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FALL 2007 | Volume 1

A SCORPION IN
YOUR REEF?

ZEN PART 3:
THE SEARCH
FOR PERFECT
Image by Richard Ross
FLOW
AWESOME OLD SCHOOL STONIES

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SB
Features Fall 2007 | Volume 1

RHM Staff
President
Harry Tung
Executive Editor
Jim Adelberg
Art Director

12 14
Tamara Sue

6
Zen Part 3:
The Search
For Perfect Flow.
Jim Adelberg is an
advanced hobbyist and
industry professional
from the San Francisco
Bay Area. In this article,
Jim explains the design
process for a six-foot,
penducted, gyre reef
tank. Image above by
Norman Tom.
Sticky Basics:
The Art Of Frag
Gluing.
Richard Ross is a San
Francisco Bay Area coral
farmer and cuttlefish
breeder. Richard shares
his tips for safe and secure
coral mounting in your reef’s
rockwork and some tricks
of the trade he has learned
from mounting thousands
of frags. Image above by author.
Graphics
David Tran
Awesome Advertising
Stony Corals: The A-Team
Old School Stonies. Special Thanks
Steve Tyree grows some Greg Rothschild
of the rarest and most gregrothschild.com
desirable corals in our Norman Tom
hobby and has been an avid Monica Hong
collector of rare corals for Richard Ross
many years. In this article, Gresham Hendee
Steve takes us back to the
early days of stony coral
collecting and spotlights one
Tell us what you think:
of the legendary species
comments@rhmag.com
from that period: the Purple
Monster. Image above by Greg
Copyright© 2007 Reef Hobbyist Magazine.
Rothschild. All rights reserved.

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5
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on our forums.

A Scorpion In Your Reef?

Matt Wandell has been an avid reef aquarium hobbyist
for 8 years and is an aquatic biologist at the California
Academy of Sciences-Steinhart Aquarium. Matt has
a passion for uncommon fish and here profiles his
latest favorite: the Pink and Yellow Dwarf Scorpionfish,
Sebastapistes cyanostigma.
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 FISH

Image by Richard Ross A Scorpion In Your Reef?

By Matt Wandell
Image by Matt Wandell

A
scorpionfish in a reef tank? Every once in a while a like all scorpionfishes, S. cyanostigma has a row of venomous
family of fishes will include rare members that surprise dorsal spines that they will employ if
us with their uniqueness and suitability for a reef threatened. Extreme care should be
aquarium. Consider the zooplanktivorous Xanthichthys taken while cleaning or rearranging
triggerfishes, which make fascinating and unique additions the tank to avoid envenomation.
to a larger reef aquarium community despite the aggressive
tendencies of their cousins. Likewise, the Genicanthus Their aquarium care is
angelfishes make ideal reef fish even though they belong to undemanding. A colony of
a family notorious for nipping at or outright consuming corals. natural host coral would
Such is the case with Sebastapistes cyanostigma, the Pink make an ideal home;
and Yellow Scorpionfish. Most scorpionfish are large, rather barring this a small cave
drab, inactive fishes that are capable of eating most of their or piece of branching live
tankmates. rock will provide adequate
shelter. Some specimens
The Pink and Yellow Scorpionfish is the most boldly colored may require live ghost or
member of its genus, and stays incredibly small, around brine shrimp to initiate feeding
3” when fully grown. It sports a pattern of yellow or white in captivity, but can be easily
spots on a vivid red to pink body, with bright yellow pectoral, weaned onto frozen mysids, krill, Image by Matt Wandell
ventral, dorsal, and caudal fins. It is unlikely to be mistaken and chopped prawn. Eventually this
for any other scorpionfish. S. cyanostigma has a widespread fish will become quite accustomed to
distribution in the wild, ranging from the Red Sea to Australia, feeding time and “beg” for food by swimming at the surface
Japan, and Samoa. However, up until 2004 it of the water any time the aquarist comes near the tank.
was virtually unavailable in the U.S. Because of its small size it can be kept with all but the smallest
aquarium trade. In the wild, S. of fish. I have kept this fish with Pseudanthias fairy basslets,
cyanostigma is almost always Liopropoma cave basslets, firefish, and Chromis viridis without
found tucked inside the any signs of predation or aggression. It can be kept safely with
branches of Pocillopora, large cleaner shrimp, although small shrimp are likely to be
Millepora, or Pavona eaten. Ideally any small fish or shrimp should be added to the
corals during the day. tank well before, and be nearly as large, as the scorpionfish.
At night, it perches on Very small snails and hermit crabs may also be consumed. Due
top of the coral and to its habit of perching on a preferred spot (similar to hawkfish)
quickly dashes out to it may irritate a coral enough to cause it to not extend its polyps.
snag any small fish On the flip side, this fish may be consumed or injured by carpet
or shrimp unlucky anemones or corals with a potent sting. Large substrate
enough to swim by. picking fish, such as filefish, angelfish, butterflyfish, pufferfish,
They have a hunting and triggerfish may harass this fish by attempting to feed from
behavior quite similar it or consume it.
to the hawkfishes in
this respect. It makes Given simple care, the Pink and Yellow Scorpionfish will reward
a wonderful addition to a you with its endearing behavior and stunning coloration. It
community reef aquarium makes an uncommon, fascinating addition to a unique reef
Image by Richard Rosså
of 20 gallons size or larger. aquarium.
Aquarists should be aware that,

