Another mystery frag-ish

AngiGiles · Jun 29, 2022

So, laying in the bottom of the, already 5yr running, tank I got a bit over a month ago, is a small frag plug.. figured I'd just get it out "one day" and wasn't worried. Well a couple nights ago something pink catches my eye and weirdly enough it got 4 of the TINIEST polyps I've ever seen! Initially thought it was some sort of zoa but I just dont think it's growing the same. So, here goes, got blue light, white light, and an "up close" of a polyp.

They seem to be almost.. volcano shaped, any guesses?

blaxsun · Jun 30, 2022

My guess is either a zoa or coralline algae.

JNalley · Jun 30, 2022

based on the picture of the body, which doesn't look stony in any way, and the closeup of the polyp, I'm inclined to agree with Blaxsun, looks like a Zoa or Paly. I don't think it's coralline algae.

If it IS stony, and I'm just not seeing it correctly. Then it could be cyphastrea

JNalley · Jun 30, 2022

Just wanting to make sure we're on the same page @AngiGiles I took a closer look at the 3 pictures...

AngiGiles · Jun 30, 2022

JNalley said:
Just wanting to make sure we're on the same page @AngiGiles I took a closer look at the 3 pictures...

Thank you for taking that time! Ya, they all 4 look like little grey volcanos with the bright pink tiny polys coming out. I really need to figure out how to take better pictures with these lights, everything is horribly fuzzy or blotchy blue. My first thought was definitely a zoa, tho I'm not sure I've ever seen one start on an "empty" plug, it just doesn't seem like my other zoas. I'm sure time will tell. And is it weird for this thing to be laying on the sand for weeks (previous owner said there were no other corals "for a long time") and now just decide to grow? No complaints here, we've been so blessed with just health in general with this canister filtered tank. Also, definitely not coralline, I just take crappy pics haha the polyps are pretty clear irl

JNalley · Jun 30, 2022

AngiGiles said:
Thank you for taking that time! Ya, they all 4 look like little grey volcanos with the bright pink tiny polys coming out. I really need to figure out how to take better pictures with these lights, everything is horribly fuzzy or blotchy blue. My first thought was definitely a zoa, tho I'm not sure I've ever seen one start on an "empty" plug, it just doesn't seem like my other zoas. I'm sure time will tell. And is it weird for this thing to be laying on the sand for weeks (previous owner said there were no other corals "for a long time") and now just decide to grow? No complaints here, we've been so blessed with just health in general with this canister filtered tank. Also, definitely not coralline, I just take crappy pics haha the polyps are pretty clear irl

Pick yourself up one of these:
Amazon product

Although I think there is a 2021 or 2022 kit that has larger filters for the triple camera phones made by the same company, you might have to search for it though.

Don't hold the phone at an angle to the glass, if you need a better angle, it's better to move the plug because taking them at an angle to the glass will cause fringing (blue, purple, green, or yellow ghosting).

Get yourself a clear plastic container you can rest on the surface of the water to take top-down photos of your plugs.

The Macro lens will allow you to get it really close and focus with it held really close to your camera lens and the various yellow/orange filters will cut out some of the blue and expose the true colors.

JNalley · Jun 30, 2022

Oh, and the polarizer lens will allow you to make reflections vanish when you're taking full tank shots. You just spin it around until the reflection is no longer visible on the screen

JNalley · Jun 30, 2022

I found the larger one on Amazon, shame the price went up
Amazon product

AngiGiles · Jun 30, 2022

JNalley said:
I found the larger one on Amazon, shame the price went up
Amazon product

Well thank you again! I got to looking for the "big" kit and squirreled off on some guy testing lens and apparently "rise brown lens" makes things look the most natural, so I ordered on of them. We just got a ridiculous deal on a 72gal bowfront with more gadgets than I am able to name. Better wait to buy anything too "unnecessary" right now haha

AngiGiles · Jul 18, 2022

It appears to be "growing" these tiny pink polyps are popping up on the stem of the plug also.

If it is a zoa, it sure is "spikey" compared to all my other zoas. I kinda like the "waiting game" on identifying some of these corals haha that weird?