Help identifying new corals

[peterdeppe]

I was at my LFS and they were having a sale on frags so I picked up a number of them. I am pretty new to all this so I asked the clerk who was helping me if they should all get along together and if there was anything I needed to be aware of with them such as lighting or flow or special feeding etc and he said that they should all be fine together and given it was a biocube 29 that it shouldn't matter where I put them. Weird I thought but figured ok - he probably has some idea of what they are. After I had paid I had a last minute thought that I should have him identify them for me so I could look them up and make sure he was right about all that and the kid said, look honestly, I've worked here 2 weeks and haven't a clue. His manager was on lunch and he was left to run the shop on his own!

 

So I figured I'd see if anybody here was up to the task of helping me identify these guys and any helpful info you could give (i.e. as I plant them around the tank - what's likely to hurt what - which if any can touch - special lighting, food etc - you know all the things the LFS should've been able to help me with! LOL) If that's too much a simple identification at the very least would be very helpful and greatly appreciated!

 

Here are the 3 of the new corals:

 

And here in front of the Pulsing Xenia that I had before is the other one new one - is it a hammer coral?

 

As you can see in picture 2 I have a piece of Pulsing Xenia I had from before today. I'm including some pics of the other corals just in case somebody sees something that should be far away from everything else etc LOL.

 

Some polyps my boss gave me from his tank (lots of feather dusters have started growing on this piece!)

 

A mat of Green Star Polyps

 

And last some Colony Polyps(?) that I had gotten when I got the Xenia.

 

Thanks again in advance for any help/advice!

[kveekx]

The picture of the three I cant tell on the brown but the green flowers are gonipora and the red and green one is a favia. The picture infront of the xenia is a frogspawn.

[peterdeppe]

Fantastic! thanks for the help so far - would a closer picture help of the one you couldn't identify?

[gonzalez78]

The last picture are wagon wheel palys, if I was you I would move them to a small rock on the sandbed away from your rock work they grow very fast and will take over all your rocks. As for the first the brown ones are zoanthids but I'm not sure what kind and the middle one looked more like a Duncan to me.

[peterdeppe]

Cool thanks. So the wagon wheel is already growing onto the live rock. To remove it is it ok to yank it off or do I need a razor or something to do it without killing it?

 

As far as keeping of the rock work I have now the Xenia, green star polyps and the wagon wheel. Should the rest be ok to move onto the live rock without it taking over?

 

Yeah I think it might be a Duncan after googling - take a look at a closer pic where it's open a little more.

 

[gonzalez78]

Cool thanks. So the wagon wheel is already growing onto the live rock. To remove it is it ok to yank it off or do I need a razor or something to do it without killing it?

 

As far as keeping of the rock work I have now the Xenia, green star polyps and the wagon wheel. Should the rest be ok to move onto the live rock without it taking over?

The wagon wheels are very hearty so they would be fine if you just yank them but I would suggest the razor so you don't leave anything behind.

 

Yeah those 3 mainly you should try to keep off your main rocks the rest are fine to move they do tend to grow way slower than the 3 mentioned before.

 

Actually from the closer pic they don't look like Duncan's especially now that they're more open so then that means it must be a gonipora.

[chrssprngs]

Goniopora. Not Duncans. A very demanding coral that is not for beginners. Especially not for someone who is randomly buying corals without any idea of what they are. If you want to be successful in this hobby, you really need to know what you are putting in your tank. The corals you purchased are very common species that anyone keeping a reef tank should be familiar with. Not trying to bust your balls but I see this thing happening way too often. Take the time to learn at least a little bit about the life forms you are taking responsibility for. It will save you money and disappointment.

[peterdeppe]

chrssprngs -

 

Up until now I'd actually been very good at doing that but had been generally been getting such good recommendations at my lfs that I began to just accept their advice as they gave it. Then I went to this new shop and the guy at first seemed to know what he was talking about (better salesman than fish expert I guess) and the prices were really good. That's why I made this post, trying to find out as much about these corals so I can take care of them as best I can!

 

And it's fine to bust my balls on this one, I couldn't agree with you more! With any luck I can put together enough info that these guys can be happy. Im not sure this coral would benefit from me attempting to return it - same guy would probably sell it to somebody else who doesn't know anything either? I know it's way to early to know anything but it seems to like the spot, it opened very quickly after placing it and has extended beautifully. It's actually opened quite a bit more than it was at the lfs - it's quite beautiful. Plus it seems to have enthralled my watchman goby who since adding has just been swimming around it, staring at it! Lol

 

As I study up on these guys, any pressing details I should know to keep them alive and healthy?

 

Thanks again for the help, advice and swift kick in the balls! Lol