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FRAGS

Images by Norman Tom

Sticky Basics: The Art of SPS Frag Gluing

Article & Images By Richard Ross

C ongratulations on purchasing your new SPS frag and welcome to the world of
captive coral propagation! If all goes well, soon you will be able to frag your new coral to trade
with other reef keepers, but first, you need to attach your frag to your reef both to protect it and to
maximize its growth. This article will discuss my preferred method for protecting and mounting SPS
frags to an existing home reef – super glue gel.

If your SPS frag isn’t securely attached to your home reef it
is in danger of getting knocked over by a wandering snail,
crab, other reef animal, being blown over by your water flow,
or being dislodged by a stray hand while you are working
in the tank. Constantly having to handle and reattach frags
that fall over will slow their growth, extend their acclimation
time or even damage the coral. A dislodged frag may also
disappear into your rockwork never to be seen again, or fall
onto a neighboring coral, which can result in the death of one
or both of the animals.
Almost as important as having a secure attachment for your
frag is its ‘movability’. You may discover you need to move
the frag to a location in the tank with better lighting or water
flow, or you may simply want to move the animal for aesthetic
reasons. There are a whole host of coral pests and diseases
(red bugs, acro eating flatworms, coral eating nudibranchs,
rapid tissue necrosis, slow tissue necrosis, etc.) that can be
treated more easily and safely by removing the infected coral
from the show tank for quarantine or therapeutic dip, rather
than treating the entire system. The ins and outs of quarantine
tanks and dipping regimens are outside the scope of this
article, but you can check the RHM online forums at www.
reefhobbyistmagazine.com for more information. If you glue
your frag directly to the rockwork in your reef, and it encrusts
as it should, you may have no way to remove it should the
need arise.
My method is pretty simple – after dipping the frag in your
favorite anti-coral pest dip and acclimating the specimen to
your tank water, super glue the frag to a piece of rock rubble,
then super glue that rock rubble to your existing rockwork.
I like to use rock rubble in a show tank rather than any of
the commercially available frag disks or plugs because the
rubble looks more natural, blending in well and quickly with
the existing home reef. I am also a fan of reuse, and would
much rather use readily available broken up used rock, rubble
or even dead coral skeleton that has already been harvested
from wild reefs instead of throwing it away and buying a new
product. I find the commercial disks and plugs to be great
for propagation systems, but prefer using rubble for ‘show’
tanks. If you don’t have any reef rubble, check with your
local fish store or your local reef club to see if they have any
available.
I prefer super glue gel to super glue liquid or any of the epoxies
because it doesn’t run, it sets up quickly, and it is easy to
‘break’ the attachment point without hurting the coral if the
frag needs to be moved. Super glue of any kind really is super
glue, so you may want to wear latex gloves when working with

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it. You may also want to have some super glue debonder on
hand should it end up somewhere undesirable.

Make sure you have everything you need: the frag, super glue
gel, rubble, a container of tank water to hold the frag while
the glue sets, latex gloves, and possibly some toothpicks,
a Popsicle stick or something similar. When you are in the
middle of working with a quick drying adhesive like super
glue, you don’t want to have to stop and search for something
you need to complete the project. You should also prepare
a suitable workspace, like a kitchen counter covered with
newspaper to protect it from stray glue.

