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FAQs about Identification of Soft Corals of the Family Alcyoniidae 1

Related Articles: Soft Corals of the Family Alcyoniidae

Related FAQs: Alcyoniid ID 2, Alcyoniid ID 3, Alcyoniid ID 4, & Cnidarian Identification, Soft Corals of the Family Alcyoniidae, Alcyoniids 2, Alcyoniids 3, Alcyoniids 4, Alcyoniid Selection, Alcyoniid Compatibility, Alcyoniid Systems, Alcyoniid Feeding, Alcyoniid Behavior, Alcyoniid Health, Alcyoniid Propagation, Soft Coral PropagationSoft Coral HealthDyed CoralsSoft Coral Propagation, Nephtheids, Dendronephthya, Paralcyoniids, Nidaliids, Xeniids, Dyed Corals

Sinularia...I Do Believe... - 08/07/06 Hi everyone! <<Hello!>> I need your help with some corals Id. (I lost the little paper with the name of the corals on it... ) <<Bummer...>> I try to do it myself but it's not always easy with the picture so I hope you will be able to help me out :o) <<I shall try>> I sent you the picture of the corals in need of identification and I sent you a picture of my tank to show you what I was able to do with the help of your website. :o) <<Your tank looks great!  The corals look to me to be species of Sinularia.  Have a look here and see what you think: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alcyoniidsii.htm >> Thank you! <<Very welcome>> P.S.- Sorry for my English, it still not very good. <<You did just fine my friend.  Regards, EricR>>

Colt Coral ID - 02/06/2006 Hi Crew! <Hello Elvin.> Just wondering if you can help me with an issue I'm having. I plan to have small info packets people can grab from the side of my 48GAL Reef System aquarium which describes in detail the pieces of coral they are looking at. <That's a good idea.>   I'm still having a problem identifying this particular piece of colt coral. Any ideas on what is the scientific name for this one. <Sorry Elvin, but no pic. has come through. If you don't see it in our FAQ's, try finding it here http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/coralsearch.php .> Thank you very much. Elvin South Milwaukee, WI <Hope that helps some. - Josh> LFS Can't Get the Correct Coral 01/29/06 Hi Crew, <<Hello Mohamed. Ted here.>> A LFS has tried to order a coral from Indonesia for me but every time the wrong one is sent.<<I assume you mean LFS (local fish store).>> I need to know what the coral is named in Indonesia, please. I have a book Aquarium Corals by Eric H. Borneman, on page 129 there is a picture of the coral I am interested in a yellow Sarcophyton with long and short polyps. On LiveAquaria.com there is a Yellow Fiji leather coral. < http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=651>. Is the one in the book and the one on the site the same type of coral? <<Yes.>> What is the coral in the book named in Indonesia or Fiji, please? <<I'm not sure how to help you. The official language of Fiji is English. I also don't understand why your LFS is having trouble ordering this coral as it is commonly available. In any case, here is a list of MAC certified wholesale operations in Fiji and Indonesia that your LFS could contact for assistance.>> <Likely Sarcophyton elegans. RMF> Thanks, Mohamed. <<You're welcome. Good luck - Ted>>

Leather Coral Identification, Family Alcyoniidae 10/7/05 Dear Wet Web Media. <Hello Bob M.> Please can I ask for your views and opinions on my leather corals. <They look very healthy, but they are a 'bit close to each other.> I've just started my first marine aquarium after over 20 years of freshwater. It's a 355 litre reef with at present 30kg of Indonesian live rock as it's basic structure. It's now just over 3 months old and I've started adding a few recommended 'easy' corals from my local aquarium shop,  <Be sure to research for yourself either through the WWM website or other text. Though this time their dive was pretty good it may not always turn out so in the future.>  ( to complement the few fish and shrimps I already have as well as the natural fauna and flora that has sprung up from the live rock). One thing I've noticed in marine fish keeping in this country (UK), is the absence of Latin names for livestock ( be it fish, inverts or coral), so I've had to take my LFS's advice as to suitable species for coral.  <That's why you should research prior to shopping. If you do your research it won't matter if the LFS mislabels or gives bad advice. You will know for yourself.>  While trying to more accurately identify quite what I've got I came across your pages and many of my questions have already been answered - thank you.  <Your welcome, glad to hear it.>  What I'd like if possible is a more accurate identification of the two coral on the attached photograph.  <The one of the left appears to be a Toadstool leather (Sarcophyton sp.) and the one on the right looks like a Spaghetti Leather (Sinularia flexibis). Both are hardy and relatively easy to care for.> The 'leather tree coral' on the right has been in the tank 6 weeks and seems fine,  <Looks healthy.>  the 'leather mushroom coral' on the left was put in a fortnight ago and again has settled well.  <It looks well.>  My main reason for asking for more info is the only person I know locally who keeps a reef tank has immediately said that I have to move the tree coral as it will attack the mushroom chemically.  <They are a little close to each other.>  So far the tree has flopped against the mushroom a few times but with no obvious ill effect to either.  <Yes generally speaking corals should not be touching each other.> Any advice is greatly appreciated. Sorry to be so long winded! <No worries.> Bob Mehen. <Adam J.> 

