Okay, so I’m in the coral business…I see lots of corals.
But I still like looking for cool coral. It’s this weird affliction, I guess. You understand, I’m sure you do.
I was at a local fish store a couple of weeks back (Yeah, I STILL go to the LFS…because I’m a reefer and that’s in my DNA!) and I was looking at the coral selection (imagine that), trying to see if I could actually identify some of the corals on display (“Hmmm…looks like an Acro!” - That’s my advanced ID skills in action!) and to check out the cool freshwater fishes (yeah, I like grey fish…I just do. We can talk about that some time...), when I stumbled on a pretty nice coral that caught my eye. Now, mind you, I do see a lot of coral in the course of my business, some of it pretty incredible. Yet, on this day, my eyes stumbled onto a most beautiful neon-green Torch Coral (Euphyllia) with a tinge of yellow…It had beautiful polyp extension, and was putting on a show dancing in the current in the reef aquarium in which it was displayed…A TORCH CORAL- arguably one of the most “common” corals we see in the hobby and trade….! Must have seen a thousand of 'em this past year...
Super "common", right? Or is it?
And I wasn’t alone in my admiration for this coral. A couple of other apparently hardcore reefers noticed it , too - perhaps jaded by the somewhat typical selection of uber-expensive Chalice “chips” and Acan frags. I mean, this coral was absolutely haaawt! A real screamer…And yet, it was one of the most common corals around. Imagine being able to afford a really cool-looking coral! What a concept! To add to the awe of the moment was the fact that these two reefers were actually arguing over who would take the coral home. It actually went from light-hearted to heated (Us hardcore reefers are serious!). What a strange spectacle to witness! Or was it? Who could blame them- the coral was awesome.
"There is no way you're leaving here with that frag...!"
We are so caught up looking for the newest and rarest, that we may often overlook that which is always in front of us, huh? It got me thinking, which is cooler: An ultra-rare Chalice or Acan, or a fantastic specimen of a common coral like this Torch, that inspired such passion between the two reefers? I know, I know. The first thing you think of when you hear the words “common corals” are those government-issue*translucent pink Caulastrea or boring light green Star Polyps, or dull peach- colored Nepthea.
Enough of the dirt- brown Palythoa, OD green Acropora millepora , and puke-grey Sinularia! How about looking for truly gorgeous specimens of these so-called “common” corals? How about looking for those outrageous fluorescent colors and interesting growth morphologies in the most commonly available corals? They are out there- and they are rare, too! Ya know why? Because there is a small subculture of hardcore reefers that is looking for them, too! You’ll have to go the extra mile to find them. You might have to do the same thing you do when you stumble on that specimen of rare Chalice in your dealer’s display tank- you’ll have to beg for a frag! All reefers know how to do that…It’s like "Reef Keeping 101" (Oh- and idea for another column!)
This is rare....
..But this may just be more cool to you!
How funny it is to imagine a serious collector of fuzzy sticks pleading with the post-pubescent kid behind the counter at his or her LFS for “just a small frag” of that orange and green Capnella he spied in the little nano tank on the check-out counter? Humility. And groveling. Oh, but that’s the price of admission when you play the “rare/common” game. You have to be willing to put it all on the table! And these deals don’t always come cheap or easy! You’d do it for a “Ultimate Utter Chaos” Paly, right? Why would you expect this type of deal to go down any differently? I know at least one local reefer here in L.A. that had to swap a sizeable*frag of his prized Acropora tortuosa for an amazing yellow-and chocolate-brown Caulastrea! Each side thought they got the better end of that deal, too (I know, because I heard it from both of ‘em!), too!
Speaking of “common” corals in unexpected collections- one thing I have noticed about many excellent reef tanks that I’ve visited around the world is that these aquariums almost always contain a coral or two that makes you think, “Wow- what is that?” Inevitably, the owner points out that it was just a Montipora digitata or an Acropora tenuis that took on an aberrant color. It was the sharp eye and dedicated heart of the hobbyist that brought that coral into the fold. And the real beauty of that sort of thing is that the hobbyist put his/her prejudices aside about how “common” it was, and acquired the coral because he or she liked the way it looked, not because it will make him/her cool at the next tank tour or frag swap! It’s this sort of mental step that takes a hobbyist to the next level, in my humble opinion. The willingness to walk one’s own path, defying the prevailing trends of the time! The sign of a true visionary. A rare hobbyist, indeed!
A Yellow-Polyp Orange Monti Cap? That's what I'd call "rare!" So does Jake!
So the next time you’re coral shopping and that beautiful orange Fungia screams at you from across the store (or from the web page, of course!) to take it home, answer the call. Make it yours. Love it,. Own it. Treasure it. Share it. Because one day, that so-called “common coral might just be banned from wild collection and export, or might be forgotten by the masses, leaving future generations of reefers without the opportunity to enjoy what was once an ubiquitous coral. A simple idea, perhaps- but that’s how the hobby seems to have gone.
So, be sure to keep an eye peeled and your mind open while searching for corals, because awesome things happen when you appreciate a coral for what it truly is!
What "common" coral have you stumbled on that became a standout showpiece in your reef? Ever had a "common" species develop into something completely unexpected? Do tell...