Before you get started, take a look in your tank and decide
where you want to place the frag. Next, select your rubble to
fit that spot. Look for a piece that matches the curve of the
rock or a piece that looks like it ‘belongs’ in that space. Make
sure it is small enough to look right, but big enough to allow
the coral space to encrust as it grows out. A piece around
the size of a quarter is what I generally use for SPS frags, and
rubble can even be broken or cut to size using a strong pair
of coral or bone shears. You also want to select a piece of
rubble that will allow you to position the frag on it easily – a
hole or indentation will provide a secure place for your frag
once the glue hardens.

Now it is time to glue. If the rubble is wet, dry off the area
where the frag will be attached. Squeeze a dollop of glue
directly onto the rubble and put it aside – you should have a
minute to work with the frag before the glue sets too much
to be useful. Dry off the cut end of the frag and put another
dollop of super glue gel on that spot (see image a). Next,
holding the rubble in one hand and the frag in the other, put
the glued end of the frag into the glue on the rubble and
move the frag around a bit to mix the two glued areas. Try to
position the frag so part of it actually touches the rubble (see
image b). This can lead to faster growth and encrustation

a | A frag of Eddie’s Purple Monster and a piece of rubble each with a dollop b | Eddie’s Purple Monster frag glued to the rubble, with part of the frag
of super glue gel. touching the rubble to encourage future growth.

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in general. Also, try to orient the frag in such a way that the
original top side of the coral (the side that has been facing
up towards the lights) will be facing your lights so the coral
doesn’t bleach and die. While the super glue is still soft, use
a toothpick or other tool to smear any blobs of glue onto the
rubble for both a stronger bond and aesthetic considerations.
Then, place the rubble and frag into a bowl of tank water to
allow it to set well (see image c). This takes anywhere from
5 to 10 minutes. The better the super glue sets, the harder
it will be to accidentally knock the frag off the rubble when
gluing the rubble to your reef.
You are now ready to glue the rubble with the frag to your
existing rockwork. Exercise caution when using super glue
gel under water, as it can be tricky. When super glue gel is
put in water, it almost immediately gets a skin of polymerized
glue over a center of still ‘wet’ glue. This skin can make it
difficult to get the glue to actually adhere to the rock, so it
is a good idea to ‘prime’ the rockwork where the frag and
rubble are going to attach with some super glue gel (see
image d). Put a large dollop of super glue gel on a Popsicle
stick or a latex glove covered finger and smear it around on
the rockwork. The smearing will break the ‘skin’ and allow
the glue to both adhere to the rock and set very quickly.
Once you have the site in your reef prepared, remove the
rubble with the glued frag from the setting container and put
a large dollop of glue onto the portion of the rubble that will
c | Eddie’s Purple
Monster frag
glued to rubble,
setting up in a
container of tank
water.
d | Future home
of the frag and
rubble ‘primed’
with a smear of
super glue gel.
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be against the rock (see image e). Quickly put the rubble
into place against your existing rockwork, gently wiggling the
rubble around to break the newly formed skin on the glue
against the ‘primed’ super glue already on the rock. After a
few seconds, you should feel the glue start to set. This is the
time to set the rubble and frag into its final position. Once you
do, hold it in place for 20-30 seconds. If there are any lumps
of glue showing, use a toothpick to smear them around both
for a more secure and aesthetically pleasing bond (see image
f). In a couple of weeks, the frag and the rubble should look
like they have always been part of your reef.
If you need to remove the rubble and frag from your rockwork,
grasp the rubble in one hand and your rockwork in the other
and twist the rubble. This should snap the hardened super
glue. You can also use a butter knife, screwdriver, or similar
tool, sliding it between the rubble and the rockwork so you
can pry off the rubble by snapping the hardened glue. Either
way, it is critically important to make sure you securely hold
your rockwork so the twisting or prying doesn’t move the
rocks and collapse your aquascape.
My favorite thing about this method is how easily it allows
you to grow frags of your own. As the coral encrusts onto
the rubble, you can simply glue another piece of rubble to the
existing rubble and let the coral encrust onto that. Once the
coral is growing nicely onto the new rubble, snap it off and
voila! - instant encrusted frag!
e | The underside
of the rubble with
a liberal amount
of super glue gel
ready to attach
to the primed
spot in the exist-
ing reef.
f | Eddie’s Purple
Monster frag in
place. In a few
weeks, the rubble
and the exposed
super glue gel will
look as if they
have always been
a part of the reef.
3
Reef-A
-Palooza
Article & Images By RHM Staff

