What is this Coral?

[Snappy]

Originally Posted by justinl

Greg, the ones you see on the rocks probably just technically aren't xmas tree worms...

Actually yes they are, I don't want to sound like a jerk but I think I have enough experience both in this hobby and as a diver to know the difference between a feather duster and a xmas tree worm. They are very commom in orange, red, blue and grey in the Puerto Vallarta area and host in solid rock. They bore a hole just like they do in the corals. I recommend you go diving at Los Arcos for example and then come back and tell me they aren't xmas tree worms.
But if you go can I come too? We'll have a blast..

I've never even heard of this species...how does it differ from Porites? It looks VERY similar. If this is true (and I doubt it very little), then I bet there are A LOT of misidentified Porites out there!

It is an LPS and Porites is SPS, the polyps are completely different. As they get bigger the difference if more prodominant.
Here is a picture (magnified) I just took of mine. At night the regular polyps start to retract and if you look closely you'll see sweepers starting to extend in a few places. In a few more hours it will be a mass of tenticles.

[justinl]

hm, well in that case, it is interesting. Rob toonen (the guy who wrote the article i posted) thinks that Spirobranchs can't live in the wild without the protection from a live coral colony because boring animals like urchins and parrotfish would eat away at the worms' tubes as well as the dead skeleton they live in indiscriminately... thus exposing the worm to all sorts of nasties. Wonder if maybe some of the worms just evolved a defense mechanism to combat that sort of situation. something to think about at least.

lol next time Im over in Puerto Vallarta, Ill let you know!

edit: fro the record, the disagreement was a respectful one. Didn't mean to come across as an *** lookin for a fight.

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by justinl

Porites is a SPS. from the pic, I would say the corallites on your coral are relatively big... much bigger than porites porites at least, so i would rule that one out.

The coralites on the coral in questions are 2-4 mm across. I have not spotted any sweepers yet but I will keep looking.

It is almost 7:00 am, the LED moonlights are on and the tank receives some incidental sunlight in it's location. The coral is fully extended, not retracted as in the 2nd photo I posted.

The mystery continues.

Are we having fun yet?

[Whatigot]

Much as the credentials of those on this board far outweigh my own, I can only say that the coral in question is Identical to the porites sold hosting christmas tree worms at JL Aquatics.
I am also assuming that the coral I have is the same as yours considering we both gor cuban LR around the same time so there are a lot of ways I could be way off base here.

Never seen sweepers, does the other coral mentioned host christmas tree worms?

I'm having fun...