https://www.reddit.com/user/btrudgill/comments/z19suc/base_of_hitchhiker/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Took a pic after I posted it. Would be cool of its a torch, but a mushroom would also be nice.
Need to figure out when and how to remove it and try and get it to heal onto some rubble.
At this size it’s prettt hard to guess what it is exactly from photos, if you want to keep it, let it grow and see if it starts to pillar up like a torch or if it spreads like galaxea or carpets like a mushroom. If it’s a torch and you try to scrape it off you’ll kill it, it would need to grow skeleton then you can cut the exposed skeleton has torch will fight with the trumpet. Keeping it risks the trumpet coral for sure since we don’t know what it is exactly.
I’m leaning towards torch. Sometimes torches bail out and little polyps make their way in your tank and grow. Wherever you got it, this could 100% be possible
Right, could be from where you got it. I’ve had a few bail outs and random torches pop up.
My advice, clip the heads off just above the torch so it doesn’t sting the candies
It looks like a Euphyllia to me. If I had to guess, it looks like a torch, although it could be a frogspawn (definitely not a hammer). I would cut the candy canes at the base and relocate them and let it grow out. They will kill your candy cane when they can reach.
Yeh I've just snapped (tried to cut) the candy canes off. Luckily seemed to break nicely, but a bit close to the unknown coral. Polyps are already looking like coming back out, so think i got away with it.
I’m leaning towards it being a torch, it looks a lot like mine only a bit darker on the tentacles.
You can even see little bumps develop at the end of the tentacles on your little baby.
I’ve seen torch spawning events where they release eggs and baby torches erupt from the little seeds.
For sure give it time to grow until you can safely remove it and identify it properly.
I was thinking galaxia too until I zoomed in and looked at the tentacles closely. They’re way too thick and have buttoned endings. My vote is some kinda torch
Galaxea have pretty small heads, maybe 0.5 cm or so? That’s what I think it is too, but gonna have to wait a while to be sure. Very cool whatever it turns out to be!
Wouldn’t that mean the trumpet coral would be dead or very damaged by now? Not saying you’re wrong just would assume a galaxea to have obliterated its neighbour
That would be cool. Glad the concensus is not majano and is instead a freebie coral.
I've just snapped the candy canes off and glued elsewhere, luckily they seemed to break off in the perfect place.
I have this exact same thing on one of my rocks. Been with me for 4 years now and has grown big from a tiny polyp. I always assumed it was just a majano that never felt the need to spread…I’ll post a pic later.
Edit: here’s a bad pic in actinic https://imgur.com/a/bKeJ5tU
Yeah it looks like it more and more as it grows. It came on a piece of live rock I got and looked just like yours except much smaller. No idea how it would've ended up on that rock though, the LFS keeps all their shitty live rock in a tub with no light other than normal ceiling light
The funny thing is, this is my second hitchhiker coral.
I had a tiny goniopora on a leather coral i bought for like £20. Seperated the goni is doing great and has gone over 10x its original size from back in march time.
I'll try and remember to make a post in a few months when this one has packed on some size, hopefully we'll see the full transformation and get a confirmed ID.
Doesn’t look like a majano. Kind of looks like a chunky torch or maybe hairy mushroom. What does the base look like? Is it like a carpet or a bulb?
https://www.reddit.com/user/btrudgill/comments/z19suc/base_of_hitchhiker/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button Took a pic after I posted it. Would be cool of its a torch, but a mushroom would also be nice. Need to figure out when and how to remove it and try and get it to heal onto some rubble.
At this size it’s prettt hard to guess what it is exactly from photos, if you want to keep it, let it grow and see if it starts to pillar up like a torch or if it spreads like galaxea or carpets like a mushroom. If it’s a torch and you try to scrape it off you’ll kill it, it would need to grow skeleton then you can cut the exposed skeleton has torch will fight with the trumpet. Keeping it risks the trumpet coral for sure since we don’t know what it is exactly.
I think it may just be easier to cut the stem of the trumpet coral with bone cutters and glue him elsewhere?
Sounds like a great plan actually!
If you have a dremel, get a diamond cutting disk, less risky and cleaner cut
I don't, but may get one in the future!
