therman's 12 year old SPS system...top down shot, starting to enjoy this tank again

[therman]

I just added a post to this effect to my sale thread. I'm ready for some Clip-n-Ship action!

 

[therman]

Here's a nice prostrata I've been sitting on for a while, nice pink/coppery sheen to it:

Rose Gold Prostrata

 

[roninmagik1]

i just spent an hour or so going through this thread, amazing amazing pics and information, thanks so much therman!

 

[Sweet Reef Corals]

Here's a nice prostrata I've been sitting on for a while, nice pink/coppery sheen to it:

Rose Gold Prostrata

Tim, can you give us a lesson on how to recognize a Prostrata vs a Spathulata?

 

[therman]

Tim, can you give us a lesson on how to recognize a Prostrata vs a Spathulata?

Well, this is what I have seen, without going into the actual type specimen descriptions, so it could be inaccurate. But from my understanding:

Prostrata tend to have a "prostrate" growth form, low, sprawling, and a more widely spaced branching structure with branches that are about the same, maybe a little thinner than an average millepora. The apical corallite, at least in captive colonies, extends outward in a somewhat tubular shape from the tip, and the axial corallites have fairly sharp edges and are organized in a fairly organized fashion like a millepora. Also tend to be quite shaggy, having polyps with one extra long tentacle that gives them the "hairy" look.

Spathulata tend to grow thicker, stubbier, and have thicker more rounded edges to all of their corallites. The apical corallite doesn't extend out much past the tip, and the polyps don't have that one really long tentacle so they dont look as "hairy". The axial corallites are arranged in an extremely orderly fashion giving them the appearance of being covered with semi-circular scales almost.

Coral species (more so than other animals) do not seem to have clearly defined morphological limits in a lot of cases and their morphology varies substantially based on their geographic origin and their local environment (and especially wild vs. captive) so my descriptions are only as good as I have managed to deduce myself from experience.

 

[Sweet Reef Corals]

Well, this is what I have seen, without going into the actual type specimen descriptions, so it could be inaccurate. But from my understanding:

Prostrata tend to have a "prostrate" growth form, low, sprawling, and a more widely spaced branching structure with branches that are about the same, maybe a little thinner than an average millepora. The apical corallite, at least in captive colonies, extends outward in a somewhat tubular shape from the tip, and the axial corallites have fairly sharp edges and are organized in a fairly organized fashion like a millepora. Also tend to be quite shaggy, having polyps with one extra long tentacle that gives them the "hairy" look.

Spathulata tend to grow thicker, stubbier, and have thicker more rounded edges to all of their corallites. The apical corallite doesn't extend out much past the tip, and the polyps don't have that one really long tentacle so they dont look as "hairy". The axial corallites are arranged in an extremely orderly fashion giving them the appearance of being covered with semi-circular scales almost.

Coral species (more so than other animals) do not seem to have clearly defined morphological limits in a lot of cases and their morphology varies substantially based on their geographic origin and their local environment (and especially wild vs. captive) so my descriptions are only as good as I have managed to deduce myself from experience.

Great rundown Tim. Thank you. So in looking at the Raising Reefs Blue Flame I got from you, your description would tell me that’s more closely aligned with Prostrata than Spathulata? What do you think?

 

[therman]

Great rundown Tim. Thank you. So in looking at the Raising Reefs Blue Flame I got from you, your description would tell me that’s more closely aligned with Prostrata than Spathulata? What do you think?

That one is an oddball because it has the smooth rounded corallites and shorter tentacles of a spathulata, but the laterally growing, thinner, widely spaced branches of a prostrata. If I had to ponder what is going on, I'd say millepora and prostrata are very closely related with one gene or set of genes changed that changes the growth form. Spathulata is a closely related species to millepora, so there is no reason these genes couldn't be adjusted in the same way, resulting in the growth form you see in the Raising Reefs Blue Flame. That's how I interpret it at least, with no actual data to back it up

 

[Gary67]

i enjoy my tank missing some things but i guess i will have them in about 1-2 weeks lol have a great New Years be well take cake

 

[therman]

I’m back to cutting frags for Jan shipping now, looks like the weather will cooperate for at least a couple of weeks!

 

[Lionfish hunter]

I’m back to cutting frags for Jan shipping now, looks like the weather will cooperate for at least a couple of weeks!