Re: Leather Coral Identification, Family Alcyoniidae  Good Morning. <Hello again Bob M.> Thank you for the prompt reply and identification help - <You are welcome.> I'd come to similar conclusions myself as to the corals, but a more experienced insight is very helpful. Why they call the Sinularia flexibis 'spaghetti' coral I have no idea, there must be some crazy looking pasta out there somewhere!  <Ooh yes, common names can be quite perplexing at time, though as your sinularia grows and becomes "fuller" you will see why it was given this name.>  I agree about the need for research prior to purchase of livestock, and I did quite an extensive amount, but without accurate labeling in shops then correct identification is always going to be difficult, especially with corals like the Sinularia which is entirely different in colour and shape when open or closed.  <I understand, the research comment was not meant as an insult or attack. I just want you to be prepared because as you already know the LFS has a tendency to be "off" at times.>  The main problem is that printed literature seems to be out dated almost before it's printed in such a fast moving hobby, and much of what is out there on the internet is not always entirely accurate in my experience,( thank goodness for sites like yours!). Anyway , thanks again for the help. Keep up the good work. <Thank you for the kind words.> Bob Mehen.
<Adam J.> 
 

Cabbage Mushrooms I bought a rock??? with a bunch of cabbage mushrooms on it.  I have noticed that it is on some kind of plate and recently the plate, which has fissures on it, seems to open a little bit and has finger like things in the fissures.  I am enclosing the best pictures I could get.  You have free reIgn to do what you need to try to determine what they are. I am stumped.  Maybe you can help me identify. <Looks like the soft coral Sinularia dura, family Alcyoniidae. Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alcyoniidsii.htm> Your site has given my plenty of advice and information and I figure that I might as well go to the best.  So I am sending this to you.  Maybe you and/or someone that checks your site can figure out what this is. Thank you for all you do and keep up the great site so amateurs like me can try to learn more. Carol Dunham
<Glad to be of assistance. Bob Fenner>

Mystery Leather Coral Good Morning Gents, <Hi there! Scott F. with you today!> My local fish store has what it is calling a Tonga Carpet Leather Coral. I have been searching WWM and the web for info on Carpet Leather Corals without much success. I have found Carpet Anemones and Leather Corals but no Carpet Leather. This coral appears very different from my current Leather Coral (much smaller polyps, bunched closer together, and doesn't extend as far out). I am looking for some type of identification information and the difficulty in keeping these corals. Any information would be appreciated. <Hard to be sure without a picture, but it really sounds like a fancy name for a Sarcophyton elegans to me. Common names are frustrating for both the hobbyist and people in the trade, because they don't really identify the animal!> I'm looking for a second opinion (an unbiased) opinion. The LFS states that they are very hardy and easy to keep with my power compacts. Thanks for the help. J.T. Craddock <Well, J.T., if it is the S. elegans that we're talking about, it can do well with PC's, if placed high enough on the rock. The bright yellow Sarcophytons really keep their color under metal halides (they tend to respond best to "daylight" spectrum lights), but tend to go to "brown" under inadequate lighting. They are rather easy to keep, in my experience, but do handle them carefully, as they "bruise" easily. They derive pretty much all of their nutrition from the water, and don't require any supplemental feeding. Hopefully, we're talking about the same species here! Good luck! Regards, Scott F> Coral ID - 2/10/03 Hi WWM crew, <cheers> First, thanks for all your help since we have successfully beaten an ICH infestation with your help.   <excellent to hear> It hit us pretty hard though, cause we lost most of our fishes. <ouch> But that's the past and we are back on track, with strict quarantine procedures. <alas... too many of us learn the critical importance of QT that way> We decided to try our hand at soft corals.  We recently purchased what looks like a finger leather coral.   <correct... a good hardy choice too> But we are not sure what family of corals it really comes from. <it is an Alcyoniid... a common Sinularia- AKA "Knobby Finger Leather"> Attached is a picture, though my camera kinda sucks.  Can anyone shed some light on this guy ?  Also it was attached on a flat piece of rock which we attached to the flattest area we have among the rocks.  But it looks like the attached rock broke in half and the coral is slow slipping down to our base rock.  Maybe the coral wants to reattach ?   <agreed> If you look at the bottom right of the coral, it now detached from the excess rock that is slowly folding upwards. Shall we stuff small pieces of rock to support it from sliding down to the base rock ?   <only if you don't want it to attach there> Any other suggestions ? <avoid letting coral attach to huge rocks in the display for convenience in moving them later> Thanks a million, Robert <best regards, Anthony>

