coral identification

[kokxy]

Anybody know of a website that has various pictures of corals that I can use to identify them? I purchased a couple loose fragments from local pet store today. Also, noticed some forming on live rock. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[liquid]

Not that I directly know of. However, you could pick up a book from this list and it'd do what you want it to do: http://reefs.org/library/reading/corals/coral.html

For a general book I like Borneman's book. For soft corals, I really like Soft Corals and Sea Fans By K. Fabricius and P. Alderslade. For hard corals (Acropora, etc) I like Corals of the World By J.E.N. Veron. The latter two can be picked up from AIMS' bookstore: http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/bookshop.html You should also be able to get it from any of our Sponsors (listed in the header of this page).

hth

Shane

 

[Len]

If these fragments are SPS or soft corals, it may still be very difficult to ID them visually. The only types of corals that are easily identifiable without observing micro-structures or DNA are LPS corals. SPS and softies come in too many variants and morph too much in captivity for me to even try to guess anymore I just go by genus.