Surprise!!! Thank you Drew!

[Melanie]

A few months ago I started a thread for an RS Community Tank/Friend Frag Project.

My good friend ScubaDrew received a shipment with some free zoas. He didn't like the zoas at all so I told him to share them with me for my project. His reply "I'm not sure how I feel about being remembered for some crappy ugly zooanthid!"

Flash forward...Drew started a website called North East Coral. He set up this amazing site with beautiful, stunning corals. They are now a sponsor here on RS!

Skip ahead...Drew PMs me and asks if I'm ready for his contribution to my RS Community Tank. Yes yes yes!

Before I knew it, I got the call from the front desk "Melanie, you have some new corals!" They have fun seeing my pictures and hearing about my reef. They know EXACTLY what is in those "Fragile" packages.

I couldn't wait to see Drew's "crappy ugly zooanthids."

Wait... What's this? It sure looks like a lot of bags for a few little zoas.

Well, my eyes were wide as saucers as I kept pulling mysterious looking corals out and placing them in my tank....

Everything was closed up from shipping, but looked and smelled fresh. I sent drew a PM with this as the opening line. "OOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!"

This is what was in that package from ScubaDrew and North East Coral.

Do you guys know what this is?

Even my peppermint shrimp was impressed with the Louis Vuitton of corals. He couldn't wait to check it out.

Check out ScubaDrew's reef chronicle.

 

[panmanmatt]

Awesome looking corals. Great job Drew!!!

The coral in question is a duncan coral.

 

[cioutlaw]

Looks like a Duncan

 

[Melanie]

Yes! It's a Duncan. Isn't that so exciting?

 

[AQTCJAK]

very cool stuff great job drew!

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Awesome thread! Thanks Mel and Drew!

 

[goldenmean]

Very sweet additions Melanie
Way to Go Drew!!!

 

[Melanie]

Thank you Jack, Craig, and Jeff!

I have to tell you guys something funny I haven't even told Drew yet. I put all the corals in the tank before I read his message telling me what they are. I committed the cardinal sin of reefing....touching them with my hands. I was just so darn excited I couldn't even pause to put on the gloves that I DO have.

Here is what Drew said...

You should have some ORA Duncans, a tree coral, and some fire coral.

Please be careful with the FIRE coral!! I used to bump into the stuff when I snorkeled in the virgin islands as a kid... it BURNS... like, fire!!! =]

Needless to say, I DIDN'T burn myself, but I surely did ask for it.

Drew, I need you to ID the other corals for me. I know the fire coral is the super neon yellow coral and I know the Duncans because, well, who doesn't know them?! But what are these exactly?

 

[Melanie]

I know the first picture looks like a GSP, but it's not. Here it is closed up and it has a different skeletal base than my GSP.

 

[ScubaDrew]

Excellent Mel! I'm glad everything is well.

Your first coral is a Galaxia coral.

The second is a lemon tree coral.

The third... That's the fire coral! hahah

Drew

Thank you Jack, Craig, and Jeff!

I have to tell you guys something funny I haven't even told Drew yet. I put all the corals in the tank before I read his message telling me what they are. I committed the cardinal sin of reefing....touching them with my hands. I was just so darn excited I couldn't even pause to put on the gloves that I DO have.

Here is what Drew said...



Needless to say, I DIDN'T burn myself, but I surely did ask for it.

Drew, I need you to ID the other corals for me. I know the fire coral is the super neon yellow coral and I know the Duncans because, well, who doesn't know them?! But what are these exactly?

 

[Melanie]

So if that is the fire coral, then what is this? It is the brightest NEON yellow in person.

 

[panmanmatt]

That appears to be a sinularia. Any chance for a pic of it opened up?

 

[ScubaDrew]

panmanmatt is right. A green sinularia! Mel, this is my favorite coral in the bunch.. give it a few days and its color will really come out. :snshne:

That appears to be a sinularia.

 

[althea2you]

wow!! that is so awesome!!!! I have to say.. there are some extraordinary people on this forum!!! im glad i found it! really generous and kind people!!! great corals drew! and melanie... your tank has got to be looking awesome!!!!

 

[BigAl07]

I'm impressed and "FrogSpawn Green" with envy!

Good gift Mel and WAY TO GO DREW! Those are SWEET! Can't wait to see more pics of them all opened up and glowing!!

 

[Melanie]

I have been all over the internet researching these FANTASTIC corals! Drew, you and NorthEastCoral picked the cream of the crop with these. Your generousity is astounding.

I haven't decided where my final placement will be, so for now they are displayed front and center in the middle of my tank.

I feel like the luckiest girl alive.

 

[panmanmatt]

Just a word on the sinularia, it loves flow. Mine is directly in front of a Hydor 1 powerhead. If I move the pump the sinularia leans and stretches to get back in the flow. Also medium to high lighting will help keep it's colour.

 

[Melanie]

Thank you Matt! Then it certainly won't like where I have it now. I will move it up closer to my hydor koralia and lights. By the way, nice ID on that. I wish a camera could capture the NEON yellow color. I've tried different settings and they just don't do it justice.

 

[panmanmatt]

Thank you Matt! Then it certainly won't like where I have it now. I will move it up closer to my hydor koralia and lights. By the way, nice ID on that. I wish a camera could capture the NEON yellow color. I've tried different settings and they just don't do it justice.

I would move it up slowly over a couple weeks time. Don't want to stress it too much after shipping. That and I'm not sure what lighting/flow conditions Drew had it under.

ID was easy, I have the same coral. You're right, the camera can not capture it's true colours. You can see it on the right side of this picture.

 

[lcstorc]

Wow! What beautiful corals.
Bery generous of you Drew.