What the heck is it???

I bought this on Saturday at the Southeastern Reef Conference thinking it was similar to a chalice. Apparently it has a bit of a temper because five hours after I placed it in my tank the mouths opened up and 1.5" long tentacles came out. Just some input on what it may be would be appreciated.

Its doing it again!!!!!!!!!! AHHHH!!!

It looks kind of like cup coral...?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+321+468&pcatid=468

Regardless of what it is, cool pics!

It says peaceful, and from what it looks like that doesn't quite fit. It is indeed very cool though!

Yes, according to Liveaquaria it's peaceful, but if you Google mycedium or cup coral, you'll get mixed reviews about their aggressiveness. A lot of what I found said that cup corals are typically peaceful or moderately aggressive, but that they have long sweepers that they use at night for feeding.

That would explain quite a bit, but its sweepers were out in full lights both times and didn't accept my cyclops.

That's weird. I don't know what to tell you. The only guesses that I had were cup coral or chalice...

Hmmm...maybe its Turbinaria (also cup coral)? But again, turbinaria is listed as "peaceful".

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+322+521&pcatid=521

hrrm, not sure if its a pagoda coral turbinaria sp.

Pagoda polyp extentions are normally larger and more spaced out. Pagoda's, cup corals, scroll corals, whatever you want to call it, are also peaceful corals. They normally dont have sweepers either. Or atleast not that i've seen


at first glance, im thinking it's a chalice. but aftering googling for answers, im pretty confident it's mycedium sp. it's also called a cup coral but they are closer to the LPS family rather than its SPS counterpart, tubinaria sp.

mycedium sp. is also a peaceful coral (or so says the interweb). but always take that with caution. Anything with sweepers will normally kill neighboring corals. Regardless, watch it's neighbors closely and give it room to grow.

I agree that it looks like it has been narrowed down to a mycedium. It seems to be the closest match.

Gimplar wrote:

Anything with sweepers will normally kill neighboring corals. Regardless, watch it's neighbors closely and give it room to grow.

x2 on that. Never hurts to be cautious.

def. not a turbinaria.. I've got one of those.. looks like a chalice to me?

Did you put this in the 6 gallon? With sweepers like that it could take out a good quarter of the tank.

I was in the 6 gallon, but away from all other corals where they couldn't get hit. Now its in my 27 and doing great! It rarely extends them that far.