Two acros for ID

[bct15]

I have two acros that need an id, the first one is a very thin acro with microscopic polyps. The growth tips seem to be white, and it has visible striations. It's about three inches long.

The second one I think is a valida but not sure, got it at pass road pets in Biloxi over the weekend I was out of town. It is encrusted over what looks like a stag branch, but there is another small piece if the same coral growing with it that might be a little easier for id but it broke in transit. You can see it a better in the last pic.

Pics taken with iPhone so sorry about crappy quality.


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[Frick]

The first one is Acropora carduus aka Red Drag. Red Dragon was is a hyped up name given by importers/wholesales. But the species is A. carduus.

The second is really tough because the growth is confusing. You could be right, it could be A. valida but there are many other possibilities at this point.

 

[bct15]

Thanks for the reply frick, I know you are good acro ID's and I deeply respect you inputs on these sort of threads. Can you take a second look at the first acro, I have 2 carduus colonies and a red dragon frag and I am very sure that it is very different. Each of my carduus's is a little different, one table like bottle brush, one bushy like bottle brush, and the rd frag to early to tell but I am positive this thing is different. I'll try to get some more pics of it when my lights come on.


The second one looks wierd because the long tall portion is actually encrusted around a dead staghorn branch and the top is showing the natural growth. The shape of the branches kind of look like a valida but hat has me thinking it more is the color. I know color is a terrible way to I'd acros but this one has the mint green base and purple and blue branches that come to a point. The branches are very cone like and the radial coralites don't seem to form branches just have polyps in them and stick out a little. I guess it needs to grow out more.

Also, on the Second coral do you see that small frag to the right of it...can you ID that one? I'll try to get a better pic later but my guess is a carduus as well, this would make four carduus in my tank and if the first one is carduus then I guess I have five of them. I guess you can tell what I like...



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[Frick]

That's okay, I enjoy it when someone cares enough to question. Yours is growing much thinner, check out Acropora subglabra.
Corals of the World Factsheet and images - Acropora subglabra

I can't see the last one in the pic very well. So for it does look like A. carduus.

 

[bct15]

The first one kind of resembles these two

Acropora Russelli
Acropora cardenae

Here is a pic of that other one, I know it's small and hard to tell but it looks kind of like a carduus and a walindii (I know it isn't walindii though it doesn't have the crazy polyps) mixed together. I think it's a carduus but not sure. I got it from cherry corals as "needle in a haystack" acro but I'm curious if the species.

And here is a couple more pics of the first one, you can see it doesn't grow coralites on the back side. It has some super long feeders out all day today.

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[skinz78]

I agree that the first one looks like a dragon type. Ether way they both look like awesome new additions!

 

[Frick]

The first one kind of resembles these two

Acropora Russelli
Acropora cardenae

I was kinda thinking of A. russelli at first because two of the smaller branches do resemble this description well "Radial corallites project almost perpendicularly from branches and are tubular and uniform in shape." But the majority of your colony did not follow. As the new branches grow in you will be able to tell. So it is also a good possibility.
Corals of the World Factsheet and images - Acropora russelli

A. cardenae would have way more radial corallites spread on the branches. The only thing similar to yours would be the structure of the colony.
Corals of the World Factsheet and images - Acropora cardenae