Hydnophora: SPS or LPS

[scarf_ace1981]

i could have sworn i was told, by a knowledgeable reefer, hydno was an LPS but everything i find online says sps?

i'm really cofused

 

[House of Laughter]

Dont be - it's an SPS and in the Horn coral family. Very aggressive and usually kills anything in it's path - although, I have seen an Acan kill it, so, take that!



House

 

[inline6]

My tourch coral causes it to bleach and yes definitely a SPS.

 

[ming]

Wheres Deanos?
I know this has been discussed before.
From my recollection, an LPS or SPS is just Large or Small which is all relative to the person believes it should be, so its whatever you want it to be.
So you should really be asking, how do you define SPS or LPS?

 

[scumonkey]

there is more than one type of Hydno.....
The one I have "Kathy", H pilosa http://www2.aims.gov.au/coralsearch/html/301-400/Species%20pages/364.htm
is an LPS!

 

[lfsmarineguy]

If you look at a Hydno skeleton it lacks coralites and looks more like an open ridged surface. The polyps aren't separated in the same way that most of our SPS are as we know them and so many people consider it an LPS. However, if you really want to get into it neither SPS or LPS are taxonomic terms but more of a pseudoscientific common grouping. Hydnos are in that limbo of polyp size, too small to be LPS really and way bigger than most SPS. You can argue all you want but there really isn't a scientific answer if that is what you are looking for.

 

[cybermeez]

Dont be - it's an SPS and in the Fire coral family. Very aggressive and usually kills anything in it's path - although, I have seen an Acan kill it, so, take that!

I've seen Zoas come close to smothering it, but not completely. One bad ass coral!

 

[scarf_ace1981]

my acan killed a piece of my hydno too

 

[House of Laughter]

LFS, good point/distinction - scu - great link -

I think that some of the hydno subs (excesa, pilosa) are closer in lps (faviid-like) than the ridida (Horn coral family) which are more like sps -

You're right, too, the distinction can't be drawn cause the science hasn't defined it as such.

Scu, I'd love a piece if that's the blue or purple hydno - been wanting that for years.

BTT

House

 

[ming]

my acan killed a piece of my hydno too

What doesn't an acan kill? lol

 

[fritz]

As Jim mentioned, LPS and SPS are not scientific terms but terms that we lay persons have given. I can't find the article (I really need to organize my bookmarks) but there's an article making fun of the LPS / SPS designation and advocating the use of scientific names rather than "common names" and "common designations". The article further explains that certain species (of commonly designated as) sps are far closer relatives to certain (commonly designated as) lps species than they are to other (cda) sps species.

I forget which ones but for arguments sake your frogspawn could be a MUCH closer relative to your hydno than your acros are.

 

[ShaunW]

What doesn't an acan kill? lol

I recently had a chalice come close to an acan with the result being the chalice kicking its ass. The chalice actually coved about 2 inchs with stringlike extentions. 5 polyps got taken out before I realized what was happening and moved the acan away.

I HATE HYDROPORAS! :shhh: :p

 

[lfsmarineguy]

Hydnophora is known as the coral assassin and it can actually produce sweeper tentacles several feet long to attack colonies in it's vicinity. When they go all out on an attack it looks like they are shooting cotton all over another coral. I used to have a pic of a Hydno attacking an acro I'll see if I can find it, it wasn't pretty.

 

[fritz]

Hydnophora is known as the coral assassin and it can actually produce sweeper tentacles several feet long to attack colonies in it's vicinity. When they go all out on an attack it looks like they are shooting cotton all over another coral. I used to have a pic of a Hydno attacking an acro I'll see if I can find it, it wasn't pretty.

COOOL!!!!

 

[prattreef]

I've actually never seen a Hydnophora produce sweepers at all. Typically they kill-- and quite effectively as noted above--- via mesenterial filaments which are their inverted digestive organs-- the cotton looking stuff.

 

[House of Laughter]

I've actually never seen a Hydnophora produce sweepers at all. Typically they kill-- and quite effectively as noted above--- via mesenterial filamamnets which are their inverted digestive organs-- the cotton looking stuff.

NICE, so it shoots it's guts at you and shrouds you to death - nice.

House

 

[DevIouS]

I lost 1/2 my Hydno colony to my RBTA.
It tried to fight back though.....:happysad:

Hydno is very hardy & I've kept it under PC's for a few months.
LPS?:scratch:

 

[House of Laughter]

Frill - that hydno you brought me is finally putting out branches hearty thing

BTT

House

 

[reefman]

i could have sworn i was told, by a knowledgeable reefer, hydno was an LPS but everything i find online says sps?

i'm really cofused

It is a "MPS"

medium polyp stony

 

[scumonkey]

Typically they kill-- and quite effectively as noted above--- via mesenterial filaments which are their inverted digestive organs-- the cotton looking stuff.

I've seen mine go for anything it can "taste" in the water column! Hence the nick name "Spiderman"!