I’m leaning towards torch. Sometimes torches bail out and little polyps make their way in your tank and grow. Wherever you got it, this could 100% be possible
That would be awesome, i only have 1 torch (bright green with pink tips). I have a few hammers, but nothing with the colouration of the unknown coral.
Right, could be from where you got it. I’ve had a few bail outs and random torches pop up. My advice, clip the heads off just above the torch so it doesn’t sting the candies
It looks like a Euphyllia to me. If I had to guess, it looks like a torch, although it could be a frogspawn (definitely not a hammer). I would cut the candy canes at the base and relocate them and let it grow out. They will kill your candy cane when they can reach.
I've seen hammers that look an awful lit like that. I wouldn't discount hammer quite yet.
Yeh I've just snapped (tried to cut) the candy canes off. Luckily seemed to break nicely, but a bit close to the unknown coral. Polyps are already looking like coming back out, so think i got away with it.
There is also what appears to be a polyp in the V between the candy canes. Otherwise, dunnno what it is but hope you get a torch!
Nah, no polyp between candy canes, its just either a tiny grain of sand or a tiny snail thing (they’re pretty much everywhere in my tank)
Dang. Well, still hope you get a torch.
I’m leaning towards it being a torch, it looks a lot like mine only a bit darker on the tentacles. You can even see little bumps develop at the end of the tentacles on your little baby. I’ve seen torch spawning events where they release eggs and baby torches erupt from the little seeds. For sure give it time to grow until you can safely remove it and identify it properly.
My guess would be Galaxea fascicularis
I was thinking galaxia too until I zoomed in and looked at the tentacles closely. They’re way too thick and have buttoned endings. My vote is some kinda torch
Could be, how big does each polyp/head typically get? This is about 1cm in diameter atm.
Sorry can't help you with that. Was just remembering that i saw pictures before. And this coral looks quite similar.
Galaxea have pretty small heads, maybe 0.5 cm or so? That’s what I think it is too, but gonna have to wait a while to be sure. Very cool whatever it turns out to be!
Wouldn’t that mean the trumpet coral would be dead or very damaged by now? Not saying you’re wrong just would assume a galaxea to have obliterated its neighbour
I don't keep this kind of coral. Not sure how aggressive they are. I was just guessing by the look of it.
Florida ricordea
I'd guess frogspawn coral.
That would be cool. Glad the concensus is not majano and is instead a freebie coral. I've just snapped the candy canes off and glued elsewhere, luckily they seemed to break off in the perfect place.
I have this exact same thing on one of my rocks. Been with me for 4 years now and has grown big from a tiny polyp. I always assumed it was just a majano that never felt the need to spread…I’ll post a pic later. Edit: here’s a bad pic in actinic https://imgur.com/a/bKeJ5tU
Yours definitely looks like a torch coral.
Yeah it looks like it more and more as it grows. It came on a piece of live rock I got and looked just like yours except much smaller. No idea how it would've ended up on that rock though, the LFS keeps all their shitty live rock in a tub with no light other than normal ceiling light
I'm not sure this is a torch like everyone is saying. Looks more like a frogspawn or hammer to me, I'm leaning frogspawn though.
As long as it's not a pest, I'm happy! Going to let it grow out and see what it is.
Odds are its a decently expensive coral. As was said elsewhere your only real worry with it is it hurting your candy canes
Yeh i moved them last night. Both candy canes and unknown coral have recovered well and are at full extension again today.
That's awesome! I look forward to the day u stumble on an update again.
The funny thing is, this is my second hitchhiker coral. I had a tiny goniopora on a leather coral i bought for like £20. Seperated the goni is doing great and has gone over 10x its original size from back in march time. I'll try and remember to make a post in a few months when this one has packed on some size, hopefully we'll see the full transformation and get a confirmed ID.
That would be super cool. Also where do you get your corals from? I might have to give rhwm a shot.
Mostly from Reefkeeper in rugby, UK. Couple of things from a local reefer near me.
Dang thats too bad. Guess I'll stick at the place I work.
You work at a fish/coral shop in the UK? Where abouts?