How rare is effatounaria?

[xenia2]

I was looking for some cespitualaria, "blue xenia". Someone offered a frag one stalk of effatounaria for $80 and reason for that it is more rarer than cespitualaria these days.

Is that true?

[gflat65]

I think it is less often seen (I think the spelling is off, though). How does it appear in pictures (in comparison to the Cespit)?

[joshnola]

I just bought a small frag from a local reefer for $30... I would suggest asking your local reefers if they have any; you'll probably find it cheaper.

I think $40-$50 is about average from what I've seen.

[gflat65]

Can you post a pic?

[xenia2]

I thought $80 is very pricey for just one stalk. And it is from a "local" reefer

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee6/jdam123/PB251391.jpg

[joshnola]

Sure...

This is the efflatounaria frag I bought today:

http://i460.photobucket.com/albums/qq323/joshnola/082-2-1.jpg

This is the mother colony:

http://i460.photobucket.com/albums/qq323/joshnola/085-3.jpg

And, in case you're interested, this is my Cespitularia for comparison:

http://i460.photobucket.com/albums/qq323/joshnola/BlueCespitularia.jpg

[xenia2]

Very nice! Want to get my hands on a frag someday.

[Jacob D]

How do you guys differentiate cespitularia from efflatounaria? I have two frags of "blue xenia" from different sources. One is from a local reefer who got it from someone else during the initial blue xenia craze, the other is from Live Aquaria. They are definitely 2 different species.

The LiveAquaria Frag (http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+2341+2512+2753&pcatid=2753) is more purple under natural light, while the other is more teal (and has the sparkling sclerites) under natural light.

[basser1]

Man, now I'm really confused! I bought what was supposed to be blue cespitularia, but after seeing these pics, I'm not too sure. here is a pic of mine right after I got it.

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/83/hpim2566fh6.jpg


BTW, Take a look at this beauty from LA, Divers Den section, WOW!!

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+5&ddid=58898

[xenia2]

Here is my blue cespitularia, or at least that is what they(LFS) told me

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2649/picture52.jpg

[joshnola]

I think that there is some mis IDing going on all across the board. I've just accepted what mine are at face value because they look similar to the pictures, but I really don't know for sure.

I have read articles online about ways to tell them apart. I know that only certain species of xenia have shiny sclerites. Some species have rounded sclerites and some have sickle shaped sclerites.

Some articles described ways to tell them apart by fragging pieces of them and exposing the frags to certain chemicals which will either leave sclerites or not.

I have also read that only efflatounaria put out little leg projections and grow new stalks when they are growing, cespitularia does not.

I don't know for sure, I'm just passing on what I have read.

If you do a RC or Google search you can probably find out about these things. I don't remember and I didn't record any of the articles I read, it was a while ago, and what I described is just the gist of it.

Point is, there are ways to tell them apart, but it is hard. Doesn't matter too much to me though, I like them all!

Hopefully someone with more information can chime in!