Help me ID this coral please . . .No pic

[djheywood]

I saw a coral that I want to buy at my LFS today at lunch, but neither me nor the owner knows what it is. I'll try to explain:

It has a branching skeleton, with 3 main 'heads' of polyps. The polyps look like a flowerpot coral but they are pink. They get about 1-2 inches long on the stalk then open up to a head about 1/2 the size of a dime. Unlike the flowerpot the tentacles on the polyp are not hair-like. Each tentacle is shaped like the blade of a windmill and there are 10 (I think) on a polyp. It looked really healthy and expanded. Anyone have any idea?

Is there a website that has a good coral reference with pictures? FFexpress didn't have it.

Thanks,

Brian

[Aragorn]

Sounds like a branching Alveopora to me.

[djheywood]

I can't seem to find a good picture of alveopora but from what I saw it looks like that could be it.

Are these hard to keep? I have some SPS doing well, LPS, and softies all in my tank. (About 1 year old)

The only alveopora I saw looked cool, but looked like it had polyps all along the branching base. this specimen I saw in the store only had polyps at the head of the branch (like a branching torch). Other than that it looked real healthy.

I guess I'll give it a try. I want to separate the branches, should I just break the apart with my hand, use a hacksaw, or leave it alone?

thanks.

[Aragorn]

Alveoporas are considered to be hardier than Goniopora. Additionally, they only require low to moderate light and water flow. They're also relatively non-aggressive. As far as fragging goes, I'll leave that to someone else. I've never done it myself,sorry. HTH

[djheywood]

Thanks aragorn. I think I'll buy it on the way home. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

Thanks again for the help.

Brian

Tahoe huh? I love it there. Me and some of my friends go there every summer and camp at zephyr cove, usually right in time for the bikini contest!!! I would love to live there.

[Aragorn]

Anytime Brian. Yes, we love living here. Definitely a nicer place to live(IMO) than where I moved from, The Bay Area. I'd like to see the pic's when you get it. I like Alveopora.