Duncanopsammia-rare find

InsaneClownFish · #1 12/12/2006, 10:53 PM

I bought this at the local fish store. They had no idea what it was, but they said they'd sell it for $50. I thought it was some type of rare Protopalythoa- either way I suspected it was exceptionally rare. I posted the pics in the Zoanthus forum for an ID, and they informed me I had snagged an extremely rare LPS- Duncanopsammia. I did a little reading- apparantly this particular coral is native to Australia and illegal to import to certain countries. The Zoo nuts suggested I post the pics for the LPS junkies...

deanos · #2 12/12/2006, 11:08 PM

You got all those polyps for $50!?! Sweet!! Enjoy.

Chipsreef · #3 12/12/2006, 11:11 PM

good find.

All Delight · #4 12/12/2006, 11:21 PM

wow good deal!

ReefDoctorMicromussas · #5 12/12/2006, 11:24 PM

OMG! $50 LOL why oh WHY do I never find this stuff?

InsaneClownFish · #6 12/13/2006, 02:01 AM

doctor, the coral in your avatar is pretty crazy too...some type of leptrasea or micromusa?

one8thscale · #7 12/13/2006, 04:09 AM

Awesome deal! So...I guess when it grows out and you frag it, you can sell me a head for $10. LOL...great find. Hope it grows well for you.

racerw · #8 12/13/2006, 06:33 AM

Great deal.........fast growers as well

Elite · #9 12/13/2006, 12:34 PM

People selling those for $100 a pop here. Great score man!!!

GreshamH · #10 12/13/2006, 01:35 PM

FWIW< a colony of that size, bought at a LFS that didn't know really what it is, indicates one thing: more corals are being smuggled out of non export countries and CITES washed in another. I bet this one came thru Indo Via Australia

You now can add Duncans in with micros, dendros, acans, etc.

GreshamH · #11 12/13/2006, 02:10 PM

Well slap me silly and call my wrong. I just got an email from a fellow industry person informing me that there are some Australian corals being imnported WITH CITES

I knew it was cold out, but I had no idea HELL FROZE OVER

Hormigaquatica · #12 12/13/2006, 04:02 PM

Thats a killer score for $50... they go for at least that per polyp around here.

Something to keep in mind about Duncan- it is Not endemic to Australia as is often said. Im sure its more common there than in other waters, but its range extends from Australia to Papua New Guinea, and from Malaysia to Vietnam to the NE Phillipines (check out the AIMS/Veron website). Granted, Im not saying nothing ever gets poached because.. well.. DUH... but at least there is a chance this coral is legit. I can hope anyhow... lol

xinumaster · #13 12/13/2006, 04:10 PM

Coral harvesting in the Philippines is illegal. But who knows. Philippines has the most corrupt government -- they can pay any one seating in the office just to ship something rare.

ViPeR_930 · #14 12/13/2006, 04:47 PM

Nice score! How many polyps did you get?
Does that store happen to get things from ORA?

mothra · #15 12/14/2006, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GreshamH
Well slap me silly and call my wrong. I just got an email from a fellow industry person informing me that there are some Australian corals being imnported WITH CITES I knew it was cold out, but I had no idea HELL FROZE OVER

Hey Gresh, so what's your guess on the chance that we'll start seeing a lot more duncan's coming in legally next year?

InsaneClownFish · #16 12/14/2006, 01:25 AM

Viper, I know the LFS in question gets ORA frags in from time to time. I know that Duncan is on their site, but I don't think it's available yet...if it is I would surmise it's in very limited quantities.

I counted last night and again this morning...11 polyps with buds forming...from a dime to a quarter+++ in size...

It was very cool watching it eat tonight...the 'tentacles' caught a piece of mysis and folded over like a hand to place it in its mouth...

ViPeR_930 · #17 12/14/2006, 01:50 AM

They have been distributing the duncans slowly since at least 3 or so years ago, and even more ever since MACNA. I say at least 3 years ago because the one I have is traceable back to ORA for 3 years. They've had their mother colony for more than 10 years. I think it could be possible that the LFS got it from ORA and the employee that sold it to you wasn't aware of it. Just a possibility. Either way, I'm still jealous.

GreshamH · #18 12/14/2006, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mothra
Hey Gresh, so what's your guess on the chance that we'll start seeing a lot more duncan's coming in legally next year?

I was sent a pic of multiple colonies, from one dealer, that he received from Australia (CITES). I'd say the chances are great we'll see more, but not tons. IMO it will always be semi hard/rare for us in the USA>

ORA doesn't sell "large" colonies like that, and charge more for smaller head, then the total retail price of the nice colony above

(SCORE

)

Quote:

Australia to Papua New Guinea, and from Malaysia to Vietnam to the NE PI

Vietnam, PNG, Malaysia and PI don't ship stony corals, so count them out. What corals come from there, are "CITES washed" via Indo. Australia has "resumed" shipping small amount of CITES coral (LPS) to the US.

2crazyreefers · #19 12/15/2006, 10:35 AM

Happy to see this post. I will be getting 2 of these from ORA through my LFS today. Im sure they will be a nice addition with all my other ORA corals.

xinumaster · #20 12/15/2006, 05:15 PM

Here is a guy selling a ducan for $125 per head.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=995185

GreshamH · #21 12/15/2006, 05:21 PM

I'll post pics of the Australian CITES one, ORA's and Phishy Business's later today. All seem to look a bit different, as far as color goes. Could just be different tank conditions though.

2crazyreefers · #22 12/15/2006, 09:44 PM

I got both of mine today, they each have four heads and they are awsome. Hopefully I can get someone with a camera to take pics so I can post them.

xinumaster · #23 12/15/2006, 09:50 PM

Where did you get it?

Qckwzrd · #24 12/16/2006, 10:16 PM

Daaannnnng! InsaneClownFish won the Reefcentral Lotto with that one. Best of luck....and share the wealth in the future

grallster · #25 12/17/2006, 09:56 AM

My guess is that if you got that coral for $50--it almost had to be collected somewhere legally. If it was illegally collected in Australia and shipped somewhere else before coming to the USA, I'm sure it wouldn't simply "fall through the cracks" and end up being sold for $50 at some LFS who didn't even know what it was.
IMO, if someone is going to go through all that risk--they're going to make darn sure they get a fat reward for it!

PS. Extreme Corals were selling ORA Dunanopsammia frags for like $300 or something stupid like that (although I don't see any on their site anymore so some sucker must have bought it).