Deal or no deal?

[C. Eymann]

Thanks for the tips. This one is getting all the light it can from a 165 watt bb maybe I need to raise it for more flow. For now I'm just leaving as is, pink spath with soft pink polyps I guess the blues in the light make it seem that color. Looks really happy rn but it being in the more difficult side im not expecting this baby to go past a couple months we'll see.

While daytime polyp extension is usually a good sign, it is not always a surefire way to tell if a colony is stable or "happy" with Acropora.
I have seen good PE on Acros that are dying from STN and some cases even durning RTN on branches that haven't been affected yet

From my experience, with Acropora -aside from new growth, a good indicator the colony is stable/happy is nocturnal axial corallite extension. Look at the growth tips at night, if you see tentacles popping out of that top corallite, generally speaking that's an accurate sign of an Acro being relatively stable/happy.

 

[Jmareef1022]

While daytime polyp extension is usually a good sign, it is not always a surefire way to tell if a colony is stable or "happy" with Acropora.
I have seen good PE on Acros that are dying from STN and some cases even durning RTN on branches that haven't been affected yet

From my experience, with Acropora -aside from new growth, a good indicator the colony is stable/happy is nocturnal axial corallite extension. Look at the growth tips at night, if you see tentacles popping out of that top corallite, generally speaking that's an accurate sign of an Acro being relatively stable/happy.

As obsessed as i am about my corals especially acros that's what I do at night and early morning to witness its pe and yes polyps are out on the top coraline. I do remember now how sensitive they are about a year ago I purchased a frag that I believe my lfs fragged at first was all white began to encrust even getting the pinkish color than one day boom downfall dead. Like I said before I'll be moving in a month from now so for now I'll leave it as is laying on its side if it makes it on the move I'll give it more light and more flow.. thanks again everyone for the input on this beauty.

 

[erk]

This doesn't look like A. spathulata. Spath corallites are more scooped out, similar in style to millepora. I'm trying to link a good image to show this detail, but all the images I find online are no longer available. The polyps are also very similar to millepora. Your colony has rounded corallites and slightly different polyps. Your colony looks kinda like humilis, but not exactly. A. digitifera most resembles your colony from what I could find.

Acropora digitifera - Marine Savers

marinesavers.com

Edit: From Reefbuilders, you can see the corallite structure is very different. It is scooped out and thin walled.

Acropora spathulata is the iconic Australian Staghorn Coral | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Last week, we reported about probably the most popular staghorn coral from Australia, Acropora microclados, a.k.a the Strawberry Shortcake. This time, we will tell you about another iconic Australian…

reefbuilders.com

 

[C. Eymann]

This doesn't look like A. spathulata. Spath corallites are more scooped out, similar in style to millepora. I'm trying to link a good image to show this detail, but all the images I find online are no longer available. The polyps are also very similar to millepora. Your colony has rounded corallites and slightly different polyps. Your colony looks kinda like humilis, but not exactly. A. digitifera most resembles your colony from what I could find.

Acropora digitifera - Marine Savers

marinesavers.com

Edit: From Reefbuilders, you can see the corallite structure is very different. It is scooped out and thin walled.

Acropora spathulata is the iconic Australian Staghorn Coral | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Last week, we reported about probably the most popular staghorn coral from Australia, Acropora microclados, a.k.a the Strawberry Shortcake. This time, we will tell you about another iconic Australian…

reefbuilders.com

A. digitifera's radular corallites are usually arranged in a somewhat uniform pattern, they also are not nearly as compacted as OPs coral exhibits.

A. milliepora is much closer related to A. spatulata morphology wise, but has much more pronouced tubular axial corallites.

OPs coral's raidials have the scale like appearance that is A. spatulata's signature trait


Granted, without examination of a dead skeleton and or genetic testing there can be no "ultimative" ID esp, with Acropora going off pictures.

which is why I can say I'm only 98% sure that OPs coral is A. spatulata.

refer:

http://www.coralsoftheworld.org/species_factsheets/species_factsheet_summary/acropora-spathulata/

Corals of the World

 

[Jmareef1022]

Thank you to all the experts for chiming in.

 

[SeaDweller]

This doesn't look like A. spathulata. Spath corallites are more scooped out, similar in style to millepora. I'm trying to link a good image to show this detail, but all the images I find online are no longer available. The polyps are also very similar to millepora. Your colony has rounded corallites and slightly different polyps. Your colony looks kinda like humilis, but not exactly. A. digitifera most resembles your colony from what I could find.

Acropora digitifera - Marine Savers

marinesavers.com

Edit: From Reefbuilders, you can see the corallite structure is very different. It is scooped out and thin walled.

Acropora spathulata is the iconic Australian Staghorn Coral | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Last week, we reported about probably the most popular staghorn coral from Australia, Acropora microclados, a.k.a the Strawberry Shortcake. This time, we will tell you about another iconic Australian…

reefbuilders.com

Initially I was looking for the scale like corallites too, and I thought the same that it wasn't a. spath, but it's so difficult to tell from pics sometimes.