When: August 18, 2007

Where: Orange County Fair and Exposition Center, Costa Mesa, California

SCMAS has discovered the recipe for a HOT event! When the reef hobby’s most reputable and
relevant manufacturers come together with California’s best coral farmers, the hobbyists are the winners
as they were August 18th in Costa Mesa. With an estimated attendance of more than 2,000 enthusiasts,
Reef-A-Palooza was everything hobbyists were promised and more!
Show participants were treated to a huge array of rare and uncommonly
colored corals for sale at approximately 35 livestock vendor booths. The
livestock exhibitors showcased such an amazing collection of rare species
and colors that it was sometimes difficult for individual vendors to stand
out. Some of the notables included Vivid Aquariums’ (Canoga Park) big
screen interactive display where participants could look up coral species and
profiles online in real time. Another standout was Fish Supply’s (Huntington
Beach) bag sale where participants received super deals on hundreds of
pre-bagged fish, corals, and invertebrates.

Manufacturer booths didn’t fall short of expectations either. Every booth

received their share of curious hobbyists looking for information on their
next possible purchase. When asked about the diversity of manufacturers,
SCMAS’s President Kevin Adams said “Hobbyists in this particular industry
are undeniably as unique and diverse as their own fingerprints. I wanted
to broaden the scope of what we provide to the furthest possible extent so
that nearly anyone who attended Reef-A-Palooza would find their particular
niche to enjoy.” It was evident that Kevin successfully achieved this goal.
The exhibitors displayed new technology and also did a great job educating
hobbyists, making Reef-A-Palooza a resourceful event to learn about the
newest light bulbs, fish and coral foods, filtration systems, or every other
facet of reef-keeping.

Whether you were in the mood to buy a rare coral, see the latest reef-
keeping equipment, listen to knowledgeable speakers, or just enjoy a free
cup of cold lemonade at the Teco booth (chilled by a Teco Seachill), the
$5 admission was a bargain any way you looked at it. Hopefully, more
organizations will see the success and importance of Reef-A-Palooza and
begin hosting similar hobbyist-oriented events. This type of event is really
conducive to the advancement of the hobby and Reef Hobbyist Magazine
is proud to have been a participant. We hope everyone enjoyed their copy
of Reef Hobbyist Magazine. Special thanks to Frank Nichols and ‘Coral and
Fish Center’ in Santa Ana, California.

Upcoming Event:
Southern Colorado Marine Aquarium Society (SCMAS) is
holding a frag swap October 20, 2007. Look it up in our
MARINE AQUARIUM AND REEF EVENTS forum at
www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com!

Read about past and upcoming marine aquarium and reef events at www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com! 11
SYSTEMS

The Search For Perfect Flow

Article & Images By Jim Adelberg

I n the first two articles of this series we looked at some of the requirements of captive live coral and how to
generally plan a system to meet those requirements. In this installment, we make the leap from conceptual
planning to the specifics of starting a new tank.
For me, planning always proceeds from the top down so I began with Flow
a look at my priorities for this tank, and how previous systems have Improving the flow of water in my tanks and around my corals is
failed to address these priorities. My priority list looked like this: a critical issue for me so I eventually decided on a bare bottom,
1. Functionality – this system must produce high growth rates for horizontal gyre tank with a penducted closed loop. This all sounds
my corals. more complicated than it is.
2. Ease of maintenance – this system should be easy to maintain,
a very high priority for any of my systems.
3. Aesthetics – this system must look good - at least to me!
4. Economy – you think magazine editors make lots of $$$?
5. Ease of future modifications – I am always trying new things
and my systems must be flexible enough to allow for easy
modifications in the future.

