Having your cakes- The not so definitive guide to the Acros we call "Shortcakes"

[uniquecorals]

Loved the post Scott.
I got this frag in Nov 2013, it has since then encrusted but not grown taller. In lower light it turns brown.
This would be a microclados then?

Hmm...Did you obtain this one from us? It doesn't actually look like a specimen of A. microclados to me. This seems to almost have a tubular branching form, reminiscent of a deepwater Acro, or maybe even a valida or some other species. Neat color, though....

-Scott

 

[zoomonster]

I have yet to get a ORA shortcake but I did get the microclados and bali shortcake from you among other things recently. Both had great color on arrival and have only gotten better. I'm running 3 x 250w 14k MH + 320w of T5 actinic. That bali is truly a standout which is saying something with the large variety of SPS colors I have. Mine looks like your pic with the fleshy pink/red and the yellow coralites. What's interesting is I never noticed the blue until now which seems to have just really popped. Not sure if that's because its growing now or what (lots of food and amino acid). The blue also seems to be random and does not seem to follow the radial/axial pattern. Not the best picture but the colors are there...

 

[metrokat]

Hmm...Did you obtain this one from us? It doesn't actually look like a specimen of A. microclados to me. This seems to almost have a tubular branching form, reminiscent of a deepwater Acro, or maybe even a valida or some other species. Neat color, though....

-Scott

My frag was from a hobbyist, sold to me as a shortcake. I suppose this means that there are more than just the 2 species you talked about, being sold and traded as shortcakes.
I'm thinking the "name" is given because of coloration more than anything else though, right? I mean unless it was properly identified, it's just whatever anyone names it.

I called this guy a Nasuta for nearly 2 years before I was told it is a Subulata. Go figure. People that get the frags I've shared, lol, they call it the Katropora. :nerd:

 

[uniquecorals]

My frag was from a hobbyist, sold to me as a shortcake. I suppose this means that there are more than just the 2 species you talked about, being sold and traded as shortcakes.
I'm thinking the "name" is given because of coloration more than anything else though, right? I mean unless it was properly identified, it's just whatever anyone names it.

I called this guy a Nasuta for nearly 2 years before I was told it is a Subulata. Go figure. People that get the frags I've shared, lol, they call it the Katropora. :nerd:

Right on...The Whole danger of common names, regurgitated...The species Acropora microclados is most commonly referred to as the "Strawberry Shortcake.." But then it gets more confusing from there!

Woosh!


-Scott

 

[MaxDraco]

Hey Kat/Scott - I just bought a frag like this from Jason Fox, he referred to it as a strawberry shortcake and it's listed on his website as
'Unique Corals Original Strawberry Shortcake (from MACNA '09)'. So he evidently got it from UC 5 years prior to this post, lol. Sorry to dredge up an old post, I never posts on forms, but I thought Kat might like to know and it's relevant to the great info in Scott's post.

Max.

QUOTE="metrokat, post: 1981456, member: 25713"]Loved the post Scott.
I got this frag in Nov 2013, it has since then encrusted but not grown taller. In lower light it turns brown.
This would be a microclados then?

[/QUOTE]

 

[hybridazn]

Hey Kat/Scott - I just bought a frag like this from Jason Fox, he referred to it as a strawberry shortcake and it's listed on his website as
'Unique Corals Original Strawberry Shortcake (from MACNA '09)'. So he evidently got it from UC 5 years prior to this post, lol. Sorry to dredge up an old post, I never posts on forms, but I thought Kat might like to know and it's relevant to the great info in Scott's post.

Max.

QUOTE="metrokat, post: 1981456, member: 25713"]Loved the post Scott.
I got this frag in Nov 2013, it has since then encrusted but not grown taller. In lower light it turns brown.
This would be a microclados then?

[/QUOTE]

They released it in 2009

 

[All Delight]

I love the bali shortcakes

 

[McMullen]

Bringing back an old one......but a great one!

I've seen the UC Nasuta shortcake in person from a local reefer and wow!!! When it gets some growth it is a stunner!!!!! Of course the macrolados is as well!! I've not seen the "Bali."

 

[cheinsiong]

My ssc

 

[swk]

Here's mine. Original UC SSC

Screen shot of a screenshot. Hope the quality is ok.