SPS Colony Size

[Lazylivin1]

Hey all, I am not sure if this is the appropriate place to ask this question. If not let me know. Anyway I am wondering where I can buy large SPS. It seems that everyone sells 1/2 to 1.5 inch frags. I guess I am a little more impatient then most. Hoping someone can tell where I can get large size like 4"to 5" in size.

[Airwolf75]

Try a local store, or Liveaquaria.com, divers den.

[victor_c3]

I second liveaquaria.com. I bought several of their pieces and they've all done well.

The only problem with buying colonies versus frags is that usually you won't find colonies that are nearly as colorful as the frags you can find. I ended up buying four full colonies for my 30 gallon tank from liveaquaria.com and then filled the rest with high-end frags from atlantisaquarium.net. So now I have the immediate satisfaction of having several nicely sized colonies to look at while I wait for my frags to grow out over the next couple of years.

[varyhare]

victor_c3 has the idea down! DD's colonies are awesome to look at and you can see them color up right in front of you while you baby your luxury frags. They post new colonies everyday so look out for them and grab them quick since I've lost ones I've been looking at because I hesitated.

[Mr James]

by Airwolf75
Try a local store, or....

Agreed. I picked up a red milli at an LFS in a bigger city south of me (any city is bigger than where I live). It's roughly 8" in diameter ad very healthy. I must say though, I think I will stick to the frags anymore. Love to watch em grow!!

[will16]

Liveaquaria and petsolutions have good sized colonies.

[flyyyguy]

just be careful if you are so set on having to have larger colonies that you dont end up buying wild stuff from online as more often than not they are problematic to put it simply

looking for larger stuff you are best off findign people breaking down tanks, or maybe post an add here at RC in the WTB forum. Just do your homework in the feedback forum on anyone who responds and buyer beware if you buy from ony fellow hobbyist who hasnt already proven themselves

[MCsaxmaster]

Agreed, beware that a large proportion of wild collected colonies (aquacultured in the field is about the same) simply do not adapt to captivity. I wouldn't be surprised by a 50% rate of failure for wild collected colonies. Frags require patience, but after a year or so many hobbyists that have grown their corals from captive produced frags actually have more coral and larger colonies than folks that started with larger colonies ;)

[cutegecko3]

I agree too.If you are unable or unwilling,like some people,to keep your system at NSW levels then you should stay away from wild colonies.I keep my params. at NSW levels and to be honest i would rather buy a maricultered piece than pay $80 for a 1 inch frag,but thats only because my system has proven itself stable at NSW levels for years now.

[Lazylivin1]

Hey guys thanks a bunch. liveaquaria has exactly what I was looking for.

[chessmanmark]

Find your local wholesaler and beg a LFS, or local vendor to take you. They have size and color. Unfortunately they often lose that color.

[Todd March]

I think many have a little of each--wild based colonies (including Maricultured) and frags from long term captive corals. Frags from long term captive corals are often acclimated to captivity an do much better than many wild based colonies that have been ripped from the sea and sun and forced to acclimate to our tanks (which can take a long time)... Growing from frags to "save the reefs" is another issue, but something to consider...

The secret—and it's NOT cheap, and it's getting harder and harder to find as everyone wants to sell small frags for big bucks—is to find larger colonies grown from frags from people leaving the hobby or just tired of some corals, or who appreciate colonies and don't want to frag them and need some money. When and if these prizes come along, expect to pay $250 and up for them...

I recently got a 2"+ Purple Monster frag that is really a small colony. Great and actually growing--something PM is not known for. But since its' a little bigger and established, and very used to artificial light, it acclimated to my tank well. I got a good deal too--$250 with shipping.

Look around, be patient, and be prepared to pay. But it can really pay off, particularly for the more colorful or rare corals.

[Lazylivin1]

Thanks Todd March, here are the small frags I have gotten recently. Very nice and great prices but going to take a long time to grow in.

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr227/lazylivin/BabyBlueTipBottlebrushAcropora.jpg

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr227/lazylivin/BlueVermiculataAcropora.jpg

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr227/lazylivin/LimeGreenBaliSlimer.jpg

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr227/lazylivin/NasutaAcropora.jpg

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr227/lazylivin/ORACHIPSMorphAcropora.jpg

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr227/lazylivin/PinkLightningClovePolyps.jpg

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr227/lazylivin/PurpleTipValidaAcropora.jpg

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr227/lazylivin/SteelBlueBottlebrushAcropora.jpg

[Todd March]

Those are very nice frags, Lazylivin... But you're right--will take time and patience to see them turn into colonies... Patience is not one of my virtues...!

[dots]

There is a lot of pride caring for and growing frags into large colonies. You really appreciate then what goes into a SPS tank when you grow a bunch of frags out, dodging all that can happen. Its one of the most rewarding things to me personally!!

Though, I have always wanted to fill a tank with a bunch of wild pieces and see what happens!!

[Toddrtrex]

I personally like getting frags/smaller colonies, besides having better luck with them, I really like seeing the growth over the months/years. One of my milli frags is now about 5 times bigger over the course of about 9 months.

[mrme]

I love Frags, and i appreciate that people are trying to save the reefs.

How ever, I think we all know what its like to put a Giant colony among our pitiful fragments.
Although, I feel more of a connection with my frags. When i see them grow into colonies, It can be one of the best feelings/experiences.
I have also noticed Colonies have a greater risk of Stn/Rtn.
While frags have seemed to hold up better, even frags of wild colonies.

Frags over colonies any day. =D

[60Cubed]

I only buy aquacultured, tank raised frags/corals. Yeah it cost more for less, but the survival rate is a lot higher. I have not lost any frags to date that were from an existing healthy tank.

[smoke15]

problem is there are more AEFW ,monti eating nudis and red bugs being passed around these days from tank to tank.

[mskohl]

I like getting small colonies from LA as well. I was surprised how big they were on my first order.

Another downside to a colony is that you pretty much need to match the enviroment they came from. If you can't match flow and lighting, parts of that coral will die. That's one of the benefits to a frag, it will grow and morph to fit it's environment so that all its braches and polyps get what they need.

[x2uranium]

last time I ordered a frag from LA they sent me a "lupine stag frag" and it is well over 10"