Is this an OG Godzilla?

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There is a vendor on here that is saying these are OG godzillas. I disagreed, but was assured with confidence. Looks like a wild knockoff with similar colors. Can some of the experts chime in?

His picture:

What he claims it is:

 

[Aqua Ultraviolet]

From the photo alone, I’d be hesitant to call that an OG Godzilla with any certainty. The color is in the ballpark, but lineage matters a lot with named mushrooms, and this one looks more like a similar wild piece or close lookalike to me.

 

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From the photo alone, I’d be hesitant to call that an OG Godzilla with any certainty. The color is in the ballpark, but lineage matters a lot with named mushrooms, and this one looks more like a similar wild piece or close lookalike to me.

I 100% agree. It’s a shame to see a vendor potentially taking advantage of unsuspecting hobbyists. Could one of the mods clarify whether I’m allowed to name the vendor so they can chime in? I’ve been scammed on here a couple of times myself, so seeing this kind of thing doesn’t sit right with me.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@VintageReefer

 

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@hcker99

This is the username of the vendor who goes by “Ultimate Corals.” Here’s their website:

https://ultimatecorals.com

I previously reached out asking for clarification regarding the lineage of these supposed OG Godzillas but never received a response. Given that, I’m not too optimistic they’ll chime in here either.

 

[Baldyreef]

another vote for fake godzilla it seems to nearly entirely lack the green band.
did he say that the photo of the real Godzilla was his?

 

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another vote for fake godzilla it seems to nearly entirely lack the green band.
did he say that the photo of the real Godzilla was his?

Thanks for pointing that out. I overlooked that detail and don’t want to mislead anyone. The only photo the vendor provided was of the mushroom in question. The mother colony photo was one I sent him as a reference of a genuine OG Godzilla. I specifically asked if his were the real bouncing OGs like the one pictured, and he confidently assured me they were. So there was no confusion about which strain I meant.

Frankly, I find that insulting coming from an experienced vendor. Anyone familiar with mushrooms can see this appears to be a common wild Yuma, likely imported from a wholesaler recently. Who’s to say the original Godzilla didn’t look similar when first collected? But that’s beside the point. “OG Godzilla” refers to a specific aquacultured strain known for its bounce characteristics and green rim, not just any similarly colored Yuma.

 

[Baldyreef]

Thanks for pointing that out. I overlooked that detail and don’t want to mislead anyone. The only photo the vendor provided was of the mushroom in question. The mother colony photo was one I sent him as a reference of a genuine OG Godzilla. I specifically asked if his were the real bouncing OGs like the one pictured, and he confidently assured me they were. So there was no confusion about which strain I meant.

Frankly, I find that insulting coming from an experienced vendor. Anyone familiar with mushrooms can see this appears to be a common wild Yuma, likely imported from a wholesaler recently. Who’s to say the original Godzilla didn’t look similar when first collected? But that’s beside the point. “OG Godzilla” refers to a specific aquacultured strain known for its bounce characteristics and green rim, not just any similarly colored Yuma.

got it, it would have been even more fishy than it already is if he stated that it was his mother colony because that pic is from alecs reef lol, did he provide any photos of the mother at all??

 

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got it, it would have been even more fishy than it already is if he stated that it was his mother colony because that pic is from alecs reef lol, did he provide any photos of the mother at all??

After his last message assuring me, “Trust me, it’s an OG Godzilla,” I asked for photos of the mother colony and additional details about the lineage. Funny enough, he went from responding almost instantly to complete silence. I think that speaks for itself.

 

[hcker99 Verified Sponsor]

@hcker99

This is the username of the vendor who goes by “Ultimate Corals.” Here’s their website:

https://ultimatecorals.com

I previously reached out asking for clarification regarding the lineage of these supposed OG Godzillas but never received a response. Given that, I’m not too optimistic they’ll chime in here either.

Wow. Ok for starters the last message I saw was at 11pm. Guess what? I went to bed lol. I'm just now getting on the computer to see all this.


We were sold our godzillas as og's. I would never and have never tried to screw someone over. Please go check the feedback on our Facebook page. We've been in this industry for a long time and never tried to cheat or screw someone over.

 

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Wow. Ok for starters the last message I saw was at 11pm. Guess what? I went to bed lol. I'm just now getting on the computer to see all this.


We were sold our godzillas as og's. I would never and have never tried to screw someone over. Please go check the feedback on our Facebook page. We've been in this industry for a long time and never tried to cheat or screw someone over.

Fair enough, I can understand not responding because you went to bed. No issue there.


However, you’re missing the bigger point. Nobody is accusing you of intentionally trying to scam anyone. The concern is that you’re advertising these as OG Godzillas when they clearly don’t exhibit the defining characteristics of that strain.


You mention your years of experience in the industry, but that honestly raises more questions. With that much experience, how could you not recognize the obvious differences between the mushrooms, especially after I specifically pointed them out and provided reference photos? That doesn’t exactly strengthen your argument.


You confidently assured me they were genuine OG Godzillas, yet now your explanation is simply that you purchased them under that name. Those are two very different things. Being sold something as an OG doesn’t automatically make it one, especially when the physical characteristics don’t match.


Your reputation and positive feedback are great, but they don’t establish the lineage of a coral. That’s what I’m questioning here, not your entire business.


At the end of the day, if you’re going to advertise a specific high end aquacultured strain, especially as an experienced vendor, there should be more behind that identification than simply trusting what your supplier told you.