New Coral Id

Mystery coral the man brought home to me. It has a skelteon, or is at least attached to one. when closed it seems like a brain, when open a toadstool leather.. help?!

 

It looks like a Hydnophora to me. They are pretty aggressive so until you verify the ID I would make sure it's not located next to other corals.

There are branching types as well.

If not Hydnophora than perhaps a Galaxy.

 

Thanks corralline, thought it looked like a galaxy, but bf said the mother colony that it is from looks nothing like a galaxy. i will check out the hydnophora though. Anyone else?!

 

It looks like a Galaxy frag to me, but I am not sure. Be sure to keep them a good distance away from other coral as they have pretty long sweepers.
Nice add
JJL

 

Here is an image of the coral with tentacles slightly retracted, you can see the ridge circular skeletal structures better.

 

Yup that's it. it has that strange row like structure like a brain. sweet! thanks so much for ID, now to figure out which tank and where this guy is going!

 

Sure NP, much easier to ID this coral with the polyps retracted which it does as soon as you touch it. They benefit from target feeding as well.

 

Ok so I got a piece just like that! I looks exactly the same with the ridges and all. I asked what it was and he said it was some kind of tubinaria. I was ok whatever it's cheap, bag it. So idk

 

Some better images of my Hydnophora, tentacles retracted and out, with a reference that ID's the coral as Hydnophora bonsai

Hydnophora bonsai

 

Not a Galaxea IMO...they have very pronounced corallites which the coral in your photos does not...an encrusting type of Hydnophora would be my best guess too...hard to say without see the skeleton better...assuming it is, it is likely very aggressive and will extend it's mesenterial filaments to dissolve the tissue of any close neighbors.