Soft Coral ID Hi'' could you please tell what the name of this leather coral .also should it have polyp on it.   Thank you Ceil <Looks like a Lobophytum species to me. Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alcyoniids.htm Bob Fenner>

Colt coral ID >I just bought this coral 3 days ago.  The guy at the store told me that it was some type of a colt coral, that it needed light and some type of water movement.  I sure did get a lot of info from him. lol. He did tell me that it was propagated from one of his customer's corals.  I had already known that the colt corals were easy to care for.  So when I got home I started to look up info on the colt corals.  Well I discovered that there were many many different types of colt corals and they all have different care requirements.  So I've sent two pictures of this coral to you.  One was taken the day I bought it and the other picture was taken today.  I did find a picture of an Alcyonium which did resemble my coral the closest out of all of them but it didn't give very good info about it.  So if you could please help me figure out what type of coral this is I'd appreciate it so very much. >>Sara!  No piccie!  Do send back this message, as I've already done the capitalization, spell correction and all that.  Just be sure to attach the piccie.  I've just purchased Julian Sprung's coral ID book, so I'll give it my best shot.  Marina
Capnella coral - Kenyan Soft Tree 6/19/03 I just bought this coral 3 days ago.  The guy at the store told me that it was some type of a colt coral, that it needed light and some type of water movement.  I sure did get a lot of info from him. lol. <and it was not even correct. Ha! The coral you have is a Neptheid- of the genus Capnella... AKA "Kenyan Soft Tree coral> he did tell me that it was propagated from one of his customers corals.  I had already known that the colt corals were easy to care for.   <hmmm... colts are fairly hardy... but do need phytoplankton to survive. This Capnella is actually hardier and not so dependent on supplemental feeding> so when I got home I started to look up info on the colt corals.  well I discovered that there were many many different types of colt corals and they all have different care requirements.   <Actually... colt coral is Klyxum - an Alcyoniid like the leather corals> so I've sent two pictures of this coral to you.  one was taken the day I bought it and the other picture was taken today.  I did find a picture of a Alcyonium which did resemble my coral the closest out of all of them but it didn't give very good info about it.   <Alcyonium was briefly offered as a possible genus for the tropical species we keep, but it has now been relegated taxonomically to only temperate species. What used to be Cladiella, then Alcyonium ... is now Klyxum.> so if you could please help me figure out what type of coral this is id appreciate it so very much. <you Capnella enjoys a good dose of UV blue light... gorgeous coral and hardy. Moderate water flow of random turbulent nature. Best regards, Anthony>

Red Lobophytum Hi: <<Hello, JasonC here...>> I bought a red leather coral @ a local pet store. I tried to find the genus on the web and found that it is a Lobophytum sp. The problem is the color. I could find no information that says that it comes in red. I did find a picture of one that looks just like mine but it is green. The one I have is BRIGHT pink. I'm wondering if this Lobophytum could be dyed. <<Does sound like it...>> Although it has been 3 weeks it has not faded but the liquid in the protein skimmer IS red. <<Interesting, certainly a good indicator.>> If it is dyed how long will the color last? <<Not more than a couple of months.>> Lastly will the dye harm anything else? <<I doubt it, and it sounds like your skimmer will grab it out so... no worries.>> Thanks Steve <<Cheers, J -- >>

Colt Coral (formerly Cladiella and more recently Alcyonium. Now Klyxum) I  have been searching for info on colt coral maybe you could help me. recently my colt stopped polyping out. I checked the water and all is very  good. my Bullseye, clove polyps, mushrooms and hammer are all doing great although I did notice my button polyps a little withdrawn. I am worried the colt will eventually starve (it has been 3 weeks since it has fully polyped. Thanks for any help or info Rich <do try a change of carbon (small amounts used weekly instead of large portion monthly), a good water change of 25% or better, and be sure that your skimmer is giving you almost daily skimmate. You have listed some severely noxious corals that require these measures. If water quality hasn't been up to par, you might blame allelopathy from the chemical warfare of your corals. Anthony>



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