Recently in Australia, together with Nic from Ultra Coral Australia we had the luck to go and observe Acropora microclados, aka the Strawberry Shortcake (SCC), in its natural environment. And because we’re sure most aquarist don’t realize where Strawberry Shortcake…
Ask Reef Builders
Is this the ‘True’ Montipora capricornis?
For so many years, we thought we saw Montipora capricornis everywhere. So many people were use that name for just any about any cup-shaped or plating Monti including M. foliosa, M. florida or M. aequituberculata was labelled a ‘Monti Cap’.…
This is what a True Rainbow Symphyllia Looks Like
Australians have been calling their rainbow lobos Symphyllia for a while, and we already addressed that. But while diving in Indonesia we came across a real rainbow Symphyllia, we thought we will share it with you. First of all there…
The Beach Bum Montipora is from a different planet!
Diving along the Great Barrier Reef, under the guidance from master coral collector, Nic Dos Santos from Ultra Coral Australia, we had the opportunity to see a lot of very nice corals. On one of these dive, at an offshore…
This is Where Micro Lord Corals Come From
Nic from Ultra Coral Australia gave us the chance to visit the land of Micromussa lordhowensis, or ‘Acans land’ and boy, this place didn’t disappoint us. We got lucky to see in their habitat, all the most popular varieties of…
Proper Collection on a ‘Perfect’ Stony Coral Reef
As soon as we landed in Mackay, Nic from Ultra Coral Australia took us on a dive through the last bit of a good weather window. He took us on a reef that he regularly visits to Harvest Acropora and similar…
Understanding the Ideal Australian Coral Habitat
Having learnt my Acros while living in Indonesia, I’ve grown up as an inshore reef stony coral freak because offshore reefs conditions are almost impossible to find in Indonesia. Even though we can find some of the species there, they…
Pavona varians: The Underrated King of Plasticity
经常有人问我,是什么my favorite coral, and I have to admit, most of the time, an Acro crosses my mind. But yesterday, I came across one more time, of a coral, Pavona varians that I’ve seen quite many…
Phymastrea colemani, A New Indo-Pacific Coral Genus, That You May Already Have In Your Tank!
Phymastrea a New Genus? Following some massive changes in coral nomenclature, after some research activity carried out by members of the international ‘Scleractinian Systematics working Group’. This group is using new morphologic and molecular genetics analyses and have ended up…
Dipsastraea matthaii Is The Cutest Little Favia!
Dipsastraea matthai is a pretty common coral in the trade. It’s often misidentified as Micromussa. And it was recently moved from Favia that is now exclusively Atlantic genus, to the new Dipsastraea which has been created for its Indopacific members…