the taxonomical name is *Pachyseris rugosa... But... Mine is not the same color as any of the ones I've seen online....this one is an orangy brown color.

Myka · #4 08-24-2010, 03:29 PM

Pachyseris corals are cool! People seem to have a difficult time deciding whether they are SPS or LPS corals because they in fact do not have the "P" part of the equation! No visible polyps on this coral. Since the Pachyseris requires quite high light, most people pack them in as an SPS coral. They aren't often seen in the trade, but aren't usually overly expensive either. They frag very easily - like an SPS coral - but grows painfully slow. They seem to be prone to bleaching from stress, inappropriate lighting, poor water conditions, pretty much anything. You have a nice piece - I sure would like one like it!

EDIT - judging by the background in the photo you attached, it looks like you have mainly a softie tank. You may have a difficult time with this coral.

Trabby · #5 08-24-2010, 03:44 PM

Ahhhh finally lol somebody knows what I'm talking about

..... I aquired this coral a few months back.... It is indeed in a softy tank.. And has been for years, there have been no signs of stress (so far). Currently flow and lighting is not what it "requires". But it is thriving. It is a very unique coral , that I have fielded many questions on, most of which I cannot answer. Lol I've been debating moving it to my 90g mixed reef .. More flow.. T5/halides...but due to the fact it's doing so well in with the softies I am hesitant as I do not want to send it into a death spiral. Also thought of fragging it and putting a piece into the 90, but it is a beautiful piece .

Myka · #6 08-24-2010, 03:56 PM

Sorry, I would have replied earlier, but I figured someone else would chime in for you, and I was being lazy. It looks great in the picture, and if it has been there for some time I say don't move it!

Has the color changed at all since you moved acquired it? A little more red or a little more brown? If there is an edge underneath you could frag, you could try that, but fragging it does mess up the growth pattern, and yours has a GREAT pattern. Watch the growing edges, that seems to be where trouble starts.