Having the opportunity to spend extended time on wild reefs is an

extremely educational experience for any aquarist and points out
clearly the differences between the wild reef environments and our
captive ones. These differences were hammered home during the
months I recently spent in Tonga, a South Pacific island kingdom
composed mainly of coral atolls.
I have felt for a long time that there are two areas where our captive
systems fall short: these are water flow and feeding of benthic
invertebrates and corals. I viewed this new system as a chance to
explore both issues.
In the wild, corals on the reef receive a
huge variety of types and strengths of
water flow (see image a). These currents
play a key role in the corals’ survival,
bringing food and oxygen and removing
waste from around the animals. Since
delivery of food and oxygen and the
removal of wastes are three of the major
challenges facing any reef hobbyist, a
careful planning of flow patterns is
important for long-term success.
Image by Norman Tom
I have always preferred bare bottom systems for many years because
of the ease of maintenance. Bare bottom systems also offer the
opportunity for enhanced flow rates across the bottom of the tank,
leading to better particle suspension. This is important both to
deliver food particles to corals and to keep physical waste particles
suspended in the water column so that they can be extracted by the
overflow.
Gyre systems are simply systems designed with reinforcing flow
patterns and baffles to create a circular water movement in the
tank. Think of it as a big, spinning donut of water. Gyre tanks are
extremely efficient due to their use of reinforcing flow sources and
offer hobbyists a real opportunity to improve the water movement in
their tanks for little or no additional cost. (For more on gyres, read the
informative article by Jake Adams in the January 2007 issue of the
online magazine “Advanced Aquarist’s”.)

a | Complex water currents

over a reef in Tonga.
water flow

12 Would you like to contribute to Reef Hobbyist Magazine? Visit us at www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com and find out how!
 Penductors, and the larger
eductors, are devices that
“entrain” water by pumping
high velocity water streams
through open backed, flared
nozzles. This means that for
every gallon of water pumped
through the nozzle, additional
gallons are pulled (entrained)
along the same path. The
best entrainment rates are achieved with the use of pressure rated
pumps.

Food
Our hobby has actually come a long way in regards to food and we
are finally seeing products of the right particle size, nutritional value
and palatability offered on the market. Both phyto (plant) and zoo
(animal) plankton products are available to feed our corals as well as
larger fare. I would recommend thoroughly researching your specific
animals’ dietary needs so that you can choose your food purchases
wisely.

I have always been a heavy feeder and I believe that active feeding
strategies lead to higher growth rates. This probably has much to do
with my fixation on flow strategies and particle management in my
systems. I have been known to feed up to a million rotifers at a time
and tend to have high populations of sponges, dusters and tunicates
as well.

Additional food for the corals is provided by fish waste, which tends
to get broken up in the current and delivered to the corals to eat, or
the skimmer for removal, whichever gets it first.

Lighting is provided by a 20,000K, 175-watt metal halide bulb on one

side and a different brand of 20,000K, 250-watt metal halide bulb
on the other. This provides various lighting zones versus an evenly lit
tank. Both bulbs are mounted in the highest quality reflectors I could
find.

The remainder of the equipment was more conventional. I chose a

120 gallon sump to go under the 165 gallon display tank. I normally
size a sump at 2/3 to 3⁄4 the display size and run it halfway full. The
only circulation in the main tank is provided by a single sump return
and a single, closed loop, penducted return. Naturally, the largest,
high quality skimmer I could accommodate was used. I have come
to rely on large protein skimmers to assist in the removal of physical
wastes from the system. Simple needle wheel designs have served
me well for years.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank some individuals and
companies for their belief in this project and for their support of Reef
Hobbyist Magazine: Scott Clark and Truvu Aquariums for design,
construction and donation of the custom gyre tank. Gresham
Hendee and Reef Nutrition for sponsoring the feeding of this system.
Steven Trieu and New Alameda Aquatics for sponsoring the water
changes. Bob Boone, Robert Rodriguez and Aquatic Specialties and
Pets for livestock donations. Richard Ross for the donation of the
protein skimmer and return pump. Norman Tom for stand design and
construction.

