Free gorgs, palys, zoas etc...

yep free frags again, just let me know if you want me to add them in. needs express mail, no I will not just risk it with a shipment going Priority...I know since it is free it is worth a shot, but I feel like "why be careless with the resource?". thanks for understanding!

the gorgs are nice, the zoas are rubber mats, and the palys are large browns...what did you expect - lotus eaters?

 

k++++++

 

WHAT? I didn't get any free frags with my last order a few days ago! Just kidding, John. I always appreciate the "snails and salad!"

 

I've been wanting a nice purple gorgonian. Can you get these on a regular basis? Not free, more than willing to pay - don't need a cleanup crew at the moment but would like to place an order in a couple months for a large crew and I wouldn't mind adding in a gorgonian !

 

thanks guys! I am taking advantage of my new license. We ended up going on a trip today to map out some fishing grounds. What we found was nothing short of amazing....really nice low profile reef with lots of cool stuff. I saw a breath taking gorgonian today that was larger than I am, a porous sea rod of some sort. Will have to remember to show that off to the family that visits from NY. It is cool when you see that stuff on the named reefs, but when you find a spot that isn't marked on even the charts it is a lot of fun. I collected some gorgs that were buried in the sand, with the low relief there was a lot of them that are half dead. They make for good frags I figure. Some were even in the drift on the edge of the rubble zone. They have some epiphytes...and some tissue loss. The remaining portion are good for frags though and the polyps extend.I have them acclimating now, might snap some pics later. porous sea rods and sea plumes. Small frags, don't get too excited.

There were some colorful zoanthids there and palys too, but not that many. I didnt have time to map out the area and get a good idea of density. I would like to spread those colonies around a bit and then collect some frags in the summer. I wasn't prepared for the logistics/legalistics of all that, so I just let it be for now. We did collect some yellow sponge zoanthids to try them out. I think there fate will be tied to the sponges, so finding an ideal sponge to grow them on would be good. The species is Epizoanthus/Parazoanthus. I didn't get a great look at it in the water. Maybe I will have Pered's "luck". I have done okay with sponges in the past, but this is a new species. They covered some of the larger sponges, but this was the only small one I could find. After that there were a lot of flame scallops, huge!!! I wish someone would go out and learn how to reliably keep them, I am a big fan of them. Anyway...great day and I wanted to share...

 

That is awesome! Very cool.

You got me thinking now... I always heard sponges were "advanced" so never even really considered getting one... maybe I should try though. I bet one would do great in my tank!

I have never heard of sponge zoas. Are these zoas that grow on a sponge... literally? Send a pic, I might be interested in buying something like that if you are ever able to collect them.

 

collecting them wouldnt be a problem, it is a hike to the spot though so you would have to be patient. the way we fish is we map everything out, take samples see if we can care for it, introduce the item to the hobby, annoy people on long wait lists, and then collect it a week after their CUC shipped out. It takes time Pered. In the mean time, let me go get the camera....this is a rare event people....

 

oh yeah...they are zoanthids that require a sponge to live on....that is why I was giving you a hard time...their is every color of the rainbow and more shapes then you can imagine with sponges. And the grow really fast in the wild. They are ideal in many ways to the hobby, just everyone struggles with keeping them...

 

oh you have my interest.Have to see this..pics..pics...pics...lol

 

well here you go, pretty good pics for me. You can see the tissue damage and some nuisance macro, but there is still some good frags left.

http://s986.photobucket.com/albums/ae344/johnmaloney44/?action=view&current=DSCF0219.jpg&newest=1