Limited Edition - Watermelon Alien Eye
First Edition Auction
April 5, 2005

How do you describe a coral like this ? Its pigmentation is so intense that it appears completely saturating under strong halides. Almost as if the pigments have crossed into a pure fluorescent illumination stage. Suffice it to say that those of us who have been keeping small polyped stony corals since the early 1990's, have been dreaming that one day we would find small polyped stony corals as colorful as this new Watermelon Alien Eye Coral. Magnificent coloration. This Echinophyllia-like species is primarily bright pink and has some blue background coloration. Corallites are bright green and the edge of the colony has a bright green trim. The green trim can also contain other pigments. That combination of colors gives this coral an overall similarity to a slice of watermelon. This is probably why the initial discoverer of this coral gave the coral the name watermelon. Its overall distinctive coloration is enough to make this a visually stunning coral. A more detailed examination of the bright green corallites reveals that there are dots of color that appear to have been splashed on the green (see close up images below). Without a doubt this pigmentation represents a whole new realm of coloration for SPS corals. Recently echinophyllia corals with trim coloration and brightly colored corallites have been referred to as 'Alien Eye' corals. This began with the Tubs (John Susbilla) Alien Eye Echinophyllia echinoporides. Alien eye refers to the strange eye-like look that the corallites can exhibit when the polyps mouths are open (see images below). Reeffarmers.com has acquired our fragment from Hugo Zuniga of Orange County California (snipersps). We are very grateful to Hugo for bringing this magnificent coral to the attention of reeffarmers.com . In gratitude we will be running a First Edition Auction through Tropical Reef Oasis on the very first fragment farmed within the Reeffarmers facility (see details below). Hugo acquired his seed section from the original captive discoverer of this coral Ron Johncola of Orange County, California. Ron apparently has an incredible eye for the truly rare coral. Steve Tyree is maintaining a farmed section of this coral for reeffarmers.com in one of his 125 gallon naturally filtered Tri-Zonal Reef Aquariums. In Steve's captive reef the coral is positioned to receive moderate to weak light under a 400 watt 20,000K Radium Metal Halide. Limited Edition Reservation price is currently $165 per small sized fragment.

Limited Edition - Rainbow Montipora
First Edition Auction
April 5, 2005

As our experience with captive grown stonies has continued to grow, we have been discovering some very interesting pigment morphs within these corals. This Rainbow Monti was discovered by Matt Hopper of San Jose California. Matt owns and operates the Aquarium Service Business Amazing Aquariums. The Polyps of this Rainbow Monti are bright green within the corals center section. On the leading growth edge polyps turn orange/red. What makes this coloration change even more interesting is that polyps located in the area between the leading edge and center section have pigments with a spread coloration located spectrally between red and green. As you travel outward from the center section the pigments change from green to yellow to orange and then finally reddish orange. Thus the name Rainbow Monti. The faster the coral is growing and encrusting the wider the reddish orange region. In brighter lights there can also be more reddish orange polyps. The main coral coloration is blue and the surface of the coral has many small bumps or tuberculae. This is probably a blue Montipora danae species with a rainbow polyp color morph. Matt found this coral in early 2004 at a local wholesaler. If may have possibly been exported from Tonga. Initially the main body was more green colored but this eventually turned blue. Within one month of captivity the coral developed its rainbow polyp coloration. We will be running a First Edition Auction through Tropical Reef Oasis on the very first fragment farmed within the Reeffarmers facility (see details below). Steve Tyree is maintaining two farmed sections of this coral for reeffarmers.com in two of his 125 gallon naturally filtered Tri-Zonal Reef Aquariums. In Steve's captive reef the coral is positioned to receive moderate light under a 400 watt 20,000K Radium Metal Halide. Price is currently $105 per small sized fragment.

Limited Edition - Cyphastrea ocellina - Atlantis Aquarium
First Edition Auction
June 1, 2005

This exotically colored Cyphastrea ocellina species of stony coral was originally discovered by Mingwei and Joleen from Atlantis Aquarium. The base of this Cyphastrea coral is a brilliant dark green while the corals polyps are deep crimson red colored. What makes this coloration even more interesting is that the polyp mouths have developed a bright pink coloration. This makes for a visually stunning reef building stony coral. Cyphastrea ocellina primarily grows in a massive form but it does have the ability to encrust over rock very quickly. Atlantis Aquarium acquired the coral in the Fall of 2004. It was exported from Indonesia. The coral can adapt to strong light but we recommend starting with moderate light. Reeffarmers has been maintaining our seed section that we acquired from Atlantis Aquarium under weak to moderate light and it has been growing fairly good. Reeffarmers.com is maintaining a farmed section of this coral in one of our 125 gallon naturally filtered Tri-Zonal Reef Aquariums. In the Reeffarmers.com captive reef the coral is currently recieving weak to moderate light from a 400 watt 20,000 K Radium Metal Halide. Limited Edition Reservation price is currently $80 per small sized fragment.

