does this look like Acanthastrea maxima

[CamBarr]

what is this


http://whelk.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/html/901-1000/Species%20pages/911.htm

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v503/cambarr/reefpics373.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v503/cambarr/reefpics366.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v503/cambarr/reefpics365.jpg

[CamBarr]

as you guys can see pis was well over a year ago and it has not grown any new polyps its a verry slow grower.

cb

[CamBarr]

where did all of the acan experts go

[RandyO]

What's the diameter of the polyps when closed? Acanthastrea maxima have corallites with 50 mm diameter, or about 2 inches closed. When fully open they can expand to 4 inches.

Your coral looks like the polyps are much smaller. Most likely a lord.

Because Maxima's are only found in Oman waters, and it's not a collection area, the chances of seeing one in captivity are pretty rare.

I think those pics were posted in this forum about a year ago, with the same discussion. You might be able to find that thread.

[xdusty6920]

im not 100% here. it could be a a ton of things. im kinda leaning away from maxima for several reasons. maxima are only found in Omani waters and its illegal to take or collect anything of any sort from that area. also from what ive read and seen, they tend to be rather large polyps (a fair amount larger then the pic above) and they are typically very natural bland colors (which yours is obviously not).
they look pretty lordish to me. ive got several "greenies" and they all have super slow growth (usually a polyp a year if that). and that sounds like what your describing in its growth rate.
either way its deffinently a nice piece and very unique. (ive got first dibs on a frag lol)

[xdusty6920]

lol randy you type faster then i can lol!

[RandyO]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7509462#post7509462 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xdusty6920
lol randy you type faster then i can lol!

;)

[CamBarr]

The polyps are actually quite big bigger then a lord for sure if I could guess I would say 2" closed and I have seen them go to maybe 3-4" when fully opened??? I actually posed this one a year ago and fell short of an id the colony originally came as 4 mouth piece but I split it with a friend of mine because we both found this in LA at the same time unfortunately his died I believe??? I got this coral from SDC also when looking at skeletal structure it not a lobo it has two distinct polyps with 2 mouths.

[CamBarr]

Ill post a pic comparing the some of my lords to this one so you guys can get a better size comparison

[xdusty6920]

sounds good. if it is indeed something other then a lord, i'd like to help you get a proper id on it. id like to see some comparision shots and some completely and fully expanded shots of you can.

[CamBarr]

ok guys i got some pics me gimme one seck

[CamBarr]

ok, what do you think guys

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v503/cambarr/pets037.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v503/cambarr/pets032.jpg




cb

[mschriskim]

CamBarr, it still looks like Acan Lord to me.
When closed it should be around 2" looks like bigger polyp sized Acan Lord some of my Acan lord as big as around 1.5" when they are fully extended but corallites are around 1"

Acan Maxima by the book it should be 2x size of bigger polyp of Acan Lord.

It is still a darn nice Acan Lord you have and some Acan Lord grow slow than others that's the reason about slow growth on that Acan frag you have.

[CamBarr]

yea the polyps are huge the were closed up a bit because i moved them to the front of the tank but the polyps are as you can see from the ruler in the back 2-2 1/2 inches and it was closing????
p.s. the other lord to the left is a super slow grower i have had that single polyp for over a year

[coralcommuter]

Cam that is a really nice piece. Did Jason get that other piece by any chance? Hope things are going good for you.

- B

[CamBarr]

hey b check your'e pm box were going to have to have dinner next week

nope vinnie from reef collection got it

i got this from sdc

[Jovreefer]

Am I missing something with your ruler? it looks like bairly over 1 inch to me. Its a nice color no mater what... I like it better than the red/green (like your other) lord that everyone and their grandmother has.

[CamBarr]

jovreefer:

ill get a better pic for you.
what one is bigger the lord or the green one???

[xdusty6920]

yeah i definently think its a lord now. some lords are ALOT bigger then others. ive got several specimen that are in the 2-3" range. maybe its a type of sub lord or something. remember, not long ago micros were considered lords, just tiny polyped lords. now we know better and its recieved its own name. this may eventually become the case with some of these super sized lords.

[Jovreefer]

If your picture is not distorting size, it looks like your red/green lord is 3/4 an inch. The green one in question looks to be 1 1/4th an inch.

I'm basing this on the distance between 2 & 3 on your ruler because 1 seems to be either in the sand or behind the rock.

[CamBarr]

how should i do a comparison for you?????

[mschriskim]

CamBarr, a easy way to give a correct size of corallite will be put a ruler on top of lord polyp and do not concern about polyp closed as it is better to be close to see actual size of corallite size

I think actual corallite size of that lord is little over 1" and when it is fully fully open closed to 2" or little over 2"

Most of us have not seen Maxima yet but that piece looks still like Acan Lord to me.

[CamBarr]

i guress i can do taht as well to give the correct size comparison???


could be a lord i agree just diffrent ???

[Jacob D]

Judging from the size of your thumb in the upper picture it's probably not a maxima, or it is still too small to tell, but the odds are against it. By the way that is a saweet yuma in the background of the lower pic!

[CamBarr]

thank you i actually ahve 2 yumas taht are nice and red and huge
one of my fave corals

[CamBarr]

mabe one day we will get an id

[CamBarr]

bump