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Single-tail variety
Comet care recommendations cross-checked against the following authoritative references and our internal vendor + breeder database.
Named cultivars are coral or fish lineages that have been propagated, photographed, and tracked over years - sometimes decades. The name comes from the originator (the breeder, importer, or first hobbyist to fix a unique color morph) and stays attached as the lineage spreads through the hobby. A named cultivar is essentially a verified pedigree: when you buy a documented frag or specimen, you know what colors it should hit at maturity, what light intensity it prefers, and how it should grow over time.
The price premium of a named cultivar over a generic specimen reflects three things: 1) Breeder reputation - originators like Battle Corals, World Wide Corals, Jason Fox, ORA, or Tyree have track records of coral that color up to expectations under correct conditions. 2) Verifiable provenance - the lineage chain from originator to your tank gives you confidence the cultivar will perform. 3) Resale value - if you frag a named cultivar successfully, the frags hold their value far better than no-name colonies.
For more on coral cultivars + originators, see our originator directory, WYSIWYG glossary entry, coral fragging guide, and coral feeding techniques.
How long does a named cultivar take to color up? Most named cultivars need 4-12 weeks to acclimate + color up after shipping. Lighting + flow + nutrient acclimation matter more than salt brand or specific dosing schedule. Use a PAR estimator to dial in your light intensity.
Should I buy a frag or a colony? Frags ($30-200 typical) are entry-level. Colonies (5x+ the frag price) hedge against tank crashes. For a once-in-a-lifetime named cultivar, consider buying both: keep the frag in your display + the colony in a backup tank.
How do I verify a cultivar lineage? Ask the seller for: the originator name, when they obtained the parent colony, and at minimum 3 photos showing the cultivar over multiple growth stages. Reputable vendors document this on every listing.
What if my cultivar browns out? Brown coral = excess zooxanthellae. Causes: low PAR, high nitrates/phosphates, recent shipping stress. Fix: gradually increase blue PAR, lower nutrients to under 5 ppm NO3 + 0.05 ppm PO4 with our water parameter checker, give 2-4 weeks before judging.
Can I keep a named cultivar in a nano reef? Yes for most LPS, zoanthids, mushrooms, palys. SPS named cultivars need 75g+ for stability. Browse stocking blueprints for nano reefs.
All WYSIWYG cultivars (550) · Coral catalog · Originator directory · PAR estimator · Frag pricing calculator · Reef crash recovery dosing · Coral feeding techniques · Coral fragging · Coral diseases (AEFW, RTN, brown jelly) · Q&A library (222 answers) · Glossary (127 terms) · Interactive tools