Where are these SPS coming from

[horseplay]

I see vendors developing new SPS variants all the time, some demanding a huge amount of $. I can't help but wondering how these variants are developed. Do they just come across these from the wilds or they're doing their gene mutations. Because we know new species (or variants) come from mutations and obviously nature does not mutate that fast.

Or maybe these are just common corals displaying fantastic colors under certain water/lighting conditions?

 

[Mael]

a little of everything. Lighting for color is one thing, and is always good to see what lighting vendors use when taking pictures.

Part of it is color morphs from lighting/flow/nutes in that particular system.

And yes, Im sure they are still finding some nice wild corals as well that we just havent seen before. A lot of the time a coral starts out regionally, and then eventually makes it out of the country it originates from. So a new acro out here may have been in the market for 3-6 months in asia or somewhere.

Definitely a good thing to see increasing variety, more choices is more competition and usually better pricing.

 

[OrionN]

Often I can get a wild caught coral from this one LFS in Houston that have them under poor light. A few weeks in my tank and it would color up a lot. I think I will try to document the change in color when I keep them in good condition and bright light.

This was a wild caught brown Acro when I got it on Father's day. It is still brighten up. I am not sure where it will end or deserve a name. Since it is a wild caught Acro, I am sure that there is no other coral in aquarium that is identical to it. If it color up really nice I may decide to name it.

 

[OrionN]

Often I can get a wild caught coral from this one LFS in Houston that have them under poor light. A few weeks in my tank and it would color up a lot. I think I will try to document the change in color when I keep them in good condition and bright light.

This was a wild caught brown Acro when I got it on Father's day. It is still brighten up. I am not sure where it will end or deserve a name. Since it is a wild caught Acro, I am sure that there is no other coral in aquarium that is identical to it. If it color up really nice I may decide to name it.

 

[ZON]

there are 2 kind of market.. one from wild or maricultured and one from hobbyst or breeders...

from both we can find rarity and masterpiece..

here is forbidden to sell corals if you don't have a shop or a farm ....and the sector of breeding special selected corals cannot develope

 

[animalkingdom]

there are 2 kind of market.. one from wild or maricultured and one from hobbyst or breeders...

from both we can find rarity and masterpiece..

here is forbidden to sell corals if you don't have a shop or a farm ....and the sector of breeding special selected corals cannot develope

black market time ...or just trade/give away without selling

 

[OrionN]

Yes you can trade them for money
No one need to report it.

 

[ZON]

black market time ...or just trade/give away without selling

is the only way..but here is a problem also that way... we have haters and lawyers in hobby that wait only this to begin wars.. personally prefer to give free to friends my frags or animals.. i'm a stupid but honest man.

 

[SaltyWalter]

Often I can get a wild caught coral from this one LFS in Houston that have them under poor light. A few weeks in my tank and it would color up a lot. I think I will try to document the change in color when I keep them in good condition and bright light.

This was a wild caught brown Acro when I got it on Father's day. It is still brighten up. I am not sure where it will end or deserve a name. Since it is a wild caught Acro, I am sure that there is no other coral in aquarium that is identical to it. If it color up really nice I may decide to name it.

You would be surprised on how many wild acros are identical to others imported at the same time from the same place. Whe. You buy a mini colony from the wild, it's usually just a chip off a very large colony out in the ocean lol

 

[ZON]

Also want to tell that your market of corals are totally diffeent from us..here no one buy for tons of bucks for 1/2" size frags even if rare species or very colored.. Prefer to buy at same price large wild colony ( 10/15") or little maricultured frags at cheap prices.. (Around 30/50/70$ depends of size ) but for us is "little "a frag like this :

( thank you my friend davide for the pics of this fiji coral)

 

[ZON]

this is a normal size wild acro here ..8 inches..

 

[psykobowler]

IMO, the maricultured mini colonies are still considered cheap here in the US (it is not that hard to import it direct from the pacific since we are in CA) but the survivability of the maricultured corals are way less than a 1/2" frag of tank raised coral. Most just brown out or rtn in the stores. Buyers should be aware of the wild/maricultured corals hacked into frags and sold with ridiculous names for a hefty profit. With the lighting technology we have today, the corals fragged from the same colony can appear different in different lighting, hence, the variation some people make a mistake. I would rather pay more for a tank grown frag that is already used to reef crystals, carbon and gfo than a mini colony "raised" in natural seawater.

 

[ZON]

here the WILD LARGE XXL fashion is hard to remove..

someone love to complete a tank in less then a month...and in more less they burn all corals (specially under LEDs)

 

[jc_ellis]

Where I'm at, none of the LFSs, I have found, carry wild or maricultured corals so we have to pay the premium price for small frags in order to bring them into the area. Luckily, most of the local reefers do not charge ridiculous prices for them when they decide to frag.