Until next time...
Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
But I still like looking for cool coral. It’s this weird affliction, I guess. You understand, I’m sure you do.
I was at a local fish store a couple of weeks back (Yeah, I STILL go to the LFS…because I’m a reefer and that’s in my DNA!) and I was looking at the coral selection (imagine that), trying to see if I could actually identify some of the corals on display (“Hmmm…looks like an Acro!” - That’s my advanced ID skills in action!) and to check out the cool freshwater fishes (yeah, I like grey fish…I just do. We can talk about that some time...), when I stumbled on a pretty nice coral that caught my eye. Now, mind you, I do see a lot of coral in the course of my business, some of it pretty incredible. Yet, on this day, my eyes stumbled onto a most beautiful neon-green Torch Coral (Euphyllia) with a tinge of yellow…It had beautiful polyp extension, and was putting on a show dancing in the current in the reef aquarium in which it was displayed…A TORCH CORAL- arguably one of the most “common” corals we see in the hobby and trade….! Must have seen a thousand of 'em this past year...
Super "common", right? Or is it?
And I wasn’t alone in my admiration for this coral. A couple of other apparently hardcore reefers noticed it , too - perhaps jaded by the somewhat typical selection of uber-expensive Chalice “chips” and Acan frags. I mean, this coral was absolutely haaawt! A real screamer…And yet, it was one of the most common corals around. Imagine being able to afford a really cool-looking coral! What a concept! To add to the awe of the moment was the fact that these two reefers were actually arguing over who would take the coral home. It actually went from light-hearted to heated (Us hardcore reefers are serious!). What a strange spectacle to witness! Or was it? Who could blame them- the coral was awesome.
"There is no way you're leaving here with that frag...!"
We are so caught up looking for the newest and rarest, that we may often overlook that which is always in front of us, huh? It got me thinking, which is cooler: An ultra-rare Chalice or Acan, or a fantastic specimen of a common coral like this Torch, that inspired such passion between the two reefers? I know, I know. The first thing you think of when you hear the words “common corals” are those government-issue*translucent pink Caulastrea or boring light green Star Polyps, or dull peach- colored Nepthea.
Enough of the dirt- brown Palythoa, OD green Acropora millepora , and puke-grey Sinularia! How about looking for truly gorgeous specimens of these so-called “common” corals? How about looking for those outrageous fluorescent colors and interesting growth morphologies in the most commonly available corals? They are out there- and they are rare, too! Ya know why? Because there is a small subculture of hardcore reefers that is looking for them, too! You’ll have to go the extra mile to find them. You might have to do the same thing you do when you stumble on that specimen of rare Chalice in your dealer’s display tank- you’ll have to beg for a frag! All reefers know how to do that…It’s like "Reef Keeping 101" (Oh- and idea for another column!)
This is rare....
..But this may just be more cool to you!
How funny it is to imagine a serious collector of fuzzy sticks pleading with the post-pubescent kid behind the counter at his or her LFS for “just a small frag” of that orange and green Capnella he spied in the little nano tank on the check-out counter? Humility. And groveling. Oh, but that’s the price of admission when you play the “rare/common” game. You have to be willing to put it all on the table! And these deals don’t always come cheap or easy! You’d do it for a “Ultimate Utter Chaos” Paly, right? Why would you expect this type of deal to go down any differently? I know at least one local reefer here in L.A. that had to swap a sizeable*frag of his prized Acropora tortuosa for an amazing yellow-and chocolate-brown Caulastrea! Each side thought they got the better end of that deal, too (I know, because I heard it from both of ‘em!), too!
Speaking of “common” corals in unexpected collections- one thing I have noticed about many excellent reef tanks that I’ve visited around the world is that these aquariums almost always contain a coral or two that makes you think, “Wow- what is that?” Inevitably, the owner points out that it was just a Montipora digitata or an Acropora tenuis that took on an aberrant color. It was the sharp eye and dedicated heart of the hobbyist that brought that coral into the fold. And the real beauty of that sort of thing is that the hobbyist put his/her prejudices aside about how “common” it was, and acquired the coral because he or she liked the way it looked, not because it will make him/her cool at the next tank tour or frag swap! It’s this sort of mental step that takes a hobbyist to the next level, in my humble opinion. The willingness to walk one’s own path, defying the prevailing trends of the time! The sign of a true visionary. A rare hobbyist, indeed!
A Yellow-Polyp Orange Monti Cap? That's what I'd call "rare!" So does Jake!
So the next time you’re coral shopping and that beautiful orange Fungia screams at you from across the store (or from the web page, of course!) to take it home, answer the call. Make it yours. Love it,. Own it. Treasure it. Share it. Because one day, that so-called “common coral might just be banned from wild collection and export, or might be forgotten by the masses, leaving future generations of reefers without the opportunity to enjoy what was once an ubiquitous coral. A simple idea, perhaps- but that’s how the hobby seems to have gone.
So, be sure to keep an eye peeled and your mind open while searching for corals, because awesome things happen when you appreciate a coral for what it truly is!
What "common" coral have you stumbled on that became a standout showpiece in your reef? Ever had a "common" species develop into something completely unexpected? Do tell...
Until next time...
Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
