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Yellow_donkey
08/13/2016, 07:30 AM
New(er) coral and I cannot figure out what it is. It is green tipped only, no heads on any of the branches that I can see. What coral has heads only at the tip only. Otherwise, the rest of the coral is a dark chocolate brown color and smooth, thick branch like a birds nest but not as curved, wild.

As you can see I dropped it on the table, while popping the frag stone off and a branch has bleached. At least I hope that is the cause, that or I have cooked it. I don't know what it is to see what light it needs. I just cant find a "green tip brown stony coral" but I hope the bleaching stops at that one branch, we will see. Any suggests about the bleaching, I am open to all suggestions.
Anyone know what this is, I am new to reefs too, so still learning a lot of it, that does not help. Thank you.

https://i.imgsafe.org/f209984b5a.jpg

https://i.imgsafe.org/f2098145c9.jpg

https://i.imgsafe.org/f2097e1993.jpg

C.Eymann
08/13/2016, 06:29 PM
Id hate to be the sole member that participates in this section so I encourage other members to take a stab at these. There is definitely a few members on this forum that are more adept at SPS ID than I am.

My guess is Acropora lokani is what you have there, the enlongated, thick walled axials are the give away.

C.Eymann
08/13/2016, 06:49 PM
With Acropora lighting is important, but the big factor in success with the genus is flow and stability of alkalinity and other parameters. Tell us more about your setup so we SPS guys can give you some good tips/advice to promote your success with this coral.
Other than NPS corals it is considered a fairly challenging genus in the hobby and wasn't really successfully kept until the late 80's and early 90's, mostly from its flow and stability requirements, Thankfully a German aquarist by the name of Dietrich Stüber enlightened us all on the care requirements of Acropora. Since then the development/ introduction of controllable wave/prop style of pumps was probably the biggest breakthrough that led to the widespread success of keeping Acropora.