The Solomon Islands Purple Monster Acropora (Acropora sp., often linked to A. millepora or similar lineages) is a legendary wild-collected small polyp stony (SPS) coral strain with iconic status in the reef aquarium hobby, first imported from the Solomon Islands in 1995 by Steve Tyree and his suppliers. It's infamous for its deep purple pigmentation and extreme sensitivity, earning a "holy grail" reputation among advanced keepers, with recent wild imports (as of 2024-2025) from Vibrant Corals reviving interest in this challenging yet mesmerizing piece.
Structure: Dense, thick branching with a smooth, velvety texture and short, robust fingers that form compact, bushy colonies rather than airy or tabular growth, creating a low-profile, globular shape ideal for tabletop displays.
Coloration: Intense deep purple branches contrasted by crisp white polyps that provide vivid pop; under actinic or blue-enriched lighting, the purple deepens dramatically with subtle iridescence, while polyps glow for a monochromatic, jewel-toned effect—colors can shift (e.g., base polyps turning green under elevated nitrates) but revert with stability.
Size and Growth: Frags are tiny (often pencil-eraser sized), with notoriously slow growth—typically 1 inch per year in captivity—though higher nutrients can accelerate it to baseball-sized colonies in 18 months; recent imports show similar traits but with improved acclimation potential.
Sold in 1” Frags.
The Solomon Islands Purple Monster Acropora (Acropora sp., often linked to A. millepora or similar lineages) is a legendary wild-collected small polyp stony (SPS) coral strain with iconic status in the reef aquarium hobby, first imported from the Solomon Islands in 1995 by Steve Tyree and his suppliers. It's infamous for its deep purple pigmentation and extreme sensitivity, earning a "holy grail" reputation among advanced keepers, with recent wild imports (as of 2024-2025) from Vibrant Corals reviving interest in this challenging yet mesmerizing piece.
Structure: Dense, thick branching with a smooth, velvety texture and short, robust fingers that form compact, bushy colonies rather than airy or tabular growth, creating a low-profile, globular shape ideal for tabletop displays.
Coloration: Intense deep purple branches contrasted by crisp white polyps that provide vivid pop; under actinic or blue-enriched lighting, the purple deepens dramatically with subtle iridescence, while polyps glow for a monochromatic, jewel-toned effect—colors can shift (e.g., base polyps turning green under elevated nitrates) but revert with stability.
Size and Growth: Frags are tiny (often pencil-eraser sized), with notoriously slow growth—typically 1 inch per year in captivity—though higher nutrients can accelerate it to baseball-sized colonies in 18 months; recent imports show similar traits but with improved acclimation potential.
Sold in 1” Frags.
