Pink Diamonds vs Purple Monsters

[anthonymckay]

So this weekend I was at a local reefers house picking up a coral I was buying from him, I mentioned that I had some pink diamonds for sale. He says to me "I'll be honest, I can't really tell the difference between pink diamonds and purple monsters" and proceeds to point out to me his pink diamonds in his tank, and then points at his purple monsters in the same tank. ...They were clearly both just purple monsters. He said that his "pink diamonds" had been sold to him as such. Yikes! I showed him a few pictures of Pink Diamonds and Purple monster frags in my tank that were on the same frag rack and that they were very much different in appearance. The pinks are VERY pink, with shorter rounded fringe, while the purple monsters are quite purple and speckled with longer pointier fringe. He ended up coming by my place the next day as he wanted some of my speckled kraks, and I ended up throwing in a frag with a few pink diamonds polyps for free for him.

Oddly I had this exact same debate with someone a year or so ago online, where they were INSISTING that pink diamonds and purple monsters were the same exact thing with different names and that the different appearances are just due to different people's tank parameters/lighting/flow. At the time I didn't have any purple monsters so I couldn't really refute that. Now I have a lot of both pink diamonds and purple monsters in my tank that have both been growing well for the better part of a year. They are both CLEARLY different zoas in the exact same environment.

Just thought this was odd that this misconception and mis-identification of pink diamonds seems to be common. Anyone else ever had a similar situation or been sold something that you found out wasn't in fact that thing you thought you were sold?

 

[SchrutesReefs]

So not quite the same scenario, but I have seen a lot of “one-off” Utter Chaos zoas. I even have a couple myself because the pattern and price were worth it. But TRUE Utter Chaos zoas are simply OGs of zoas to me.

 

[Cell]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[anthonymckay]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

This is true! Can you spot the purple monster?

 

[Cell]

I think I may have an idea of which one it is.

 

[Tired]

Yeah, y'know, I have this really vague suspicion.

 

[nano reef]

So I guess my pink diamonds really are pink diamonds then! They look so purple to me and I thought they were mislabled but they are nowhere near that dark purple! so confused! LOL I will attach a pic tomorrow. To late and to tired now! lol

 

[Tub Life]

This is true! Can you spot the purple monster?

My money is on the purple one lol.

Nice frags btw.

And good on ya for giving the dude some free pinks and pointing out the differences!

 

[anthonymckay]

So I guess my pink diamonds really are pink diamonds then! They look so purple to me and I thought they were mislabled but they are nowhere near that dark purple! so confused! LOL I will attach a pic tomorrow. To late and to tired now! lol

You have a pic of them?

 

[nano reef]

You have a pic of them?

I will try to get a pic of it tomorrow. Its just a single polyp. I thought I was ordering alot of polyps but some trick tactics by an ebay seller marked as wysiwyg and not what i got but she did refund me for it! The thing is I do want ot order more But not even sure of what I have. I used to have them both at one time. seemed like purple monsters had larger polyps as well!

 

[Steven Garland]

Purple Monsters have a purple center green skirt and Pink Diamonds have a goldish skirt and pink center.

 

[kindafun]

Seems like the difference between a Granny Smith and a red delicious apple, there is no mistaking one for the other.

 

[darnoc23]

Here's a pic of my pink diamonds and purple monsters. I can see where the confusion will be from the outer green, but the purple monsters are more dark whereas the pink diamonds are bright pink.