Limited edition corals generate a lot of buzz when released and the Tyree Red Dragon was at the top of the LE hit list a few years ago. Why did this coral grab so much attention? Well, it was unique due to its red/fuchsia color, white color polyps and growth pattern. The coral’s uniqueness and limited availability did translate into a very high price tag back then but today it is more readily available and can be had for a much more reasonable price.
The Red Dragon is a deepwater Acropora with smooth skin, a low density of polyps and delicate, open branches. The coral requires good flow and does well in the middle part of the tank under moderate lighting, although it will do fine higher up or lower down in some tanks. Check out this video for a closer look
As for its origin, rumor has it that Reef Raft in Canada received a piece in a Bali shipment in the early 2000s. Reeffarmers was one of the first US farmers to eventually acquire a piece, selling it as a limited edition near the end of 2010.
Different varieties of this coral have popped up over the years, including Joe’s Golden Dragon Acropora from Joe Knows Reefs. This version has a strong pink magenta color with polyps that turn bright yellow under actinic lighting. I came across another variety known as the Twilight Dragon, an acro with light purple coloration and yellow tips and polyps. This one seems to be a true deepwater as it prefers lower flow and light. So next time you are thinking about adding a new frag, think hard about adding a “Dragon”, a must have for any serious SPS collector.
Additional Resources
If you would like some help with a new tank build, including help designing a custom aquarium, or help re-configuring your current setup then you can visit this page for more information. And if you are looking to add some equipment, I do sell GHL, Pax Bellum, Reef Octopus Calcium and Kalk Reactors and Royal Exclusiv products, including Dreamboxes, which is the equipment I use and recommend. I also sell Reef Brite metal halide and LED fixtures as well as Maxspect & IceCap Gyres.
As for additional insights and information, please explore my many other reef tank and SPS related articles as well as my YouTube channel. For an even deeper dive into reef tank care you can check out my Reef Keeping Master Class. This online course is an immersive and one of a kind educational tool designed to help reef aquarium hobbyists build and maintain a beautiful SPS reef tank. The course is a series of video presentations with some supplemental video from my YouTube channel. There are also quizzes to help students retain and understand the information presented in the course.
Need some frags…..I can help with that as well 🙂 Please visit my SPS Frag store to see what is available.
