| "Obviously, this is a pretty
old shot. I must note however that this particular leather hadn't even come
close to it's largest size when the image was taken. It got truly huge and
for a period, it was the tank's absolute showpiece (even with the giant
Montipora capricornis present for competition). Finally, when it had reached
the water's surface, it's branches waving rhythmically in the alternating
currents, what most non-reefers saw as hypnotic beauty, I saw as a problem
as it was shading about a full quarter of everything else in the tank. I
knew either it had to go or just about everything else did. Now, I promise
you, had I put it up for a vote, most of my houseguests would've opted for
the removal of everything else. I could've had a 12" jet black A. solitariensis
with bright red polyps providing cover for a school of Peppermint Angels
and these guys would've gladly trashed it all to keep this. Some were actually
upset when I removed it, claiming that I had "ruined the tank!".
And, mind you, this was before I knew about this chemical warfare problem.
But it's all in the past now; most of my friends have gotten over it, although
I do still think I could bring home a football sized colony of Steve Tyree's
"Blue Monster", and still someone would say, 'Yeah, but it ain't
no Colt'. That's why I kinda miss it." |