Do you still have the moorish idol? So many horror stories, interested in how yours is doing in a stable ideal environment. Mine is going on 2 years and is the opposite of most things I have heard.

 

[therman]

Do you still have the moorish idol? So many horror stories, interested in how yours is doing in a stable ideal environment. Mine is going on 2 years and is the opposite of most things I have heard.

Unfortunately lost it after about 1.5 years. One day it acted a little funny, dead the next day. No idea why, was fat and healthy up until then.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

Unfortunately lost it after about 1.5 years. One day it acted a little funny, dead the next day. No idea why, was fat and healthy up until then.

Thanks for sharing, sorry to hear that. Hopefully Marcel the moorish idol can avoid this fate.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

Check out this golden polyp action under the blues....

CC Bahama Mama, certainly a contender for my all time favorite A. millepora!

Is this one a fast or slow grower? There is a thread with a bunch of people saying it is super slow. I bought a frag from a guy on reef2reef who said it is super fast. Unfortunately I killed the frag in qt due to a temp issue..

 

[Lionfish hunter]

By the way, I love your corals. A real inspiration.

 

[therman]

Is this one a fast or slow grower? There is a thread with a bunch of people saying it is super slow. I bought a frag from a guy on reef2reef who said it is super fast. Unfortunately I killed the frag in qt due to a temp issue..

Has grown quite fast for me actually. Might be the biggest millepora I’ve ever grown before I cut it. Got over 10”, then I cut a chunk and fragged it up so I will have plenty available without stressing colony.

millepora are extremely hit or miss for me, has a lot to do with the health of the starting frag I believe.

 

[mitten_reef]

That one is an oddball because it has the smooth rounded corallites and shorter tentacles of a spathulata, but the laterally growing, thinner, widely spaced branches of a prostrata. If I had to ponder what is going on, I'd say millepora and prostrata are very closely related with one gene or set of genes changed that changes the growth form. Spathulata is a closely related species to millepora, so there is no reason these genes couldn't be adjusted in the same way, resulting in the growth form you see in the Raising Reefs Blue Flame. That's how I interpret it at least, with no actual data to back it up

I agree that the 3 are closely related, with the branch structure moving from "thin, long, and open" in prostrata, to "thick, short, and tight" in spath, while true millie's just somewhere in between the two. I say "true milli" because I feel like a lot of milli in the hobby could be a mislabeled prostrata.

since our tank environment vary greatly, both from tank to tank and definitely vastly from the ocean native habitat of the corals, it makes it very hard to use the shape and form developed in tanks as true ID.

 

[therman]

I agree that the 3 are closely related, with the branch structure moving from "thin, long, and open" in prostrata, to "thick, short, and tight" in spath, while true millie's just somewhere in between the two. I say "true milli" because I feel like a lot of milli in the hobby could be a mislabeled prostrata.

since our tank environment vary greatly, both from tank to tank and definitely vastly from the ocean native habitat of the corals, it makes it very hard to use the shape and form developed in tanks as true ID.

Spot on.

There also seems to be a lot of variation within "millepora" from little thin branching pieces without a lot of polyp extension to monstrously larger branched pieces like RMF Diablo. CC Bahama Mama is definitely toward the larger end of the spectrum, big gorgeous coral.

 

[kday]

Spot on.

There also seems to be a lot of variation within "millepora" from little thin branching pieces without a lot of polyp extension to monstrously larger branched pieces like RMF Diablo. CC Bahama Mama is definitely toward the larger end of the spectrum, big gorgeous coral.

@therman I have been trying to get a hold of you, I am looking for a specific coral that I believe you have

 

[Hamm Corals]

BC Cricket Spine!

No idea why it took me so long to photograph this piece. I just happened to see one of my backup colonies looking good and shot some quick phone pics. Why is this not the most popular coral in the hobby? Absolutely the nicest red Acropora around in my opinion. Deep, red, and velvety with gold polyps, bright green undertones, light blue tips, and insanely rich colors all around.

Ok, not my all time favorite because I am infatuated with blue corals, but definitely top 5!

And with a bit more white it has almost every color in the rainbow...

What do you recommend for placement, par and flow?

 

[therman]

What do you recommend for placement, par and flow?

Both of my colonies are around 350 PAR with moderate random flow. Not sure if that is optimal or not, going to try putting some in different conditions soon.