Bizarro Danae

[Unarce]

I was just wondering whom else has come across these clones that some stores and vendors are calling the Superman Danae. Particularly, the aquacultured version that I've seen turn completely purple at LFS.

 

[Len]

I've seen solid purple danae AC frags at my LFS, but they don't call it the Superman.

 

[Unarce]

I came across one like that too, at a LFS. They said the wholesaler was calling it the superman. I've seen a few online that don't look like it much, either. Like this one: http://www.fragglereef.com/zen/index.ph ... cts_id=429

Still looks nice, but not as nice as the Superman Danae.

 

[Anonymous]

Not for nothing, but the picture of that frag that was linked looks like it was cut on the saw or dremel not long before the pic was taken. You can still see the skeleton build up (for lack of a better word) from the blade cutting through it on the sides of the piece.

 

[Len]

The fragglereef specimen might be the real deal. It's hard to tell since the polyps are closed up. The ones I see at the LFS are all purple (purple polyps too) and they aren't cut up on the sides like JP described. They're almost always vertically mounted on a rock with tissue/polyps on all sides except (of course) the base).

 

[Unarce]

I don't know. To me, that fragglereef version doesn't even qualify as a clone. It's not half as nice as the tubs/bruddah lineage.

I've seen those exact same purple pieces you described. I was told that wholesalers are charging $50 for them. The real superman's polyps can turn orange, but not purple.

 

[Anonymous]

Yah, they landed in mass from Tonga a spell back. $50 a shot at wholesale is about right

 

[Unarce]

In 'mass'!?! It's a lovely piece, itself. It just sucks that some are buying it as the Superman, when it obviously isn't. Really degrades the value of the real one.

 

[Anonymous]

Seen close to 75 this year myself

The ones I saw at the wholesaler(s) weren't sold as SM, but rather, Tongan SM. Kinda like the SI Purple Monster. Looks just like the real PM, but it's a wild piece from the Soloman Islands. They carry the PM/SM name, but they don't leave out the country of origin, denoting it's not the real deal. It does steal the thunder partially though. Eh, so you can't get $90 for 1/4" of PM any longer, maybe it'll spread further into the reefing community then

 

[FragMaster]

Man I wish. I love that stuff. There was 1 square inch on ebayup for auction a while back that ( if I remember right?) went for $137 8O

 

[Duec22]

Karl, Rich and I spilt a piece of a superman knock off that Tim had. So far it is looking really good in my tank. The colors look right on, I don't think a whole lot of people whould know the difference between it and the real deal.

Not the best pic...

 

[Unarce]

Hey Dave - the one you and Rich got from Tim is definitely the real one. It may not be from the original 'bruddah' colony, but it's close enough.

The Tongan, aquacultured version is pretty different. Some call it the 'small-polyped' superman. Collector's would know right away that it's not the same.