Frogspawn or Cristata Torch? ID please.

[NC AL]

I acquired a piece of frogspawn many months ago. I put it in my son’s tank. It has done well and went from 2-3 heads to 10 heads. I cut it in half and put a half in my tank. I recently put it in my main tank and a different frogspawn with it.

NOW that I look at it, it looks more like a cristata torch. What do you guys think? If it is a cristata, have I messed up putting it so close to a frogspawn?

 

[twentyleagues]

I am not an expert and it may just be me but that looks like a hammer maybe a frammer but I think hammer. It will be ok next to the frogspawn if its either of those. Maybe someone else will jump in and confirm or deny.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Most likely a frammer

 

[NC AL]

Is there any way to know for sure?

 

[Asm481]

If it was a torch it would already be attacking the frogspawn.

 

[i cant think]

I acquired a piece of frogspawn many months ago. I put it in my son’s tank. It has done well and went from 2-3 heads to 10 heads. I cut it in half and put a half in my tank. I recently put it in my main tank and a different frogspawn with it.

NOW that I look at it, it looks more like a cristata torch. What do you guys think? If it is a cristata, have I messed up putting it so close to a frogspawn?

Definitely a hammer, a Cristata is this;

Short and stubby but fat tentacles.

 

[VintageReefer]

Cristata shows skeleton when closed

 

[NC AL]

Thank you for everyone’s input.

 

[Bigfish502]

Anyone know if this would be considered a cristata torch?

 

[VintageReefer]

Anyone know if this would be considered a cristata torch?

It’s not. And that price is ridiculous for a green torch

 

[Bigfish502]

It’s not. And that price is ridiculous for a green torch

How can you tell?

 

[thamnasteroid]

Frogspawn; that coloration is more common in Fimbriaphyllia and doesn't really occur in Euphyllia. Cristata torches also have exert septa which are visible when tentacles are retracted, and their tentacles also have a certain patterning/texture to them.
Euphyllia cristata; Batangas, Philippines | Credit: Ingo Rogalla

 

[VintageReefer]

How can you tell?

Not to be rude, but experience. And true cristata is pretty hard to come by

Here is a source for good torch prices. At bottom of the list you can get holy grail for 200$

Torches | Detroit Reef Club

Torch Corals are made up of two distinct subspecies, the more common and generally longer tentacled Euphyllia Glaberens & Euphyllia Cristata. E. Glaberens generally work very well to make a "garden" with, but we have seen too many reefers learn the hard way not to mention; Australian Glabs often...

detroitreefclub.com

 

[thamnasteroid]

Not to be rude, but experience. And true cristata is pretty hard to come by

Here is a source for gold torch prices. At bottom of the list you can get holy grail for 200$

Torches | Detroit Reef Club

Torch Corals are made up of two distinct subspecies, the more common and generally longer tentacled Euphyllia Glaberens & Euphyllia Cristata. E. Glaberens generally work very well to make a "garden" with, but we have seen too many reefers learn the hard way not to mention; Australian Glabs often...

detroitreefclub.com

I've seen some cristatas misidentified as Aussie torches. You can usually tell by the texture/patterning of their tentacle stalks.

 

[Bigfish502]

I've seen some cristatas misidentified as Aussie torches. You can usually tell by the texture/patterning of their tentacle stalks.

When you talk about texture and pattern what do you mean?

 

[VintageReefer]

When you talk about texture and pattern what do you mean?

Zoom in on the pic he posted. The tentacles are textured.

 

[Bigfish502]

Zoom in on the pic he posted. The tentacles are textured.

Yeah I see some kind of texture on the tentacles but this specimen has white/translucent tentacles. How is this supposed to help when you are looking at specimens with purple, green, or gold tentacles?

 

[VintageReefer]

Yeah I see some kind of texture on the tentacles but this specimen has white/translucent tentacles. How is this supposed to help when you are looking at specimens with purple, green, or gold tentacles?

You bought and have the torch ? That makes it easier then if so

 

[VintageReefer]

Cristata has shorter tentacles and overgrown/pronounced skeletal ridges

These would be visible almost all the time. Early mornings, evenings, nights. You would be able to see these skeletal ridges, and the tentacles would suck into them at night when the torch is closed

Also just because you may have seen this once on a torch. Does not mean it’s cristata. See this

We can kinda see those skeletal ridges, but this does not make it a cristata. This torch went through shipping delays and stress and ended up having bjd. This is a severely stressed torch, not a cristata.

Cristata shows these ridges regularly and normally. Normal healthy torch doesn’t show this even when closed

 

[Bigfish502]

You bought and have the torch ? That makes it easier then if so

These two were sold to me as cristata torches.