Need a coral ID

[idog]

Hey,

I just got a frag of this. It was sold to me as an LPS, but it seems almost like a horn or encrusting montipora. It does have largish polyps though that extend at night. The thing is absolutely gorgeous and the price was right. Any help/care advice would be appreciated. The closest thing I have found on any website is a scroll coral, but never in this color variety...

Here is a shot of the mother colony.

Cheers everyone.

 

[Anonymous]

hard to say for sure from the pic - there are a lot of similar looking corals to this but it looks like echinophyllia to me - search chalice coral - i think that is the common name for these????? pretty coral BTW
http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/D ... px?ID=2949

 

[Makai]

If I had to guess I would agree with Echinophyllia, probably E. Aspera. Very nice coral. With that color combo I would think it probably came from the North Pacific rim, between the Philipines and Japan. They are usually found on the top edge of a reef wall, requiring a moderate to high light, med to high flow, keep in mind the calc and alk requirements for stonies. That mother colony looks great so I would just replicate the tank specs.

For what it's worth, The Chalice coral is actually the common name for an Oxypora. However, mis-ID's from collectors, wholesalers, LFS's, and hobbyist, the Chalice has also been given to Enchinophyllia and Echinopora. Both of these bare a very close resemblence to the Oxypora and all 3 are now commonly refered to as a "Chalice" coral. But then what's in a name.....as long as the coral is healthy and looks good. :cool1: