Purple monster

[RussiReef]

nice pic russireef- looks like the real deal. I can confirm the original has white polyps, and is a very slow grower. My colony still persists, will try to get a decent pic up sometime.

Thank you for the complement. I have got a frag of it from Watchguy123 on January 2018. definitely a slow grower.

 

[Softhammer]

Looks awesome russireef. I’ve been searching for close to 20 years for a real deal frag. Unfortunately, as you very well know most are not the real thing, most on this thread even. I think the majority (like 99%)are blobbed valida/secale or slow growing granulosas. Let me know if you ever frag, I don’t run a mega blue tank have a very high success rate with acros and can actually place it to receive natural Florida sunlight for most of the day as well.

 

[C. Eymann]

Not a huge colony, about 5x5

For a PM, Id consider that to be a good size, definitely the real deal too! looks killer man!


IME, PM shows its best color with a 10k halide being flanked by a 20k bulb or a 10k with a lot of blue T5s or Super actinic VHOs.

 

[RussiReef]

Looks awesome russireef. I’ve been searching for close to 20 years for a real deal frag. Unfortunately, as you very well know most are not the real thing, most on this thread even. I think the majority (like 99%)are blobbed valida/secale or slow growing granulosas. Let me know if you ever frag, I don’t run a mega blue tank have a very high success rate with acros and can actually place it to receive natural Florida sunlight for most of the day as well.

Hello Softhammer,

You have a good eye and knowledge of corals.
I am also not a big fan of a blue light (old school reefer). I run my light at 14K and my purple monster looks awesome.

I do frag it once in a while, but I do not ship corals. If you are ever in Los Angeles area, I would be glad to share a piece with you.

 

[RussiReef]

For a PM, Id consider that to be a good size, definitely the real deal too! looks killer man!


IME, PM shows its best color with a 10k halide being flanked by a 20k bulb or a 10k with a lot of blue T5s or Super actinic VHOs.

Thanks :).

I do not have any experience with halides and T5's. My PM has been growing under Radion Gen 4 with 100% blues and 90% both whites in 400-450 PAR.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I have two colonies of same size. This one is near top of water line under my T5s while other is growing out under Radion G4s. I got my frags from Bruce as well.

You sure this was the purple monster from Bruce? What does your other piece look like?

 

[Ezeke1]

You sure this was the purple monster from Bruce? What does your other piece look like?

I reached out to Bruce to confirm. After posting the pic I noticed there are greenish base which should not be the case. I may have just lost tracked and mislabeled the coral. Will get a pic of the other colony.

 

[Softhammer]

Hello Softhammer,

You have a good eye and knowledge of corals.
I am also not a big fan of a blue light (old school reefer). I run my light at 14K and my purple monster looks awesome.

I do frag it once in a while, but I do not ship corals. If you are ever in Los Angeles area, I would be glad to share a piece with you.

I’d love to broker a long distance trade/sale of whatever. It’s not so much the case anymore but back in the day there was a definite regional differential on who has what. Corals that I couldn’t touch in Chicago back then are commonplace here in Tampa or LA. One of these days I’ll take you up, as that coral is my holy grail or unicorn. The new tenius stuff while nice, doesn’t do it for me. The purple monster truly separates the men from the boys. Once this pandemic slows down I’ll be in touch. Im a pilot so I could be in LA weekly if I bid the right trips!

 

[RussiReef]

I’d love to broker a long distance trade/sale of whatever. It’s not so much the case anymore but back in the day there was a definite regional differential on who has what. Corals that I couldn’t touch in Chicago back then are commonplace here in Tampa or LA. One of these days I’ll take you up, as that coral is my holy grail or unicorn. The new tenius stuff while nice, doesn’t do it for me. The purple monster truly separates the men from the boys. Once this pandemic slows down I’ll be in touch. Im a pilot so I could be in LA weekly if I bid the right trips!

Looking forward.

 

[C. Eymann]

I reached out to Bruce to confirm. After posting the pic I noticed there are greenish base which should not be the case. I may have just lost tracked and mislabeled the coral. Will get a pic of the other colony.

I was doubtful of that being a real PM, but didn't want to step on toes.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Softhammer, the vast amount of tenuis variants that are all different but only able to be differentiated by the people that collect them, doesn’t float your boat? :)

There is some amazing pictures of wild colonies of this coral here for those who haven’t seen this.

We tracked down the Purple Monster Acro to its original source | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

The Purple Monster Acropora is arguably one of the most infamous stony coral strains in the marine aquarium hobby, of all time. This particular strain of deep purple acro is the coral that kickstarted…

reefbuilders.com

I hope more people show us their colonies. Maybe I didn’t realize how rare the coral really is still. Imo this is the type of coral that should demand a much higher dollar. People are still selling frags for $100 bucks! That’s crazy to me since this thing takes years to form a decent small colony. If people charge more maybe more will try and propagate it.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I was doubtful of that being a real PM, but didn't want to step on toes.

Wait are you calling me a toe stepper? Man... Just kidding, but Bruce had a stunning reef and I hope Ezeke1 still has a piece from him that he can share. I felt wierd taking bruces last piece of it home because he had it for so long and he was telling me how much he loved it and I ALMOST felt bad. But then I remember how long he has been growing the same exact corals over and over so I am happy to see him start over with new stock honestly.

 

[C. Eymann]

Thanks :).

I do not have any experience with halides and T5's. My PM has been growing under Radion Gen 4 with 100% blues and 90% both whites in 400-450 PAR.

I have always thought PM is one of the few acros that can actually develop better pigmentation, mostly a deeper royal purple coloration under whiter lighting, but yours is looking great regardless and seeing a good size PM colony like yours in someones collection much more impressive to me that whatever high $$ tenuis thats super hot right now.
Its a very challenging coral to keep happy and growing.

 

[toaster77]

Here's a pic of my purple monster colony:

 

[DHill6]

Here's a pic of my purple monster colony:

Very nice, do you ever frag it?

 

[jda]

Be prepared for about 5-10 (or more) PMs asking for you to sell frags to them. Took me a while to figure out that this is one reason why the old timers with lots of nice corals do not post online a lot.

 

[Abhishek]

That’s actually sad @jda isnt it ? The whole idea of reefing is sharing and spread the joy of reefing

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

I have a nice sized frag coming later this week. Fingers crossed it likes me!

 

[jda]

I used to think that it was sad, but it is a burden in some ways. The last time that I posted a photo if my Pink Panther, I got 15-25 PMs from people who wanted a frag - most were nice, but some were quite nasty when I said that I did not have any to sell or frag. I had one guy cuss me out and demand to see a wait-list and know when I was fulfilling each order and where he was on the list. Unfortunately, the few bad ruin it for the many good. I don't post about PM or PP anymore... or at least I think twice before I do.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

I used to think that it was sad, but it is a burden in some ways. The last time that I posted a photo if my Pink Panther, I got 15-25 PMs from people who wanted a frag - most were nice, but some were quite nasty when I said that I did not have any to sell or frag. I had one guy cuss me out and demand to see a wait-list and know when I was fulfilling each order and where he was on the list. Unfortunately, the few bad ruin it for the many good. I don't post about PM or PP anymore... or at least I think twice before I do.

Really sorry to here that @jda I enjoy getting rare frags and sharing them with others who can truly appreciate them like me.