It's true. These things look insane, and I do mean insane, fresh off the boat. Glowing metallic gradients cascade down their protruding horseshoe corallites, in a near perfect wash. It's a thing of true awe, and what make Aussie Spathulata almost impossible to pass up the first time you meet.
By the second time, having lost the first ones to tissue necrosis, or repulsive color shifts, you're a little more weary but just as confident you'll be able to do it. "This batch will hold that amazing color!" Wrong again! And so it goes on and on, with wild Aussie Spaths. I admit that it was with tremendous reluctance that I finally caved again, after a couple years of saying "no" to these tempestuous wonders, certainly the lowest hanging of all fruit, and took a few home.
Now, the good news is that these two colonies are not fresh off the boat anymore. That majestic wild color has dulled up for sure, but hasn't checked out for good. They are looking alright, and after a solid month QT, I am totally willing to let some bold reefer take a chance on them. Will they stay this color? I can't say at all. No guarantee in any way that they will actually. In fact its very likely that they will get pretty ugly long before they get pretty again, but if you feel like taking risk on a coral who's reward may be far beyond exceptional, then here we are...
Two Aussie Spath colonies. One roughly 6-7" the other about 4"
By the second time, having lost the first ones to tissue necrosis, or repulsive color shifts, you're a little more weary but just as confident you'll be able to do it. "This batch will hold that amazing color!" Wrong again! And so it goes on and on, with wild Aussie Spaths. I admit that it was with tremendous reluctance that I finally caved again, after a couple years of saying "no" to these tempestuous wonders, certainly the lowest hanging of all fruit, and took a few home.
Now, the good news is that these two colonies are not fresh off the boat anymore. That majestic wild color has dulled up for sure, but hasn't checked out for good. They are looking alright, and after a solid month QT, I am totally willing to let some bold reefer take a chance on them. Will they stay this color? I can't say at all. No guarantee in any way that they will actually. In fact its very likely that they will get pretty ugly long before they get pretty again, but if you feel like taking risk on a coral who's reward may be far beyond exceptional, then here we are...
Two Aussie Spath colonies. One roughly 6-7" the other about 4"
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