Monster Mash?

[maus42]

That's true, and I acquired my original frag from Chin Monster before the colony died. When I took a break from the hobby I sold my colony for several thousand dollars.

 

[Redstag]

I sold mine more than thousand dollars for the colony last couple months ago. Now I still keep a small colony that I got it back from a friend when I fragged to him before I sold the colony. This coral is growing faster under ATI T5.

 

[maus42]

I want to get a MM back, have my second fav. watermelon which is a jayda's.

 

[TCK Corals Verified Sponsor]

Sorry it's not a real MM, look at SDguys for a real one. I wish I still had mine.. was one of the very very first owners of the coral.

I am very thankful for all the input i am receiving and i take no offend what so ever. I just want to know how can you be so sure that it not the real Monster Mash? When i first receive the frag it was pretty bright and reddish pink. I don't think i am giving it enough light. I got this frag from a very respected person in the hobby and paid very good money for it. I just want to make sure in the future if i decide to sell it the real deal. It a very unique piece compare to the 20 other watermelon morph i have in my system.

 

[maus42]

it has a very distinct pink with a blue-ish purple on the base I can't describe. The eyes on the MM are basically yellow / gold and the edge is a bright green.

It's hands down one of the best known named corals in the hobby, and after the huge influx of watermelon type chalices a lot of less scrupulous people flooded the market with way more MM's then I know are out there. Us original owners actually had a pact to never sell the coral with a few exceptions. And it's rate of growth from those tiny frags... I just don't see how some many people can have a true lineage MM.

Now, I can't say for fact either way it is or isnt. I can just tell you I've owned several different watermelons before they became common including the MM. It has a color combination that is just so perfect that it kinda just gives itself away, you know when you see it. Not to mention I always remember it being 4 distinct colors; pink, blue, green, and the yellow/green of the eyes. Most other 'melons are only 3 colors. But if you really REALLY want to know you will have to trace it's lineage. If you do decide to do that I can help once you've tracked it back to San Diego, but that's about it.

 

[maus42]

Oh, and a true MM wants moderate light and flow to pop the real colors. Mine looked the best 24" down near the sand bed under a 400w Radium (t5's weren't out yet, heh).

 

[TCK Corals Verified Sponsor]

So i just think my MM need more light. It definitely different when seen with the naked eye. I gonna move it into higher lighting see if it take off. Thanks for all the info so far. I will post a picture in a few months if it changes.

 

[maus42]

So i just think my MM need more light. It definitely different when seen with the naked eye. I gonna move it into higher lighting see if it take off. Thanks for all the info so far. I will post a picture in a few months if it changes.

What lights are you using... MH or t5 or both. And what bulbs. Higher lighting might not be the best course of action.. you don't get the best colors out of a MM in high light. You want moderate light.

 

[TCK Corals Verified Sponsor]

It sitting under T5 as of right now but 4ft down from the unit. So it no getting much light. I gonna move it into a little more light to see if it get brighter.

 

[maus42]

your tank is 4 FEET tall! jeebus, yeah, needs to come up a bit but not too fast, a little at a time. Just remember that it was directly under a 400w MH w/ Radium bulb 2 feet down and that's where it was rockin' it the best. You may be able to get good color with t5's at 3 ft deep depending on what bulbs you have and they're total power.

 

[oceanparadise1]

god i love chalices....

 

[Redstag]

Mine is around 3 inches above the sand bed. It's growth faster under ATI T5 more than metal halide.

 

[maus42]

I found the rate of growth between MH and T5 isn't terribly different. What makes them actually grow at a decent speed is feeding them twice a week. I spot feed all my LPS / softies twice a week with either mysis, krill, or silversides depending on the size of the coral.