Is this watermelon echino?

[paininthewrasse]

I picked up this frag from a local frag swap.. It was advertised as "Tyree LE watermelon echino"

Unfortunatly at the swap there were no lights over the corals, so they were all closed up and stressed, and definatly not showing their true colors.. anyway I took a huge chance w/ this frag.. it was priced decent so I figured why not but im now doubting that its watermelon, but the seller still insists that it is..

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m308/paininthewrasse/watermelon.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m308/paininthewrasse/watermelon2.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m308/paininthewrasse/watermelon3.jpg

[aSixyReef]

wow. no. the pics arent too clear, but i see no color at all!

[jmcmahon66]

IMO, I would say not even close. I see no areas of green eyes and the color is not close to the hot pink of the watermelon. I hope it colos up for you and you didn't pay too much.

[paininthewrasse]

It wasn't cheap but it wasnt nearly as expensive as what I've seen them go for online.. The price being that it was so low, also made me think "to good to be true"

I sent a PM to the seller asking him to send me a pic of his mother colony w/ the fragged peice missing from it, he said he would, but I have not heard back. I just PMed him again asking for the photo as well as sending him a link to this thread..

We'll see..

[jman77]

you should take a look at this


http://www.rarefrags.com/roabwatermelon.html

[jmcmahon66]

If this doesn't work out for you, I have a couple of watermelon frags. I think you are a CMAS member, soI could meet you at a meeting and give you a great deal. Good luck with that seller,I would like to see the mother colony as well.

[paininthewrasse]

jmcmahon66 thanks, a PM is coming your way. The seller responded, he seems like a really nice guy.. he is saying that because of the stress from fragging and acclimation into my system this may be the cause of the discoloration.. He offered to replace the frag if it perishes..

So he seems pretty cool about it all.. we'll see.. and I'll work on a better photo tomorrow.

[paininthewrasse]

its actually kind of coloring up.. I'll post a new pic.. It still doesnt look PINK though..

[paininthewrasse]

here is a pic of it now.. its colored up a little bit more..

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m308/paininthewrasse/melon-1.jpg

[jessp]

i'd say no still, looks better but not quite

[bower23]

I would agree... although I have a alien eye chalice that is changing color and starting to look like a watermelon.

[paininthewrasse]

I'll have to post a pic of the mother colony, the photo that he sent me.. It didnt really look like alien eye at all either...

[slojmn]

It looks like a different LE chalice at Reeffarmers.com, it is called the Psychedelic chalice. When I compareed the pics side by side they looked close...your piece is just not as colored up and it is smaller so still kind of hard to tell. Check it out and see what you think.

[paininthewrasse]

ehhh I guess it looks more like it then watermelon does, we'll see when it colors up more.. I'll keep everyone posted.

[paininthewrasse]

Anyone else have any input?

[^CelticReefer^]

Not to bum you out bro, but thats not a watermelon. Have been following your thread for a few days. If your lucky though that might turn out to be a sweet piece.

Good Luck,
Brian

[paininthewrasse]

Celtic, thanks for the input.. looking at the photos it actually never really changed much either..

I PMed the seller asking for a refund because he has offered to replace the frag if it died.. so he can replace it for not being what he said it was!

[Justin74]

I agree with slojmn, looks like its gonna end up being the psychadelic one.

-Justin

[duec22]

Yeah, it looks and sounds like he got a wild colony he though looked similar and just slaped the Tyree label to it.

[paininthewrasse]

The thing is I specifically asked him the background on the coral, and he said that he used to live somewhere by Steve Tyree and knew him & he got a watermelon frag among other rare coral and grew them out yadda yadda.. kinda sucks.. I'm working on getting a refund because the price I paid for the frag is not a fair one for all it is...

[Justin74]

http://www.fragglereef.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=1183

Thats the one we were refering to :)

-Justin

[paininthewrasse]

Justin, thank you. That picture it looks exactly the same.. I think I have a positive ID now :D We'll see what the seller says about it.

Thanks everyone

[paininthewrasse]

Joe, or Jmcmahon66

Thanks so much for the gorgeous TRUE watermelon frags, as well as the other great frags. Your tank is AMAZING, I'll definatly keep in touch with you and let you how the frags all do.

If anyone is interested in any awesome SPS or some other great LE frags he's the guy to talk to.

[paininthewrasse]

here my new true watermelon echino next to the supposed watermelon echino

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m308/paininthewrasse/watermelonother.jpg

and here is another shot, the two on the left are watermelon echino, the one on the right is the frag i started this thread about.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m308/paininthewrasse/watermelonothers.jpg

[slojmn]

The middle one definately looks like the watermelon, congrats :D. The one on the left seems different, it looks a lot like my aquascene golden eye frags or even like my other chalice thatI thought might be the tubs chalice, not sure though. My Aquascene frags take on a more burgandy appearence than the mother colony, as they grow larger they get more reddish burgandy my tubs(?) chalice also takes on the burgandy look, though developing mouths are flourescent orange and then go yellow/golden...Either way they look awesome, glad to see you got what you really wanted.