Dragon soul “Favia”

[Sticker shock]

Is this typical of these guys. They are like this almost all day until lights out. Not sure if this is feeding or aggression

 

[Someguyfromsc]

Wants something yummy

 

[encrustingacro]

nah looks like aggression, hence the sweeper tentacles. You should probably move the "favia" behind it farther away to prevent stinging.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Unrelated but check out this dragon soul goniastrea at my LFS (yes I'm getting it)

 

[Sticker shock]

nah looks like aggression, hence the sweeper tentacles. You should probably move the "favia" behind it farther away to prevent stinging.

They have both been on that rock for about three years. If it is aggression, they are going to have to fight it out as there is no way either one could be removed without messing both of them up.

I don't see any damage even where they are able to touch.

 

[encrustingacro]

They have both been on that rock for about three years. If it is aggression, they are going to have to fight it out as there is no way either one could be removed without messing both of them up.

I don't see any damage even where they are able to touch.

Seeing that they're both prism "Favias," they might be able to touch if they are the same species; Prism "Favias" (dragon soul, prism, reverse prism) come in two species: Dipsastraea rosaria and Favites flexuosa. Generally, D. rosaria is sub-plocoid while F. flexuosa will be totally cerioid.

Unrelated but check out this dragon soul goniastrea at my LFS (yes I'm getting it)

That actually looks like Coelastrea, not Goniastrea. True Goniastreas have generally smaller corallites and are usually pale or cream-colored. They are actually pretty uncommon in the reefkeeping hobby due to their drab coloration.

 

[Sticker shock]

Lots of confusion on what these actually are. I like having exact descriptions, but I’m typically happy if I just get a common/hobby name

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Seeing that they're both prism "Favias," they might be able to touch if they are the same species; Prism "Favias" (dragon soul, prism, reverse prism) come in two species: Dipsastraea rosaria and Favites flexuosa. Generally, D. rosaria is sub-plocoid while F. flexuosa will be totally cerioid.


That actually looks like Coelastrea, not Goniastrea. True Goniastreas have generally smaller corallites and are usually pale or cream-colored. They are actually pretty uncommon in the reefkeeping hobby due to their drab coloration.

Huh, never heard of a coelastrea, I had my LFS order it through a wholesaler (unfortunately us hobbyists don't have access to those sellers) and it was labeled as ultra aussie goniastrea, was a wild caught peice so I don't know, but I looked up coelastrea and they don't seem to be anywhere near as vibrant as this piece

 

[encrustingacro]

Huh, never heard of a coelastrea, I had my LFS order it through a wholesaler (unfortunately us hobbyists don't have access to those sellers) and it was labeled as ultra aussie goniastrea, was a wild caught peice so I don't know, but I looked up coelastrea and they don't seem to be anywhere near as vibrant as this piece

Coelastrea have a wide range of coloration, and most of the images on Google are of wild specimens on the reef, so the colors might look different under blue light. I usually wouldn't trust vendor IDs, wholesaler or otherwise, as they often misidentify their corals. Generally, what is sold as Goniastrea in the hobby are either Coelastrea or Paragoniastrea, unless we are talking about dragon-soul/prism "Goniastrea;" those are Dipsastraea rosaria or Favites flexuosa.