Coral names started a long time ago for corals that were distinct. Out in Los Angeles where there was so much access to incoming corals there were maybe a few dozen corals with names - But you saw the coral in anyones tank and you knew you were looking at a Purple Monster, or an Oregon tort.
Then a company came along named Reefermadness - Which was the first big online coral vendor. Colonies only. And Chris Turnier, a good friend of mine, started to give corals that were a little different names. And then Chris and I would have some cocktails and come up with all kinds of crazy names. They weren't to 'name' coral, they were purely for marketing to catch peoples eye so that when they were looking at 200 corals something caught their eye other than Acropora this and Acropora that - And after Reefermadness sold a coral with a 'fun' name - that name was never heard of again. People were buying a cool blue acro colony that caught their eye - Not buying a "Blue Hawaii Acropora"
But after attending RAP in Anaheim last month and then MACNA 2 weeks later... The naming of corals has become a tragedy. Walk up to a vendor. In the tank are a few plain old Red Monti Cap frags - A coral that in the past 10 years I have easily donated over 1000 pieces of to hobbyists all over the country. And to just about any hobbyist starting out in SoCal. But now at show - it's not a $5 red cap frag - In booth A its a Hade's Monti Cap for $30, and at the next Vendor is the Red Voodoo Monto for $20, and 3 more vendors down the line its a Valentines Day HeartBreaker for $50 ---- It's just a bread and butter red monti cap - which pretty much any beginner has gotten and then grown up to the size of pizza before passing it along to another beginner. But currently in the hobby if it doesn't have a name then you shouldn't buy it.
And the prices are thru the roof.
The irony is that the names (and prices) really don't matter.
I have been fortunate to travel around the country over the past 20 years for this hobby and see some of the best reef aquariums (private and public). And when a tank has mature colonies, not just a bunch of little sticks, you seldom know what you are looking at -- And what I mean is if you have 2 400g tanks - And 1 was grown from all frags that were in the $10 bin or given away by other reefers. And the 2nd tank was grown by all frags with crazy names, crazy prices (established names not just crap marketing)-- when the tanks are mature - you will be hard pressed to say which tank is which. A mature reef is a beautiful thing. And a large colorful coral colony seldom resembles anything like a .5" frag which is overwhelmed by colors on all the growing edges.
I have a collection of corals and fish which include from simple red Monti cap colony (now over 24") to a Kung Pao Colony which is over 12". Fish that go from a blue damsel to a Gem Tang, a pair of Joculators and a pair of Spawning Goldflakes - When people come over - google eyed or reef experts - no one ever asks about the most expensive or named colonies first. And no matter how good my pricey fish look - everyone always asks about the Molly's in the tank.
Named Corals, Unatainable colors, Frags that are more than your car or mortgage payment --- When they grow up to be more than something you have to look for, but something that you see - A pretty mature coral is just that - name and prices do not make it any prettier.
Just my opinion -- I could be wrong --- LOL
Dave B
