Pearlberry

[gparr]

Must not be too far off because I just got e-mail from ORA inquiring about using my photo.
Gary

 

[benny z]

very nice!

did you tell them they can use it for some frags?

 

[kev2me]

Ooh, I like this one the best.

 

[SaraB]

Great photo Gary!

 

[myzislow]

Awesome pictures!!

This is 100% the ORA pearlberry, and a very nice one at that!! My friend's is very similar, lacking "color" in between the coralites, which are bright purple, while the rest of the coral is so pearly white it looks fake. It's an awesome coral when it's super happy and takes on this appearance.

crappy pic of his:

 

[naldopr]

ora or not still a beauty!!

 

[mcliffy2]

I don't know if it's the ORA variety or not. It is a beautiful piece. The color morph shown is what I saw. When correcting the white balance, I simply made the white part of the tissue white and let the color be what it is. It matched what I saw. I looked for other shots of the coral on the Internet, but all of the shots I found were standard blue shots or obviously doctored. When you approach his tank, it doesn't take long before your eyes lock in on the colony.

Gary

Gary, awesome pic. I have this coral too (although it was easy to miss through the sandstorm ).

One comment on the above, and my guess at why the coloration seems a bit different. There really is not any "white" tissue on the pearlberry. The base of the branches has a very subtle blue hue to it, almost a blue glow (think a blue version of what those glow in the dark stickers look like in the light). So if you adjusted that blue to white, it would make the purple tips look more red. I took a hack at the white balance in your pic and was able to get it to look closer to what I see when I look at a pearlberry, but as you're the artist and the one who saw this coral in person, I'm not going to post an alteration of your work So here is a not so great photo of mine showing the blue hue of the base, pretty close to what I see.

 

[gparr]

Thanks, Mike. Actually, the base on the piece I shot was more of a cream/off white color, not blue at all. The area I made white was mid-branch. Your shot looks, at least to me, like it needs further white balance adjustment, i.e., it's too blue. Unfortunately, in these discussions, we always are trying to find a "standard" with something that is full of variables. I'm anxious to get back to your place and take another run at the photos. I'll be sure and shoot your Pearlberry. It'll be interesting to compare.
Gary

 

[DML08]

Ha... very nice. That's how mine looks also, I just took a pic of it the other night.

 

[DML08]

Wrong pic

 

[sailfish]

Gary Great Pictures!

I have this coral and it can look very different in different tanks. In fact I did not like the way it looked in my display but loved the way it looked in my small tank.

Here is one I took on Sunday for our clubs TOTM. Hope you don't mind me posting it Gary.

Joe

 

[bige11]

What's the secret to keeping pearlberry? I have tried 3 frags of this and failed all 3 times. Almost everything else I buy has done great. Lighting is 14k (3 250W and 2 400watt) in 8.5 ft tank and water is good 8.3, 450 calcium, 1300 mag, 9-10 alk. No parasites I'm 99% sure. I keep it high in tank. Any suggestions

 

[MentalDragon]

Gary, awesome pic. I have this coral too (although it was easy to miss through the sandstorm ).

One comment on the above, and my guess at why the coloration seems a bit different. There really is not any "white" tissue on the pearlberry. The base of the branches has a very subtle blue hue to it, almost a blue glow (think a blue version of what those glow in the dark stickers look like in the light). So if you adjusted that blue to white, it would make the purple tips look more red. I took a hack at the white balance in your pic and was able to get it to look closer to what I see when I look at a pearlberry, but as you're the artist and the one who saw this coral in person, I'm not going to post an alteration of your work So here is a not so great photo of mine showing the blue hue of the base, pretty close to what I see.

Mine has a blue hint to it like your picture. But the tips are darker purple or redder than depicted in the pic. Mine isn't a colony though.. lol. It's just a 1.5" frag under 20k ebay MH (pulsrite) bulbs with 4 x 110 VHO actinics.

 

[bige11]

Thought maybe if I post in primetime I'd get a response. See 2 posts ago please!

 

[sailfish]

Thought maybe if I post in primetime I'd get a response. See 2 posts ago please!

I have never heard from anyone I know that had a hard time with it. No help for you.

Joe

 

[bige11]

Fair enough. I have asked several other several reefers in my area and all are dumbfounded as well. I successfully keep hawkins, blue tip, birds nest, many montis, milleopora, many unknown acros, chalices, acans, etc..... It's frustrating. Maybe I'll just try again. Thanks for response. If anyone has any ideas let me know. Otherwise I'll just chalk this one up to the magical pearlberry killing tank and try one more time.....

E

 

[Znut Reefer]

IME it does like high light and flow. Have you tried that?

 

[bige11]

I always put at the top of my tank, and other high light acros are thriving. I run 2 400W and 3 250W 10K on all 5 bulbs (which I will be changing to 14K soon). My flow in the spots is very high. I guess it's just bad luck. I only have lost 5 or so corals and 3 of them are pearlberry. O well. Thanks for the tip though Znut..

 

[ReeferBen]

Heres a picture of mine its on the left next to a aquadelight. My pics always come out crappy not all snazzy like the og poster.

 

[H@rry]

Are you treating them with any kind of dip when you get them?