CaliAquariums
Active Member
Hi my name is Austin and I'am addicted to corals. They say acceptance is the first step on the road to recovery.... So, here it goes. I accept it! Now that its off my chest, lets talk about why I have this addiction.
When I first started this hobby I was 15 years old and my favorite purchases were from the $5 bargain bin at the local fish store. Typically in this bin you would find loose mushrooms, small pieces of zoanthids that fell off their rock and other tiny corals that needed a loving home. My very first coral purchase was a single discosoma mushroom. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Completely amazed that we were able to acquire a coral from the ocean, transport it across the world and purchase it for our own safe keeping in our aquariums at home. This is where it all began...
Fast forward 12 years and I still get that googly moogly feeling when I acquire another coral for my hoarding collection. However, my taste in coral and collecting the more rare specimens have definitely changed since my bargain bin days, but I don't discriminate! I still enjoy some of the basic corals because they remind me of when the hobby was just a hobby and not a career for me. Where the love for that piece of coral was pure and exciting, not driven by money or profit. To this day I still enjoy coral for what they are. I'm still intrigued at how many color combinations or funky growth patterns we are still finding and collecting. I wanted to focus on mushrooms for this thread, because it was my very first coral and after all this time I still have a love for them (I just tell myself I don't even like them, to help deal with facing my problem - coral addiction). Without the price tags of todays market involved my favorite type is just a regular green and orange Rhodactis. Nothing crazy! Just something that I think looks extremely nice when grown out into a colony. Every now and then I have to stop and "smell the roses" remember why I love this hobby so much and just kick back, watch my display tank and enjoy the little corals, such as the $5 bargain bin specials or even the outrageous bounces!! I LOVE THEM ALL!!!
Here are some pictures of our collection, which i hope continues to grow!! Please feel free to share your first experience with mushrooms, your favorite mushies you currently have and let us know what you think!!! Even if you aren't a fan of mushrooms, like myself! ENJOY!
When I first started this hobby I was 15 years old and my favorite purchases were from the $5 bargain bin at the local fish store. Typically in this bin you would find loose mushrooms, small pieces of zoanthids that fell off their rock and other tiny corals that needed a loving home. My very first coral purchase was a single discosoma mushroom. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Completely amazed that we were able to acquire a coral from the ocean, transport it across the world and purchase it for our own safe keeping in our aquariums at home. This is where it all began...
Fast forward 12 years and I still get that googly moogly feeling when I acquire another coral for my hoarding collection. However, my taste in coral and collecting the more rare specimens have definitely changed since my bargain bin days, but I don't discriminate! I still enjoy some of the basic corals because they remind me of when the hobby was just a hobby and not a career for me. Where the love for that piece of coral was pure and exciting, not driven by money or profit. To this day I still enjoy coral for what they are. I'm still intrigued at how many color combinations or funky growth patterns we are still finding and collecting. I wanted to focus on mushrooms for this thread, because it was my very first coral and after all this time I still have a love for them (I just tell myself I don't even like them, to help deal with facing my problem - coral addiction). Without the price tags of todays market involved my favorite type is just a regular green and orange Rhodactis. Nothing crazy! Just something that I think looks extremely nice when grown out into a colony. Every now and then I have to stop and "smell the roses" remember why I love this hobby so much and just kick back, watch my display tank and enjoy the little corals, such as the $5 bargain bin specials or even the outrageous bounces!! I LOVE THEM ALL!!!
Here are some pictures of our collection, which i hope continues to grow!! Please feel free to share your first experience with mushrooms, your favorite mushies you currently have and let us know what you think!!! Even if you aren't a fan of mushrooms, like myself! ENJOY!
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