CORAL Magazine’s CORAL VISIONS for September/October 2017 tempts you with a Rainbow Wilsoni shared by Eye Catching Corals.

Every issue, some of the best coral collectors and vendors around the globe gather up their most outstanding coral specimens and submit them for inclusion in CORAL Magazine. We are always faced with a dizzying array of choices, and for each coral honored with a highly-coveted spot within the pages of the magazine, many exceptional candidates have to be passed over.

What becomes of the dozens of stunning corals that don’t make it onto the printed page? Herewith: a look at some exceptional coral morphs and cultivars that did not make it into the current issue, but that we suspect you will find worthy of a second look.

For the sumptuous print edition of VISIONS, look for a copy of CORAL Magazine at your LFS or Barnes & Noble bookstore and see the corals that beat out the ones below. Comments or suggestions to our editors may be posted below. 

—Matt Pedersen

Dracarys Lobo from Quality Marine

Dracarys Lobo
Lobophyllia sp.
Quality Marine
Los Angeles, California
qualitymarine.com
Geographic Origin: Tonga
Light Level: Low to Moderate
Flow Level: Low: gentle, never laminar
Care Level: Easy
Notes: These can live in just about any lighting situation, but adjust to high lighting slowly. Offer lots of food, and utilize LED blue / actinic spectrums for best color.
Photo Credit: Eli Fleishauer for Quality Marine

A Volcano Brain Coral from Cairns Marine (Micromussa sp.)

Volcano Brain Coral
Micromussa sp.
Cairns Marine
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
cairnsmarine.com
Geographic Origin: Cairns, North Queensland
Light Level: Low to Moderate
Flow Level: Low to Moderate
Care Level: Intermediate
Notes: This coral will benefit from target feeding.
Photo Credit: Fenton Walsh

RC Rain of War Favia, by Cherry Corals.

RC Rain of War Favia
Favites pentagona
Cherry Corals
Livonia, MI
cherrycorals.com
Geographic Origin: unknown
Light Level: Low to Moderate
Flow Level: Moderate
Care Level: Intermediate
Notes: This spectacular Favites develops random streaks of either orange or green.
Photo Credit: Cherry Corals

A beautiful two-toned green Trachyphyllia, from Eye Catching Corals.

Trachyphyllia
Trachyphyllia sp.
Eye Catching Corals
Vienna, Ohio
eyecatchingcoral.com
Geographic Origin: Australia
Light Level: Low
Flow Level: Low to Moderate
Care Level: Easy
Photo Credit: Eye Catching Corals

A high-contrast Australian Trachyphillia, from Eye Catching Corals.

Trachyphyllia
Trachyphyllia sp.
Eye Catching Corals
Vienna, Ohio
eyecatchingcoral.com
Geographic Origin: Australia
Light Level: Low
Flow Level: Low to Moderate
Care Level: Easy
Photo Credit: Eye Catching Corals

The Ruby Rainbow Micromussa from World Wide Corals

WWC Ruby Rainbow Micromussa
Micromussa amakusensis
World Wide Corals
Orlando, Florida
worldwidecorals.com
Geographic Origin: Indo-Pacific
Light Level: Low
Flow Level: Moderate
Care Level: Intermediate
Photo Credit: Jacob Larsen

A coveted Strawberry Shortcake Acropora, shown here by Carolina Aquatics.

Strawberry Shortcake Acro
Acropora microclados
Carolina Aquatics
Kernersville, North Carolina
carolinaaquatics.com
Geographic Origin: Eastern Australia
Light Level: High
Flow Level: High
Care Level: Intermediate to Difficult
Photo Credit: Josh Davis

Purple Hearted Emerald Zoas, from Jason Fox Signature Corals

Purple Hearted Emerald Zoas
Zoanthus sp.
Jason Fox Signature Corals
Baltimore, Maryland
jasonfoxsignaturecorals.com
Geographic Origin: Indonesia
Light Level: High
Flow Level: High
Care Level: Intermediate
Photo Credit: Christopher Jason Studios

The Aqua Medic Live Dragon Scale Spathulata, a vivid Acorpora specimen.

AML Dragon Scale Acro
Acropora spathtulata
Aqua Medic Live
Loveland, Colorado
aquamedicusa.com
Geographic Origin: Darwin, Australia
Light Level: High
Flow Level: High
Care Level: Difficult
Photo Credit: Chad Wohlers

Cairns Marine’s red and mint-green Posie Coral (the Australian common name for Blastomussa spp.).

Posie Coral
Blastomussa wellsi
Cairns Marine
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
cairnsmarine.com
Geographic Origin: Cairns, North Queensland
Light Level: Moderate
Flow Level: Moderate
Care Level: Intermediate
Notes: Blastomussa corals greatly benefit from high feeding levels.
Photo Credit: Rob Lanceley

An exceptional 4-color rainbow Lobophyllia, discovered in Australia’s waters by Cairns Marine.

Brain Corall
Lobophyllia sp.
Cairns Marine
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
cairnsmarine.com
Geographic Origin: Cairns, North Queensland
Light Level: Moderate
Flow Level: Moderate
Care Level: Easy
Notes: Lobophyllia like this will benefit from direct target feeding.
Photo Credit: Fenton Walsh

For those new to our CORAL Visions series, take note: Recognized coral vendors furnish their own subjective and generalized rating on a particular coral’s care requirements. Out of respect for the expertise of these professional aquarists, and the realization that different cultivars of the same coral species may have different needs, we refrain from attempting to equalize or normalize these ratings between individuals of the same species or type. Therefore, when comparing entries, you might see different ratings for the same coral’s light, flow, or care needs.