While on a trip to Green Bay in 2004 to speak to the Wisconsin Reef Society, Steve Tyree noticed an amazing coral that was being farmed at Gooch's Corals located within the Green Bay area. This massive
encrusting Montipora species had bright orange polyps that contrasted nicely
with the main body of the coral. Scott Gebhart of Gooch's corals had originally recieved the coral in 2002. It was within a shipment of corals from a main coral
distributor located in Los Angeles. We do not know where the coral was
originally exported from. Scott maintained the coral in low light conditions. Areas
of the main body of the coral had a purplish/blue perhaps violet coloration.
Reeffarmers.com is slowly adapting the coral to brighter light levels where it appears the main body coloration is getting more intense. The species indentification has been difficult. The best guess of Reeffarmers.com is that
this is a Montipora orientalis. This is due to the corals very smooth surface
(coenosteum). There is also a general lack of papillae or tuberculae (bumps),
but some raised areas have developed. This coral is very similar in general
charcateristics to the M. orientalis pictured on page 114 of Volume 1 Corals of
the World by Veron. There is also the possibility that this might be an orange
polyped Montipora mollis. Update - Steve Tyree and Reeffarmers lost our fragments of
this coral in late 2004. The fragments sufferred a slow bleaching process which has
been known to affect massive Montipora corals from time to time. In the spring of 2005
however, Steve Tyree and Reeffarmers did recieve two new seed fragments of this coral
from Karl Unarce (reefnutz) of Northern California. Karl had recieved his fragments
directly from Gooch's corals. This two new seed fragments are very healthy and have
been growing very good. We thank Karl for allowing Reeffarmers.com to continue
distributing this very interesting stony coral.
Steve Tyree is currently maintaining this
coral for reeffarmers.com in one of his 125 gallon naturally filtered Tri-Zonal EG
Reef Aquariums. In Steve's captive reef the coral is positoned to recieve low light under a 400 watt 20,000 K Radium Metal Halide, but the coral is slowly being moved to moderate light levels were the main body should turn more blue. The orange polyp coloration of the coral is easily maintained within this reef. Water current is moderate. Price is currently $85 per small sized fragment. The bimonthly limited edition reservation schedules can be found below.
Montipora orientalis Orange Polyps Closeup Photo by Steve Garrett
Montipora orientalis Orange Polyps Year 2008 BiMonthly Limited Edition Schedule
January
Reserved for D. Schultz
March
Reserved for Clint C.
May
Reserved for S. Wilson
July
Reserved for D. Wang
September
Reserved for J. Caroll
November
Reserved for C. Conway
Montipora orientalis Orange Polyps Year 2009 BiMonthly Limited Edition Schedule
January
Reserved for J. Callahan
March
Reserved for C. Pasko
May
Reserved for A. Andrasz
July
Reserved for E. Stenberg
September
Reserved for A. Lane
November
Reserved for A. Tofoya
Montipora orientalis Orange Polyps Year 2010 BiMonthly Limited Edition Schedule
January
Reserved for K. Yanskey
March
Reserved for R. A. L.
May
Reserved for P. Hickens
July
Reserved for M. Hopper
September
Reserved for R. Adam
November
Reserved for U. Kemp
Montipora orientalis Orange Polyps Year 2011 BiMonthly Limited Edition Schedule
January
Reserved for C. Wong
March
Reserved for D. Pham
May
Reserved for D. Castro
July
Reserved for J. Moffitt
September
Reserved for Yikan
November
Reserved for C. Wong
Montipora orientalis Orange Polyps Year 2012 BiMonthly Limited Edition Schedule
January
Reserved for M. Schwitters
March
Reserved for R. Driscoll
May
Reserved for M. Maher
July
Reserved for T. Wasden
September
Reserved for G. Kaplan
November
Available
Montipora orientalis Orange Polyps Year 2004 BiMonthly Limited Edition Schedule
May
Shipped to Eric N.
July
Shipped to Q. Bui
September
Picked up by H. Zuniga
November
Shipped to Ara D.
Montipora orientalis Orange Polyps Year 2005 BiMonthly Limited Edition Schedule
January
Cancelled
March
Reserved for E. Bermudez
May
Reserved for J. Ngyuen
July
Reserved for T. Gray
September
Reserved for Ali
November
Reserved for M. Bullock
Montipora orientalis Orange Polyps Year 2006 BiMonthly Limited Edition Schedule
January
Reserved for T. Heidbrink
March
Reserved for S. Merrill
May
Reserved for M. Herbold
July
Reserved for S. Rothman
September
Reserved for B. Blenkhorn
November
Reserved for Lawrence L.
Montipora orientalis Orange Polyps Year 2007 BiMonthly Limited Edition Schedule
January
Reserved for A. Andrasz
March
Reserved for J. Gallaway
May
Reserved for A. Abaghadi
July
Reserved for Marcus H.
September
Reserved for Bryan G.
November
Reserved for Sue T.
To inquire about reserving a limited edition farmed
fragment of this coral please send an email to
reeffarmers@aceweb.com.
TM
