What can "brown" do for you? A lot, actually! The UC "Ugliest Coral Contest is BACK!"

[uniquecorals]

Here's a photo that shows its true brown color.

Looks like "tollhouse Cookie dough" is appropriate! Awesome!

 

[uniquecorals]

Here's the "golden" coral in my tank. I like to peruse my local LFS for any cool new corals and one day I was there one of the workers saw me looking and offered "We have a brain coral that was burned during shipment, would give you a discount on it." I couldn't resist a deal, and thinking I could nurse it back to health, I took the deal and the brain coral. It had bleach marks and looked in pretty bad shape when I got it home. Well, several months later, it is as happy as can be in my tank: regularly puffs up, comes out, bleach marks are gone, everything is great. Except the color. No matter what I do, it refuses to be anything other then a "Golden" brain coral. I'm still holding out for a designer color pattern

Didn't anyone tell you- brown is the new hot pink! It's "designer" already, babe... Stunning!

 

[uniquecorals]

Bought:

Received:

In fairness to the vendor, their photo is top down and it does look a lot better top down...But definitely not like their photo

That's what I call a steal! Can't believe they sold you that gem! Wow..gutsy to even post that; they might ask you to pay more! LOL!

 

[solar]

Bought this from someone in my reef club. Was a rainbow pocillopora lol looked amazing for about 2 weeks then it just went brown. Have fragged it several times and it has grown alot. It was about the size of a thumbtack when i recieved it.

This was a dark blue sps with green polyps it has encrusted the whole plug now and remains brown lol. It was a ora something can't remember the name.

 

[GHill762]

This is either Monti confusa or spongodes, but the pic when I bought it was green, it was delivered brown and hasn't colored up at all and has barely grown, I've had it about a year.. Given it high light, low light, high flow, low flow, lower nutrients, etc.. Stooopid coral..

 

[GHill762]

These are turd brown star polyps, the picture actually is more colorful than reality.. The ugly cousin of green star polyps.. They grow twice as fast and are uber ugly..

 

[Mike J.]

If brown truly is the new "in thing", I'll take Scott's word for it, then I'm really rolling in the gold. But, my opinion, uninformed of course, is that I sure wish it looked like the green one to the left.

 

[playin gmz]

My once purple acro is now baby poop brown, hoping to be purple again one day!

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Lol I love this competition! I've got some ugly corals that I just can't give up on. Lol I have some nice ones too now that I've been collecting for a while, so I'll let someone else take the prize...but I love this competition!!!

 

[pensfan]

Here is my entry. A fellow reefer in our area was breaking down his tank. After talking to him and finding out he had a pearl berry I was stoked to go over and buy at least that and possibly some others. I did get a couple nice corals but the pearl berry I really wanted was not one of them, even though I did buy it. The pearl berry was very brown but I went ahead and got it in the hopes that it would color up. Plus I got it cheap since it was brown. Here it is a couple months later with hardly any change. Pic is taken with a top down box under 20k Radiums with an iphone and is unedited. Enjoy!

 

[daniel16]

That's what I call a steal! Can't believe they sold you that gem! Wow..gutsy to even post that; they might ask you to pay more! LOL!

Don't knock my silver and ultra gold beast! It's my favorite!

 

[jhoffa92]

believe it or not this rock use to be covered in pulsing xeina I was way young in the hobby and bought some for 30 dollars for 3 stalks well long story short I jumped the gun and now the rock sits lonely with no frag on it yet I have since became more experienced and now can house xeina I kinda chose not to tho lol

 

[uniquecorals]

Man, soooo much golden goodness here, we're gonna need another day to review and vote! Awesome entries! Thanks to everyone who submitted one...Look for the winner to be announced by tomorrow evening (don't we say that every time..sheesh!).

-Scott

 

[uniquecorals]

Superman Monti I've had for about 7 months. Been this way since about a month after I got it, hope it colors back up when I get the new tank set up.

A-mazing! The "Blooper-Man" Monti! Well done...well done!

 

[uniquecorals]

You want ugly? I got ugly for you Here is an acropora abrotanoides that I had for over a year. I called it the "Hulks Junk". I generally stay away from thick corals, especially corals with a reputation for being as difficult as an abrotanoides. It was on sale at a LFS for $20 so I gave it a shot. I actually kept good color for around 6 months, but after a cyano remover dose, it lost all the green and went tan on me. For the last 8 month I have kept this coral and it has been dormant, until recently. I transferred my previous 60 gallon into a new 115g custom cube 10 weeks ago. The abrotanoides liked the new tank and showed some better pe and more of a turd brown instead of a tan brown. It looked healthier and actually started showing small growth nubs. Ironically I just got rid of it today. I couldn't stand looking at it anymore, and I need the real estate for a shortcake

Recent Pic (Don't stare too long)

IMG_7355 by rich.colombo, on Flickr

Early pic shortly after purchase

IMG_3676 by rich.colombo, on Flickr

Several months down the road

IMG_4908 by rich.colombo, on Flickr

Man, I'm speechless...Extra points for the creative name, and the well, suggestive camera angle doesn't hurt, either. Beautiful transition from green to "tan brown" and then to the coveted "turd brown." Wow...

 

[uniquecorals]

I guess these would be my "uglies". I've had them all since frags over the last couple years, tried high/med/low lighting, and they show hints of color now and then, so in keep them in hopes that they will completely color up one day



Unknown acropora (Been this color since the day I got the frag)

Pink Millipora

ORA Rose Millipora

Scripps Acro

Strong entries all around...ORA will probably not be calling you to be their advertising spokesperson, but...

 

[uniquecorals]

First pic is the first coral I ever put in my reef. was free from a friend. the second are star polyps that are trying to take over my reef. they came with my live rock. I was new and thought any growth was cool now there are tons of these things. Started with like 5 polys

Extra points for the "takeover of the reef" story! Strong brown colors...

 

[uniquecorals]

Here is my entry. A fellow reefer in our area was breaking down his tank. After talking to him and finding out he had a pearl berry I was stoked to go over and buy at least that and possibly some others. I did get a couple nice corals but the pearl berry I really wanted was not one of them, even though I did buy it. The pearl berry was very brown but I went ahead and got it in the hopes that it would color up. Plus I got it cheap since it was brown. Here it is a couple months later with hardly any change. Pic is taken with a top down box under 20k Radiums with an iphone and is unedited. Enjoy!

The "Poo Berry" rises again...!

 

[uniquecorals]

my once purple acro is now baby poop brown, hoping to be purple again one day!

solid!

 

[uniquecorals]

If brown truly is the new "in thing", I'll take Scott's word for it, then I'm really rolling in the gold. But, my opinion, uninformed of course, is that I sure wish it looked like the green one to the left.

Niice!