Can Someone Help Id These Coals?

[robert1979]

Hi,

I have a 12 gallon aquapod that I've been buying some nano coral for. The lfs said these were all good starter coral, easy to maintain and hardy. Just wanted to find a a little more specific info on them though (lighting, food, current strenght). Complete newbie to saltwater so I'm just trying to be as well informed as possible. Here is a pic of each then a pic of the tank to see placement.

hmmm. Ok, pics are too big to attach so here are photobucket addresses.... never done this so hope it works

http/i180.photobucket.com/albums/x179/fa...79/PIC_0019.jpg
http/i180.photobucket.com/albums/x179/fa...79/PIC_0018.jpg
http/i180.photobucket.com/albums/x179/fa...79/PIC_0017.jpg

http/i180.photobucket.com/albums/x179/fa...79/PIC_0016.jpg

http/i180.photobucket.com/albums/x179/fa...79/PIC_0015.jpg
http/i180.photobucket.com/albums/x179/fa...79/PIC_0014.jpg

http/i180.photobucket.com/albums/x179/fa...79/PIC_0013.jpg

http/i180.photobucket.com/albums/x179/fa...79/PIC_0012.jpg
http/i180.photobucket.com/albums/x179/fa...79/PIC_0011.jpg

 

[sianeds]

second pic looks like Cyanarina - owls eye - needs good lighting and moderate current. Try target feeding with some mysis or small chopped prawn etc.

third pic is a branching typre Euphyllia, looks like a frogspawn. Again good lighting and moderate current. Doesn't require target feeding but may pick up some mysis on the current.

fourth pic looks like Ricordea mushrooms. Really hardy corals that will thrive in average light but will become more colourful with higher lighting. Don't require target feeding but may occasionally catch food on the current.

fifth pic is some sort of Polyp, possibly Palythoas but keep an eye as it could be dreaded Aiptasia. Easy to keep either way, don't really need anything.

sixth is Euphyllia again.

seventh are Palythoas

eighth pic are Zooanthids. Give them good lighting and the colours will really show up more.

ninth is Euphyllia again but this looks like a torch Euphyllia.

Not a bad selection you have there. The Cyanarina and Euphyllia would benefit from some calcium additions but the rest should pretty much look after themselves. You will need to put some coral food into your water like zooplankton or rotifers but pretty much everything you have will also catch your fishes food sometimes. They are all zooxellanthate ( with the possible exception of the Cyanarina which does need target feeding ) and will need T5 lighting minimum.

Personally I'd put all the Euphyllias in one area away from the other corals so they don't sting stuff and don't have them too close together. Put the Cyanarina in a convienient place for feeding.

 

[SkiFletch]

I agree with just about all of those

0018 - Caulastrea furcata (Trumpet Coral or candycane coral are the common names)
0017 - Euphyllia Paradivisa (branching frogspawn)
0016 - Ricordea, either Yuma or Florida (pacific or atlantic)
0015 - Wierd one, Either palythoa or aiptasia
0014 - Euphyllia Paradivisa again
0013 - Zooanthids
0012 - Zooanthids
0011 - Euphyllia Glabrescens (torch coral)

 

[Danno]

Are these corals pictures in a LFS tank or ones that are in your tank?

 

[robert1979]

Thanks sianeds, that really helps me out. I will take your advice and move the Euphyllias so they won't hurt the other corals. LFS gave me some frozen coral food along with a bottle of plankton (sp?) to add several times a week. I trust the people at the lfs (they have helped me tons with my freshwater tank) but I always like to get info from as many people as possible.

Hi Danno. All the corals you see are in my tank. Hopefully everything will coexist well. Just rearanged a few things after reading Sianeds post.

Oh, and I just found something new in my tank tonight. Not sure if it has been hiding out for a few weeks in some live rock I added or if it came on some of the coral I got today. It is a starfish, about 1/2 inch across. Shocked the hell out of me when I glanced at the tank tonight! It was the last thing I expected to see. I had found a few snails about 2 weeks ago which was cool but the starfish has them beat! But after some reading apparently there are some that eat corals?! Please tell me this isn't one of those! I've looked around online but haven't come across a pic that really matched it. Posting link to a pic of it.

http/i180.photobucket.com/albums/x179/fa...79/PIC_0040.jpg

 

[SkiFletch]

Its unfortunately really tough to tell which is which. The vast majority are the "safe" asterina starfish. Even if they are the coral eating ones, without corals to prey on they will starve/die in a month. And of course the only corals preyed upon are usually acropora... Probably not what you're gonna start off with anyways

 

[robert1979]

Thanks SkiFletch, that makes me feel a lot better.

 

[sianeds]

Yeah little asterinas are nothing to worry about.

Oh and good call on the Caulastrea Ski, to my half asleep eyes last night it looked like Cyanarina but looking again this evening..... smartypants