The Real.... And The Not So Real

[Reef Pets]

I have gotten a ton of emails over the last couple of months with people sending me a photo of there "Purple Hornets" and asking me if they are real or if they got ripped off. Of course the only way I can verify if they are real is if they came from me or someone that I know that has them. 99.9 percent of the time the people have gotten ripped off....
I am not trying to drum up trouble, I am just trying to veryify what is a true Purple Hornet and what is being wrongly sold as a Purple Hornet. The photo on the right is known as a Lemon Drop and is extremely common. The photo on the left is the true Purple Hornets.
Unfortunately, since the demand has become high for Purple Hornets people are selling the Lemon Drop and pawning it off as a Purple Hornet. then when people see what they think is a Purple Hornet thay state that it is not so great looking in person. But, they are most likely looking at a Lemon Drop.
You can see that they are very close but the Lemon Drop will stay a dull purple like the photo shows. These coral have been setting next to each other in the same tank with sam flow and lighting. Trust me, the Lemon Drop will not change color. I am sure that the people with Lemon Drop polyps can verify that.
So, in all honesty the Purple Hornet is a rare polyp and not as common as people may think.......

 

[MikeB]

There are no photos

 

[Hypertek99]

You forgot the pics

 

[Reef Pets]

Got it, sorry guys!

 

[Supreme Reefs]

what lighting and spectrum are these under?

 

[Ladipyg]

I agree with you 100%, the deep rich purple is a trade mark of the Purple Hornet...the Lemon Drops seem a duller, paler version. My polyp looks exactly like the one on the left.

 

[Reef Pets]

I should have mentioned that. I just took the photo, it was taken under a 250 watt 20K Single Ended Ushio.

what lighting and spectrum are these under?

 

[TyreeUM]

i dont see a difference...one is darker...I have a hard time believing you cant manipulate the one on the right under the correct lighting to look like the one on the left...I mean seriously?

 

[Reef Pets]

Under the correct light? They have been under the same lighting. Lok at coral pedia, the Lemon Drop is listed on there. The difference is that one is purple and the other is not.

 

[TyreeUM]

they both look purple to me, one fadded and one not...I feel like im taking crazy pills...

 

[Reef Pets]

Again, I am not looking to argue. I have had them in my tank for a good while under the exact conditions. Therefore, I am only stating the facts and posted a photo to verify the facts.

 

[Reef Pets]

The one that looks faded is not faded, thats the true color and as good as it gets. I know several people that have them and are under different kinds of lighting. They do not purple up.

they both look purple to me, one fadded and one not...I feel like im taking crazy pills...

 

[flricordia]

I would have to agree. The lighting plays a big role. Mh spectrum can change the color of any zoanthid. Keep them under VHO and that depending on the spectrum and even T5. PC and they can morph. I have seen many zoanthids change not only color but face pattern and Purple Hornets I am sure are no exception.

 

[TyreeUM]

yeah sorry im not trying to argue with you, I was just stating what it appears to look like to me from your picture...I know one things for sure, if I paid 200 for one polyp I would be convincing myself they were different

 

[Hypertek99]

They look the same to me. I have purple deaths frags in the same lightning for years and some have browned out and some real purple. Zoos can change color at anytime.

 

[flricordia]

I should have mentioned that. I just took the photo, it was taken under a 250 watt 20K Single Ended Ushio.

For a true color they should be kept under and photographed at 65ooK. but who is to say? Jsut like common names. Coral Pedia calls one zoanthid by one name and someone else the same by another.
Zoanthids morph, period.

 

[Reef Pets]

I agree with you, I get different morphs all of the time. But, we are not talking morphs we are talking look alikes. The PPRPE is a morph of the PE but are known as two different coral.
All I am showing is the Purple Hornet and the Lemon Drop which is being sold as a Purple Hornet. People on here have the Purple Hornets under different lighting and they are still Purple Hornets. I have seen Juniors (I think under T5) and they are still Purple Hornets. Marv has them also (not sure of his lighting) and they are still deep Purple.
They are two different polyps. One is dull purple and the other is deep purple. People Eaters are basically the same but different colors, same applies here.

 

[jimsflies]

I wonder who took this photo?

 

[Reef Pets]

I completely agree, they do morph and when they do they are known as a different zoanthid. Am I wrong about this?? The morphs are what people hope for. In this case, Purple Hornet and Lemon Drop. The morph is what makes them different........

For a true color they should be kept under and photographed at 65ooK. but who is to say? Jsut like common names. Coral Pedia calls one zoanthid by one name and someone else the same by another.
Zoanthids morph, period.

 

[Reef Pets]

If I had to guess I would say a person from reefpets.com. Just like may other photos, it will be all over the place in a week or so and no one can claim they took it. You photographers know how that is.

I wonder who took this photo?