Hitch hiker sps identity?

[cocoReefer]

Started as a few tan polyps on an astrea shell. Hermits ate the snail, and i found it and glued it to a plug. Left it alone for months, and its growing into a nice coral. Wonder if anyone can identify it? Just curious of course. Im thinking a montipora.
Polyps appear to have 12 tentacles each. Only encrusting so far.

 

[Timfish]

Montipora seems as good a guess as any. Time will tell.

 

[Chrisv.]

This thread didn't get enough love! I think it's awesome that what started as couple of polyps on a snail has turned into a coral. Cool! Good for you that you saved it!

 

[cocoReefer]

This thread didn't get enough love! I think it's awesome that what started as couple of polyps on a snail has turned into a coral. Cool! Good for you that you saved it!

Thanks. Yeah im pretty stoked.
Its still encrusting, probably not a branching variety, but its a neat little coral for sure.
Used to be common back in the early 2000 and before, to get random coral in on live rock and farmed coral.
This one surprised me though. To go from all tan to bright green polyps was awesome too.
Now to find snails that have designer acro on them!

 

[C. Eymann]

Considering it came from atlantic waters and montipora doesn't exist in the Atlantic, Porites would be my guess, very cool!

 

[cocoReefer]

Considering it came from atlantic waters and montipora doesn't exist in the Atlantic, Porites would be my guess, very cool!

Ah... i never even thought about that. Yep. Probably Caribbean at that.
Thanks!

 

[Chrisv.]

Considering it came from atlantic waters and montipora doesn't exist in the Atlantic, Porites would be my guess, very cool!

I'm curious, what makes you say it's from Atlantic waters?

 

[C. Eymann]

I'm curious, what makes you say it's from Atlantic waters?

Its from an astera snail, which is a big family, but literally 99% of CUC in the US hobby market is from the Caribbean/ Atlantic.

 

[Chrisv.]

Its from an astera snail, which is a big family, but literally 99% of CUC in the US hobby market is from the Caribbean/ Atlantic.

Makes sense!

OP, can you take a white light pic, or use a filter?

 

[cocoReefer]

I will when i get home. The polyps are green on this one even in white

Makes sense!

OP, can you take a white light pic, or use a filter?

 

[cocoReefer]

Its from an astera snail, which is a big family, but literally 99% of CUC in the US hobby market is from the Caribbean/ Atlantic.

Yes, i got them from a florida vendor

 

[ryshark]

I also think porites, I had the same thing that came on a piece of live rock years ago. Started out tan and then colored up and grew. Pretty neat and I think rare, that it came on a snail shell.

 

[sculpin01]

Porites astreoides. One of the few Caribbean corals not in decline.

 

[Reefing102]

I would agree with Porites. Still nice coloring none the less

 

[cocoReefer]

Makes sense!

OP, can you take a white light pic, or use a filter?

 

[Chrisv.]

NICE!

 

[C. Eymann]

Porites astreoides. One of the few Caribbean corals not in decline.

Certainly could be, but I was thinking it might be porites furcata or porites divaricata.
Porites porites is another possibility

Every colony of P. astreoides I have seen has that signature mustard yellow coenstrum and usually larger corallites.

 

[sculpin01]

I think all three species are options but will require growth to definitely determine which of the three it is.

 

[C. Eymann]

I think all three species are options but will require growth to definitely determine which of the three it is.

Definitely agree there