Green Tree Coral

[Jeremy Blaze]

Just wondering about the Greentree Coral, also called and African Greentree Coral.

Many websites say this coral is extinct in nature, anyone know if this is true, and why? What happened to the natural population?

I also see it listed as a Capnella, Nepthea, and others... So what is it?

I will post a pic of my colony in a minute.

[Jeremy Blaze]

Here is mine,

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/clownj1988/SoftCoral.jpg

[graveyardworm]

Am I correct in assuming that the polyps on yours are a little retracted at the moment? If so I have an almost identical coral. This was one of my first purchases almost 2 and a half years ago, when I got it, it was about an inch long. It has grown considerably since and dropped several babies as I can see yours has. I have always Id'd it as Nephthea sp. I hadnt heard that it was or is becoming extinct given its hardiness I cant imagine why it would be.

Here's mine

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f326/graveyardworm/Neptheasp.jpg

[graveyardworm]

Alright out of curiosity I just checked a recent thread with Eric Borneman where three corals were identified to genus level by checking sclerites under a microscope two of the corals were strikingly similar to what I have pictured and were identified as Sinularia sp. One was sold to the aquarist as nephthea sp. So I may rethink my own id which was based on pictures in exchange for another based on pictures. I think its a pretty good chance that what I have is Sinularia sp. Now I wish I had a microscope to check the sclerites in mine against the ones pictured in the thread. Sorry for the rant hope it helps.

[Jeremy Blaze]

Interesting.

I believe Atlantis is one of the sites listing it as extinct in nature.

Yes some of the polyps are closed in the pic.

Is yours very green? It does not look green in the pic.

[Mr Bojangles]

well I think I may have one, it hasn't grown much in 1.5 years but it sure dose look good to me. maybe you guys can tell me.

http://www.reefers.org/album/images/3583_214515.JPG

http://www.reefers.org/album/images/3583_214507.JPG

[graveyardworm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7299218#post7299218 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jeremy Blaze


Is yours very green? It does not look green in the pic.

The green depends on the light, I turned off the 14k MH lights to get a better pic so its kinda washed under the 10k VHO. Under full actinics it glows bright green.

well I think I may have one, it hasn't grown much in 1.5 years but it sure dose look good to me

From what I understand correct identification is virtually impossible without microscopic examination of the sclerites. If it is the same I can tell you once conditions are right it will take off.

[Jeremy Blaze]

http://www.atlantisaquarium.net/frags1.html

Page 2 of their frags,'
"
Rare Palau Nepthea
Known only in captivity, this
coral is said to be extinct.
Frags will come in about 1",
but open up to 2 inches.
"

[yardboy]

I've got two corals, one I've labelled Sinularia, which looks very similar to the posted pics (I'm at work or I'd post a pic of it) which grows so rampantly that I'd be astonished if it was extinct in the wild. It glows a fantastic green under actinics and is easily propogated. Another coral I got from a different source, it resides in the same tank, often very near the Sinularia. It looks very similar, but not exact, glows only weakly green under actinincs, and in the 3.5 yrs. I've had it has grown very little. Easy to imagine it could be extinct. It's sensitive too, any little disturbance causes it to retract it's polyps and often not extend for several days. I'm not willing to snip a piece of it to determine if it's rare or not, after so long you kinda get attached to them even if they're not the most beautiful thing in your tank. I'll post pics this evening.

[graveyardworm]

It is quite possible that we are talking about 2 or 3 different genus species of coral here. Exact identification is impossible with examination of sclerites under a microscope. If you browse through Eric Bornemans Corals and go to the Family Nephtheidae you will see a picture of Nephthea sp. which is green and very similar in appearance to what we are discussing here. Jeremy I will provide you with a link to the id discussion with Eric Borneman this evening when I have a little time to find it. It's on another forum and posting it in this thread would be against the user agreement.

[yardboy]

Here are the pics to compare. Now that I look, they aren't as much alike as I thought. You judge.
Sinularia under XM15000K This is a very small frag from a huge coral
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/yardboy/Sinularia022306post.jpg

Unknown - under AB 10000K - very slow growing. This coral is 3.5 years old!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/yardboy/softie050406post.jpg

[Ken-21]

This coral is becoming more rare. I don't know what happened in the Ocean but if big business doesn't stop using the ocean as their own personal toilet we will all be the keepers of the worlds reefs! Food for thought.

[yardboy]

So anyone venture a guess as to what it might be, and why it grows so slow?

[king4345]

They look neat.

[FishMaster1000]

Will these lose there green color under PC? I am wondering because I have Nova HO T5 and know they are stronger than pc but weaker than halides. Therfore I figure if they retain their color under PC lighting I am safe!

[graveyardworm]

The green I believe comes from actinics, so depending upon the color temp of your PC's it may or may not maintain the green flourescense.

[yardboy]

Actinics give them a very nice green glow, and metal halides above 10000K also work to show up the green.

[Jeremy Blaze]

Mine is piced upnder 20k halides. I have also kept them under 14k with good color, as well as vho with a mix of actinic and daylights, and they have a good color.

The variaty I have is very green.

[FishMaster1000]

Hmm... I wonder if my T5 will permit the green. Its a 4 bulb fixture with 2 Actinic and 2 10k bulbs.

[daveonbass]

I know this thread is kind of old, but I got a green "nepthea" that was about 4"-5" inches at purchase and it wa only 20 bucks. So I don't kow if I would call them rare or endangered...that sounds like a selling point. But at the same time mine could have been mis identified and thus sold cheaper. But it was a frag from a huge colony, and the owner acted like it was his pride and joy to be fragging a green nepthea. I gotta say I felt suckered into it since he kept raving on it, but I got it and it has been growing great ever since. I'm actually quite impressed with it. It's a very bright green under 14K and is pretty all day even under the blue moonlights. Either way it's an intersting topic, on a fast growing easily cared for (in my case) softie. I love SPS's but that softie is so sweet.

dave

[graveyardworm]

In all likelyhood your coral is a sinularia, and is a leather coral. They are easy to propagate, easy to keep, and grow fairly rapidly.