List and pic's of high end SPS corals

[elegance coral]

I thought it would be helpful if we could create a list of high end SPS corals, all in one place. I'm sure there are many people that want really nice corals, but don't know what to look for. Just because a retailer gives a coral a fancy name doesn't mean they're offering a "fancy" coral. We need a list of those corals that have proven to keep their color, and are worthy of the names they're given.

So, please help out and post those beautiful pic's, along with the corals name. You know you want to show off anyway. :lolspin:

 

[aandfsoccr04]

I'd say a few that are worth the price tag are:

Oregon tort
Red dragon
Strawberry shortcake
Garf bonsai
Purple monster
Hawkins echinata

 

[Wonton Soup]

Opinions.

 

[jackson6745]

Don't get caught up in all that LE crap. Choose corals which have nice shape and color. They will always be worth something. Some of the corals with nice shape and color can cost big $$ if it makes you feel better

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I thought it would be helpful if we could create a list of high end SPS corals, all in one place. I'm sure there are many people that want really nice corals, but don't know what to look for. Just because a retailer gives a coral a fancy name doesn't mean they're offering a "fancy" coral. We need a list of those corals that have proven to keep their color, and are worthy of the names they're given.

So, please help out and post those beautiful pic's, along with the corals name. You know you want to show off anyway. :lolspin:

I dig, EC.

Guys- he's NOT referring to LE corals. He's referring to SPS corals that are KNOWN to be durable beautiful aquarium specimens.

"Red Planet" is one such Acropora IMO/IME.
Although the name was coined by ORA I believe this is the same Acropora species that I was fragging long before ORA offered it.

 

[elegance coral]

Opinions.

Don't get caught up in all that LE crap. Choose corals which have nice shape and color. They will always be worth something. Some of the corals with nice shape and color can cost big $$ if it makes you feel better

This isn't about how much money we spend, or debating ones opinion of what's desirable.

There are corals that have been in captivity for a while and proven to do well and keep their color. These corals typically get named. Which helps hobbyists distinguish them from the corals that are fresh off the boat, and may, or may not, do well in captivity. If you don't like the "high end" corals, that's fine. Don't buy them. Some of us don't mind paying a little extra for a coral that we like and that has a proven track record.

It can be rough trying to search all over the place to find those corals that are known to do well and keep their color. I just thought it would be nice to have one place where these corals, from many different farmers, could all be listed together.

aandfsoccr04, thanks for your post. Those are some SWEET corals.:bounce2:

 

[elegance coral]

I dig, EC.

Guys- he's NOT referring to LE corals. He's referring to SPS corals that are KNOWN to be durable beautiful aquarium specimens.

"Red Planet" is one such Acropora IMO/IME.
Although the name was coined by ORA I believe this is the same Acropora species that I was fragging long before ORA offered it.

Thanks Gary.:thumbsup:

The "Red Planet" is one of the few "high end" SPS corals I have. I bought it as a small, bleached out frag, for twenty bucks. I only knew it had potential because of its name. At first the wife gave me grief about buying an "ugly little stick", but now I think it's her favorite SPS. I'll try to get some pic's up later.

 

[afamousjohnson]

Red dragon is deffinitly in the high end catagory but I would not put it in the durable or hardy catagory. It is an extremelly sensitive coral imo. As many acro but some seem a lil lesshardy than others. Its hard to make a high end list do to fads fading. The craze seems to slow as they get more excesable. I myself like going the "wild acro" route not knowing what im getting into at first and watching an awsome piece take shape and color up with a lil time in the tank.
A most hardy best looking acro list would be beneficial for peeps new to sps and getting into the acro world.
Scratch the red dragon input above allthough its true. Went back and realized we were talking red planet so had to edit. Red planet is very durable. And at one time was the craze but now......in a raffle we had a bit ago...it was the last piece left on the table...and we even joked about how a few years ago it would've been snatched up first thing. It is a beautiful coral.

 

[jackson6745]

This isn't about how much money we spend, or debating ones opinion of what's desirable.

