What type of acro is this?

[tactical_XJ]

whats going on everybody, my buddy brought me these 2 corals he said he had them and was taking his tank down and brought them to me, but I have no idea what type they are, I do know one looks like a sea fan,
My questions are
What type are they
Are they safe to keep
How do they look when they open up.

 

[KJ]

Look like branching cyphastrea. @DSC reef
https://www.google.com/search?q=bra...ved=0ahUKEwif15Sp4ubgAhUPVN8KHYhZDosQ_AUIDigB

 

[DSC reef]

Look like branching cyphastrea. @DSC reef
https://www.google.com/search?q=bra...ved=0ahUKEwif15Sp4ubgAhUPVN8KHYhZDosQ_AUIDigB

Agreed

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I have never seen a branching cephastrea grow like that in an aquarium, looks like one off the reef. Either way it’s awesome looking!

 

[mtraylor]

Good looking piece. The sea fan and acro do not need to touch. That will be war fair

 

[tactical_XJ]

Does this acro sting or the gorg?

 

[Softhammer]

That’s not an Acropora. Looks to be an Oculina coral, common in the deep Caribbean. I’ll bust out my Veron books and look to verify. It very well could be a branching cyphastrea as well..

 

[tactical_XJ]

It actually looks like the Oculina very very much

 

[tactical_XJ]

Only thing is I don’t really find any info on them, are they the same as any sps, do they like strong flow, high lights?

 

[29bonsaireef]

Definitely Oculina. Treat it pretty much the same as any other hard coral, can be in lower light though. They can spawn in the tank like Poci. Also have really bad sweeper tentacle like LPS, much longer than an Acropora.

 

[tactical_XJ]

Ok, guess I’ll have to move it around when I get home.

 

[Softhammer]

Very cool find. I don’t think they are usually collected because they are almost always brown but to me, a super cool coral nonetheless. I don’t think legal to collect either unless it grows on a piece of cultured live rock which of course yours did! Wink wink

 

[Softhammer]

Directly from Veron..

 

[Softhammer]

Or this.

 

[Holy_makerel]

Or this.

What book is this? I need it

 

[Softhammer]

It’s a 3 volume set Corals of the World by Charles Veron. Not sure if it’s still in print.