Limited Edition - Montipora sp. - Flower Petal Polyps
First Edition Auction
June 1, 2005

This coral has some of the strangest colored polyps that we have seen in a Montipora species. Polyps initially appear to have a two tone blue coloration to the human eye but on closer examination patterns can be observed. When polyps are partially expanded they appear to be colored dark blue with lite white blue stripes. When the polyps are fully expanded the polyp has a flower petal appearence that is dark blue with white blue petals. See closeup image below. This is why Reeffarmers calls this coral the Montipora sp. Flower Petal Polyp Coral. The main body is colored blue/purple along its edges. Inside of the blue there is a medium green and at the very center of the thick plating coral they appears to be some yellow green pigments. We have been maintaining this coral under moderate light and it would be interesting to see how the corals pigments develop under strong light. This is another exotic coral that Reeffarmers acquired from a private coral collecter located in Texas. We do not know were the wild coral colony was initially exported from. Reeffarmers recieved our captive grown seed fragment in the summer of 2004. We are maintaining this farmed seed colony in one of our 125 gallon naturally filtered Tri-Zonal Reef Aquariums. In the Reeffarmers.com captive reef the coral is currently recieving moderate light from a 400 watt 20,000 K Radium Metal Halide. Limited Edition Reservation price is currently $65 per small sized fragment.

Aquascene Original Golden Eye Colony 14,000 K Phoenix 250 Watt DE Positioned for Moderate Light Photo by James Lee

Limited Edition - Echinophyllia sp. Aquascene Golden Eye
First Edition Auction
July 1, 2005

The Eastern area of the San francisco Bay in Northern California has become home to a growing community of stony coral reeffers and farmers. There are also a handful of reef shops that specialize in exotic hard to find stony coral. One such Reef Shop is Aquascene (http://www.aquascene.net) owned and operated by James Lee. While visiting Aquascene in the spring of 2005 Steve Tyree noticed a new Echinophyllia species that James had recently picked up. It looked like an Alien Eye with some possible extra or unusual pigmentation. Overall however the coral was not initially very vibrantly colored. Reeffarmers maintained a seed fragment of this colony and after a couple of months some very interesting pigments developed. The coral had Yellow Golden colored corallite mouths. These mouths are typically green colored on true Alien Eye corals. The coral is also developing red and pinkish pigments on its surface that are similar in color but less intense then the pinkish pigments in the Watermelon Alien Eye. This new Golden Eye does have the potential to develop multiple shades of pink and red that may get as intense as the Watermelon Alien Eye. After noticing these very interesting pigments Steve contacted James Lee and discovered that the same pigments had developed on the main mother colony that is currently at Aquascene. This truelly was an Alien Eye coral with yellow eyes. James decided to call the coral 'Golden Eye'. We refer to it as the Aquascene Golden Eye Echinophyllia coral. James originally purchased this coral from a Local Wholesaler in Hayward California. The coral was exported from Tonga. Reeffarmers is maintaining this farmed seed colony in one of our 125 gallon naturally filtered Tri-Zonal Reef Aquariums. In the Reeffarmers.com captive reef the coral is currently recieving weak light, but we are ramping its light intensity up to moderate. The reef is illuminated with a 400 watt 20,000 K Radium Metal Halide. Limited Edition Reservation price is currently $85 per small sized fragment.

Reeffarmers First Seed Golden Eye Colony 20,000 K Radium 400 watt SE Positioned for Weak Light Currently being Ramped to Moderate

Greg Carroll's Original Ultimate Blue Colony
Photo by Greg Carroll

Limited Edition - Acropora sp. Ultimate Blue Staghorn
First Edition Auction
August 1, 2005

This Blue Staghorn is one of the most Exotic Baby Blue Acropora staghorns that Reeffarmers has ever seen. The branch stems develop an intense baby blue coloration. Corallites range in coloration from brown to purple, but can also develop green edges or rings under certain lighting conditions. See image below. Polyps can develop a baby blue or teal coloration. The coral was found by Greg Carroll of southern California (gcarroll). Initially it was mostly colored brown, but developed intense pigmentation patterns within Greg's captive reef system. Greg acquired the original colony from Black Coral Hawaii. It was imported as a wild Bali colony by Clint of Black Coral Hawaii. Greg has been working on importing more stony corals through Clint and this colony arrived from Bali in 2003 just prior to the mass distributuion of Bali Aquacultured and Bali Deepwater Colonies. The Ultimate Blue Staghorn may have been within one of the last shallow water acropora colony shipments from Bali. Reeffarmers is maintaining farmed seed sections of the Ultimate Blue Staghorn within one of our 125 gallon naturally filtered Tri-Zonal Reef Aquariums. This captive reef is illuminated with a 400 watt 20,000 K Radium metal halide. The green corallite rings have developed quite well while recieving moderate light levels from this bulb. Greg has observed that the green corallite rings developed intensely when illuminated by a Hamilton 14,000 K 250 watt DE. He believes that the green may become more intense under the stronger overall light levels achieved with 400 watt bulbs. Limited Edition Reservation price is currently $90 per small sized fragment.