There are corals that have been in captivity for a while and proven to do well and keep their color. These corals typically get named. Which helps hobbyists distinguish them from the corals that are fresh off the boat, and may, or may not, do well in captivity. If you don't like the "high end" corals, that's fine. Don't buy them. Some of us don't mind paying a little extra for a coral that we like and that has a proven track record.

It can be rough trying to search all over the place to find those corals that are known to do well and keep their color. I just thought it would be nice to have one place where these corals, from many different farmers, could all be listed together.

aandfsoccr04, thanks for your post. Those are some SWEET corals.:bounce2:

High end means high price.....The topic of your thread. This is why I said don't get caught up in the LE/high end coral fads. However, buying corals with good proven lineage is well worth the money. We are in agreement here

As for I list i wouldn't know where to start. Anything Tyree, ORA, or Romel seems to have good results

 

[Red_Blenny]

When my tank took a nose dive (tank temp went to 85), the ones I lost were all marcultured pieces. The one that lived through the tank crash were:

Pink Lemonade
Strawberry Shortcake
Rouge Millipora
Sunset Millipora
Unknown staghorn (but it came from a healthy, mature, established reef tank)
Setosa
Red Montipora (then again, montiporas are pretty darn hardy)

They all browned up but did not die on me. Eventually, they all gained their color back within a month.

 

[Fastcroc]

I'm a fan of my Chips acro from ORA. Not too sure how rare it is in other places but its just about impossible to get around here.

 

[veloboy]

I'd say a few that are worth the price tag are:

Oregon tort
Red dragon
Strawberry shortcake
Garf bonsai
Purple monster
Hawkins echinata

All of these plus ORA Pearlberry and 20k Lokani.

 

[doosiec]

Shop around for gems, you'll fine some that are actually much better than the LE named corals. Named corals are usually over hyped, Supply < Demand = High Price

 

[Allmost]

There are corals that have been in captivity for a while and proven to do well and keep their color. These corals typically get named. Which helps hobbyists distinguish them from the corals that are fresh off the boat, and may, or may not, do well in captivity.

true and false there are alot of SPS speciies with no name, yet they keep their colors well and grow well ... different stags for example ... they dont have fancy names ....

untill ORA or some one else with a name starts fragging them and giving them names .... and selli ng at premium price

do you know of any corals, with a name, and decent price ? I dont, anything with a name here is 4 times the price ! yet it doesnt garantee its longitivity or ...

 

[doosiec]

true and false there are alot of SPS speciies with no name, yet they keep their colors well and grow well ... different stags for example ... they dont have fancy names ....

untill ORA or some one else with a name starts fragging them and giving them names .... and selli ng at premium price

do you know of any corals, with a name, and decent price ? I dont, anything with a name here is 4 times the price ! yet it doesnt garantee its longitivity or ...

I see a ton of corals with no names on them, SPS's LPS, if it looks good I'm buying it. The cost of LE is the cost of several frags I can get. I'll just wait until the price drops then pick it up later. No need to be on the band wagon.

 

[Allmost]

I see a ton of corals with no names on them, SPS's LPS, if it looks good I'm buying it. The cost of LE is the cost of several frags I can get. I'll just wait until the price drops then pick it up later. No need to be on the band wagon.

I think we are saying the same thing. not all nice corals have names

but you shouldnt wait for price of a LE coral to drop. cause it wont

 

[Deepsea2005]

I think it's all about what you love.
These were/are my corals.
They are highend to me.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Deepsea- what's the green table Acro in your first pic? Got any more pix of it to post?

 

[Kayo2289]

I'm a fan of my Chips acro from ORA. Not too sure how rare it is in other places but its just about impossible to get around here.

Can you post a picture of this chip acro? Does it look like a pringle / ace of spade? There is a local reefer who has an potato chip and refuses to sell it to me, I have tried to buy it many times lol

 

[Allmost]

Deepsea- what's the green table Acro in your first pic? Got any more pix of it to post?

looks like an Efflo . just like the green smaller pic.

I think