 

[Dugless]

Looks like A. Samoensis to me. I had to scroll through the thread to make sure it was mentioned because it definitely isn't A. Spathulata.

 

[C. Eymann]

Looks like A. Samoensis to me. I had to scroll through the thread to make sure it was mentioned because it definitely isn't A. Spathulata.

A. samoensis radial corallites are much more tubular than OPs coral, also I see no increase in size of radials towards the base of branches
A. samoensis radial corallite detail:

http://www.coralsoftheworld.org/media/images/0060_BW02_03.jpg

I'll go ahead and politely agree to disagree, I have kept both species.

OPs corals' morphology, corallite structure definitely matches A. spatulata, also while using growth form is sort of unreliable, OPs coral's branchlets exhibit spatulata's sweeping curve upwards.

 

[Jmareef1022]

I'm thinking on trading this baby hoping someone can raise it the right way, how long should It be in my tank before I give it a green thumbs for the next acro enthusiast?

 

[Dugless]

Just another thought. Spathulatas typically have tip coloration that differs/contrasts with the body color. With some differing opinions on what you might have, why not keep it and give it your best effort?

 

[Jmareef1022]

Just another thought. Spathulatas typically have tip coloration that differs/contrasts with the body color. With some differing opinions on what you might have, why not keep it and give it your best effort?

Only reason being is because I now know how difficult this one is compared to others. But your right maybe I should keep it and see if I get lucky and it stays alive for me. I mean I did have a red planet about this size that did great. I know this ain't no rp but there Is hope I guess.

 

[erk]

You could always frag off a couple pieces to give to other reefers in a chance to keep it alive, if you are worried.

 

[C. Eymann]

Just another thought. Spathulatas typically have tip coloration that differs/contrasts with the body color.

Coloration should be the last thing you look at when it comes to ID in Acropora , and I pointed out several morphological differences between OPs coral and A. samoensis.

I'm curious if you can provide some morphological similarities between OPs coral and A. samoensis? because I'm not seeing them? esp with radial corallites shape and structure.


I'm not trying to be rude, I know I'm new to this forum, but that doesn't mean I am new to the hobby.

I'm not trying to step on toes, just curious if you can provide me with relevant details of the corals morphology if you are going to make ultimatum claims like "definitely not spatulata"
thanks.

 

[C. Eymann]

Here is a small colony of A. spatulata from one of my old tanks.

 

[SeaDweller]

OP, can you take some clear top down shots so we can see the corallites from top view? That may help with showing some scales, if there are any.

 

[Dugless]

I think it is okay to disagree, and I took no offense to that fact. I thought you were on the same page, but after your second response I think maybe you’re more upset by this than I originally thought. I’m honestly just providing feedback based on the photo provided.

I agree that color is typically a bad identifier, but many Spathulatas trend with contrasting tip color. Just offering up that info to the OP.

 

[C. Eymann]

I think it is okay to disagree, and I took no offense to that fact. I thought you were on the same page, but after your second response I think maybe you’re more upset by this than I originally thought. I’m honestly just providing feedback based on the photo provided.

I agree that color is typically a bad identifier, but many Spathulatas trend with contrasting tip color. Just offering up that info to the OP.

I'm not upset?
No definitely not on the same page, because Im
more so confused as to what morphological features in common you see in OPs coral and A. samoensis? you seem to be avoiding explaining your reasoning after I have pointed out several morphological characteristics of A. samoensis that OPs coral lacks?
like the pronounced tubular radial corallites that A. samoensis exhibits? which OPs coral lacks?

In addition, please explain what morphological characteristics/features you are seeing in OPs coral to be able to make a ultimatum claim like
"definitely not A. spatulata"

because when you do make such claims like that, you better be able to back it up with a relevant explanation at the very least

 

[Dugless]

I'm not upset?
No definitely not on the same page, because Im
more so confused as to what morphological features in common you see in OPs coral and A. samoensis? you seem to be avoiding explaining your reasoning after I have pointed out several morphological characteristics of A. samoensis that OPs coral lacks?

I think it’s tough to nail down specifics without better images or actual handling. I can be convinced it’s Digitifera, but I just don’t see it being Sparhulata. That doesn’t mean it isn’t, just a simple opinion.

 

[C. Eymann]

I think it’s tough to nail down specifics without better images or actual handling. I can be convinced it’s Digitifera, but I just don’t see it being Sparhulata. That doesn’t mean it isn’t, just a simple opinion.

So you are unable provide or comment on any of the morphological differences that I have pointed out ??? Nor are you able to provide detailed morphological traits to base your claim off of?
No offense, but that sounds like a cop-out.


Either way, I'll go ahead to agree to disagree.

Have a nice night

 

[Jmareef1022]

top shot