In the next installment, I will discuss the specific animals I keep in this
system and how this system is maintained. We will also begin to track
specific corals to monitor their progress in this system and provide a
baseline for future decisions. See you then! -Jim Adelberg

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 STONY CORAL SERIES
Part >> 3
Old School Stony Corals
By Steve Tyree
B
efore we discuss more of the incredibly
exciting SPS Reef Building Stony Corals
currently trading within the captive reef
market, we should begin to identify some
of the original, awesome SPS corals
that have been traded within the U.S. since the mid
to late 1990’s. This time period occurred right after
the early pioneering phase for Reef Building Stony
aquarists. By the mid to late 1990’s, aquarists had
become successful enough to farm and propagate
even some of the more difficult to keep SPS stony
corals. The few popular stony corals from this early
captive phase have become known as ‘Old School
Stony Corals’. These Old School corals were the
original exotic captive stony corals that really began
to spark the interest of captive aquarists. Here we will
review some of the first stony corals that I personally
grew and distributed within captivity.
These early stony corals became popular within the U.S. for
various reasons, but the primary reason was the incredible
pigmentation patterns that these corals could develop
under certain conditions. These corals were also the first
captive grown corals to be given common marketing
names. Quite a few of the imported corals brought into the
United States prior to this time frame were given common
names by the exporters and importers. Names such as ‘Fox
Coral’, ‘Bubble Coral’ and ‘Torch Coral’ were frequently
seen on import ordering lists for the early LPS Reef Building
Stony Corals. When the first Acropora, Montipora and
Pocillopora SPS Reef Building Stony Corals were imported
in large numbers into the U.S., the common names found
on the importers’ ordering lists included ‘Acropora Blue’ or
‘Pocillopora Green’. So it was only natural for new common
marketing names to be created by captive coral growers
who were propagating these new coral species.
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Image by Greg Rothschild
In some cases, these common marketing names were
developed by the customers who purchased the corals
or by aquarists that first admired them. That was indeed
the case with perhaps the first awesome captive stony
coral from the U.S. that began to sell in the $50+ per small
fragment range. That coral eventually became known
as the “Purple Monster”. I did not name this coral even
though I originally grew the first captive fragments. That
marketing name was coined by Steve Shvetstoff after he
saw the coral in person. These types of marketing names
have certainly developed some controversy over the years
within the captive reefkeeping community. On one hand,
we have purists who stress that the corals should be
identified by their accurate scientific names. These species
identifications, however, are based on characteristics that
the general buying public does not seem to be seriously
concerned with. For example, very few people ask if the
corallites on a branching Acropora fragment have tubular
and oblique openings or if the corallites have tubular and
nariform openings. Most buyers in the captive market will
look at an Acropora fragment and examine branch stem
color, corallite color, polyp extension, polyp coloration and
the overall shape and appearance of the fragment. The
characteristics that the typical coral buyer examines are not
necessarily the same characteristics that scientists examine
when accurately identifying the species. Since most of the
current coral buyers are not scientists, common marketing
names have become established and now dominate the
market. Recently, however, an advanced niche market has
been developing where accurate species identifications
can dramatically increase the desirability of a marketed
coral. This is especially true for the more rare and exotic
species.
It should be noted for potential collectors that the Old
School Stonies may not be the most beautiful or the most
colorful corals currently available within the captive market.
What has helped to develop the attractiveness of these
corals in some cases is their long history of being grown
and propagated within captivity. The Purple Monster coral,
for example, has been grown within captivity since 1995.
At certain times during that 12 year time span, it is possible
that only one aquarist within the U.S. may have possessed
a living specimen. Cameron Azad of Pasadena, California
was definitely one of those aquarists. The achievement of
maintaining this coral within captivity for 12 years is even
more incredible because the coral can be very difficult
to maintain. Any problem with a captive reef’s carbonate
hardness level will typically cause problems for the Purple
Monster coral. When we first began propagating this coral,
the first calcium reactors sold within the U.S. market were
just beginning to appear. Historically, the very first SPS
stony coral propagated within captivity was the Stubers
Acropora. This coral, which has been featured in many Image by Steve Tyree. This image was taken in 1996 after the
of the early reef related books and articles, eventually coral had started growing for the first time in captivity. No frag-
ments had been taken prior to this image, so the image repre-
developed a green pigmentation along with blue tips. Even sents the only existing Purple Monster in captivity at that time.
with its lack of spectacular coloration, many captive stony The only reason Steve was forced to make fragments of this
aquarists have sought a fragment of the original Old School coral was because a virulent RTN pathogen arrived later in 1996
and the imported SPS market simply vanished due to the effects
Stuber Stony from the early 1990’s. So in some respects of that initial RTN blight. Steve had to sell fragments of this coral
these Old School Stonies represent the living history of the to remain afloat during that period of extremely weak to non-
existent SPS coral sales.
captive Reef Building Stony Coral market.