Ultimate Blue Closeup of Green Corallites
Photo by Greg Carroll

Greg Carroll's Original Lime in the Sky Colony
Photo by Greg Carroll

Limited Edition - Acropora sp. Lime in the Sky
First Edition Auction
September 1, 2005

This is another outstanding Acropora coral from Greg Carroll of Southern California (gcarroll). The thin branching staghorn has a very distinctive coloration pattern. Branch stems are bright blue, while corallites are bright lime green. This coloration combination is why Greg has called the coral 'Lime in the Sky'. Greg originally acquired this coral as a colony from Jeffs Exotic of Gardena California. The colony was imported in 2003 and may be from the Solomons. The coral has always had its distinctive lime in the sky coloration pattern. It needs moderate light levels, but will grow faster when exposed to strong light levels. To date the coral has never shown an ability to encrust. Reeffarmers is maintaining farmed seed sections of the Lime in the Sky coral within one of our 125 gallon naturally filtered Tri-Zonal Reef Aquariums. This captive reef is illuminated with a 400 watt 20,000 K Radium metal halide. Our seed fragments are recieving moderate light levels and moderate to weak water currents. Limited Edition Reservation price is currently $70 per small sized fragment.

Limited Lime in the Sky Closeup
Photo by Greg Carroll

Echinophyllia echinoporides Branching Alien Eye Colony

Limited Edition - Echinophyllia echinoporides Branching Alien Eye
First Edition Auction
September 1, 2005

This Echinophyllia echinoporides species has the unique capability to develop extensive nodule or branching growth forms. Its corallite centers are colored bright green and are similar to Echinophyllia 'Alien Eye' corals. This is why it is referred to as the Branching or Noduling Alien Eye. The main body of the coral can develop a Grey Blue coloration. The coral looks very unique with its nodules, blue grey body and bright green eyes or corallites. In the parent colony that Reeffarmers has acquired, polyps are partially extending during the day. The first person who acquired colonies of this coral was the reef store Atlantis Aquarium. http://www.atlantisaquarium.net. Minquei and Joleen of Atlantis have occasional sold fragments online. We first found out about this coral from James Lee of Aquascene. James also sells fragments of this coral and he first found out about the coral from Minquei at Atlantis. Both stores are located in the East Bay area of the San Fransciso Bay. The coral is very similar to image 2 on page 322 of Coral of the World Volume 2 by Veron. This coral is rare in Australia and more common furthur north in the Indo-Pacific. The corals we are farming were exported from Indonesia. Reeffarmers is maintaining a colony of this unique Echinophyllia echinoporides species within our 225 gallon naturally filtered Quad-Zonal Reef Aquarium. This captive reef is illuminated with a 400 watt 14,000 K Hamilton metal halide. The Blue Grey color seems to develop better under more intense lighting. Reeffarmers parent colony is recieving moderate light levels from this bulb. Limited Edition Reservation price is currently $60 per small sized fragment.

Branching Echinophyllia Closeup of Green Corallites

Reeffarmers Raspberry Echinophyllia Seed Colony

Limited Edition - Echinophyllia sp. Upscales Raspberry
First Edition Auction
October 1, 2005

While on a trip to Portland to make a presentation to the Pacific Northwest Marine Aquarium Society, Steve Tyree went on some coral hunting side trips and made a visit to the Portland area Reef Store Upscales. www.upscales.com Steve was shown the stores two main reefs by Travis Heidt. There were numerous exotic stony coral colonies and many were rare. Travis had a brilliantly colored Echinophyllia thick plating coral that had a red raspberry coloration that was similar to the Watermelon Alien-Eye coral. This particular Echinophyllia also has corallite centers that are colored bright orange or blue (see image below). Travis acquired the coral from Indonesia sometime in 2004. He believes that in the valley areas where the coral recieves weaker light the corallite centers are colored blue. In upper areas the corallite centers become colored bright orange. This gives the opportunity for reef aquarist to experiment with lower light levels that could develop a red Echino with blue centers. Travis recommends bright light and he maintains the coral under 400 watt 20,000 K radiums. Under bright light the corallites develop bright orange pigmentation. Steve Tyree is maintaining a farmed section of this coral for reeffarmers.com in his 225 gallon naturally filtered Quad-Zonal Reef Aquarium. In Steve's captive reef the coral is positoned to recieve moderate to intense light under a 400 watt 20,000 K Radium Metal Halide. Limited Edition Reservation price is currently $90 per small sized fragment.

Raspberry Echinophyllia Closeup of Orange Corallites

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First Edition Auction
November 2005