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The Legendary Purple Monster

A few reef aquarists might have said that when the first box
of Purple Monster corals arrived from the Solomon Islands
way back in 1995, it was perhaps the best box of corals
ever to be exported from the Indo-Pacific. That was in fact
the exact phrase used at the time by an employee for the
importer who personally opened the transhipped box.
During this period there was only one main company that
was importing the vast majority of SPS corals from Fiji, the
Solomons and Indonesia. That box, transhipped through
them, was one entire box filled with 4 full colonies of original
Purple Monster corals. I had split this shipment with two
other professional aquarists from Orange County. In the mid
90’s, transhipping whole SPS colonies was still a hit or miss
proposition, especially concerning large sized colonies of
delicate Acropora corals. Of the original 4 colonies, one
was DOA (dead on arrival). Two other colonies died within
the second week. Only 1 colony survived in captivity long
term. Since 1995, there have been many more incredible Image by Tracy Gray. This Purple Monster colony was being
corals exported from the Indo-Pacific. Quite a few of these maintained under a mix of 20,000 K and 10,000 K metal halides
have contained incredible pigmentation patterns and in the reef of Tracy Gray. It appears that the Purple Monster
(PM) coral contains reflective pigments that will reflect some
incredible shapes and forms. That original description of reddish light that make the blue pigments appear more purple.
the box being the best box of SPS corals ever exported

16 Enter the RHM photo contest at www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com and win cool prizes!
from the Indo-Pacific is certainly no longer true. But you
can just imagine my excitement driving back down the
405 freeway in 1995 knowing that I had the best box of
Acropora ever exported sitting in the back seat of my little
Toyota. At that time, however, there were perhaps less then
100 reef aquarists in the U.S. who would have been excited
about this box of SPS corals.

The Purple Monster coral is a thick branching Acropora

species that can develop an intense solid purple/blue
pigmentation on areas of the coral exposed to strong
light levels. I recommend 400-watt single ended halides
or placing the coral under the bright spot of a 250-watt
double ended metal halide. When maintained under a mix
of 20,000 K and 10,000 K metal halides, the coral develops
a stronger purple pigmentation. When maintained under
20,000 K metal halides, the coral develops a stronger blue
pigmentation. When viewed under direct sunlight, the coral Image by Steve Tyree. This 2006 Purple Monster colony was
being maintained under 20,000 K 400 watt metal halides by
appears intensely purple. Corallites are thick walled and Hugo Zuniga. It actually appeared more purple to the human
have rounded ridges. The Purple Monster generally prefers eye, but an immense array of 20,000 K halides made it difficult
to capture the true Purple/Blue pigmentation.
strong water current and will develop thinner branches within
weaker current environments. Polyps are typically white in
color, but will sometimes develop a green pigmentation.
This is especially true for small growing fragments. It has
been a slow growing coral for the dozens of reef aquarist
over the years who have maintained this coral. One can
understand why the coral is slow growing because there
are large smooth tissue surface areas located between the
corallites.

This coral is rated difficult to maintain as there have been

many aquarists who have had difficulty with it. The Purple
Monster should only be maintained by advanced reef
aquarists. One of the problems that can typically occur is
a loss of intense pigmentation. Aquarists should assume
that some loss of pigmentation typically occurs whenever
corals are exposed to shipping stresses. There is also a
period of adaptation that corals will need to go through
when they are placed within a completely new light and
current environment. If the loss of pigmentation occurs for
a period of time beyond 4 to 6 weeks, aquarists should
assume that light levels where the coral has been placed
are probably too weak. This coral is rated as a strong
light and strong current coral. Another problem that can
commonly occur with this coral is tissue loss that begins
within the base area. This problem is typically caused by
low carbonate levels. If the dKH levels drop below natural
sea level conditions, the Purple Monster can be the first
coral within a Reef Building Stony Coral reef that will display
problematic tissue loss. For this reason, unfortunately, it
has at times functioned as an early warning indicator for a
captive reef’s low carbonate levels.

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