The days of buying decent sized corals for decent prices is over.

[tang named junkyard]

Today I grabbed a 100 bill and headed to the local aquarium place. I like the people, the store is good. In the past I've gotten decent sized torches for 70-90. Today I got the sticker shock at 180. I went online and anything decent sized is through the roof. Everyone is breaking corals down and selling for almost the same price the big corals use to cost. I know there are a lot of expenses to be paid, I'm not dogging anyone, but man. I use to sell hammer frags, about 3-4 heads for 25 bucks. Hand full of mushrooms for 10 bucks. Most stuff was 15. You can get a eraser head sized plate coral for 30, lol.

[dnguyen1]

I remember those days... now everything is designer. But I’m looking at things differently. Back then I didn’t take care of things the way I do now. I never thought I’d spend 200 on a tiny bounce but now I’m willing too because of the stage my tank is in. I dunno... I agree prices are crazy sometimes but I don’t mind buying a small frag to see the discipline of watching it grow pay dividends... I guess I’m contributing to the high costs by paying the high costs


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[jrill]

Just wait till the Aussies ban exporting. You think prices are high now.

[Uncle99]

I notice the big change up here in the north as well.
Mom and pop coral fragging shops are popping up now.
Traditional LFS are fragging as well where before it was just import.
Non fraggables like scolymias now 300-500 bucks, even the tiniest frags 50 bucks.
Seen a rainbow Acan...750 bucks...(are you kidding)
For the first time, one LFS just stopped marine but still does all else.
The end Becomes ever closer..

[Jason9488]

Most places around the world have banned collection. That equals higher prices.

[Misled]

Prices for most corals have been climbing for the last few years. Most LFS's are raising them because local reefers are doing a lot of fragging and are cutting into their profits. Within our club, things are quite different. Most frag to give them space in their displays. I picked up 9 large frags of higher end SPS for 60 bucks a couple weeks back. Look into a club.

[moondoggy4]

If you want to drive to a local so cal club they have lots of corals for sale at a good price, like Misled stated join a club. Maybe the Simi club.

[Jsarrow]

So true that prices have gotten crazy but as moondoggy4 mentioned there are still good deals among fellow reefer's at local clubs.

[Joe0813]

store and online are expensive. our local club sells stuff a lot cheaper

[FSJGUY]

I agree just stocking ny 27g hexagon when i had it i spent almost 1000$ of course this is for the rock and sand and stuff.. but corals are expensive.


It depends though where you get them... I get my corals from petco my local petco is the main store in the area when it comes to the others.. They got like 30 salt water tanks and a 50g coral frag tank with the right t5 bulbs and so forth.. Ive gotten my torch coral bubbles corals hammer coral. superman coral.. my acroporas. monitporas and my chalice corals all from here. Also this petco gets their corals from names like ORA nad stuff... I can also custom order any corals i want.. I just got two frag of blue grape acropora for 40$. The other day i bought a 3 inch tall frag ORA frogskin acropora for 50$. Yesturday i bought a hollywood stunner chalice about silver dollar sized for 25$


The other local stores i only buy from their 5-15$ section there is always a waldo like coral in there somewhere..

But yea im not spending 40-50$ for 2 heads of zoanthids.. Or 1 mushroom or a pencil eraser sized fragment for 50$ Thats just rediculous in price.

I know some corals sells for more due to colors and stuff but still. My local stores will sell a 5 or 6 polypp frag of fire and ice zoas for like 40$ in petco i bought a giant frag that was cut from its rock with about 150 heads fire and ice for 30$

Maybe try your local petcos see if you can find one with a good frag tabk.

Maybe im lucky to have a petco like that near me but yea.

They

[Cliving1]

In my opinion it's not that much different. You can stock your tank with a variety of coral, just avoid the names ones if your on a budget. You can always buy frags or smaller coral and be patient too. Depends on your location as well I would think.

[FSJGUY]

Another problem i noticed is the (name) corals are just guys putting their own made up names ob corals to make em seem better.. they juice em up with lighting that isnt really realistic in most peoples tanks and lighting that doesnt grow them best just to make em glow.

Like have you noticed alot of acroporas are now having these names like ( toxic green) and so forth... when its the same coral at another place with another name.

People come up with retarded names as well.. grape crush.. candy crush.. and all kinds of retarded names.. when its the same exact coral with a more basic name.

Then you got these corals with the persons name on it.. Like Jack olanturn leptoseris coral... Some guy puts his name on it like Jason Fox... i bough a jack olanturn lepto for 15$ about a quarter size and Jason fox wants double or tripple.. because i guess his damn name is on it? Gimme a break.

[Pslreefer]

Originally Posted by Jason9488

Most places around the world have banned collection. That equals higher prices.

That’s is only a very very small equation. It’s the fact that everyone and their brother setup a saltwater tank because of advancements in the hobby have made it possible for anybody to do so. 10 years ago and back that wasn’t the case, if you had a saltwater tank, everyone thought you had s lot of money and were doing something out of the norm for a hobby.

Then you have super hyped up corals with designer names and add on this “omg a ban a ban the hobby is disappearing” and PRESTO, high prices.

There are more than enough vendors with coral farms to satisfy the hobby without relying on wild imports.

[sde1500]

Originally Posted by Pslreefer

That’s is only a very very small equation. It’s the fact that everyone and their brother setup a saltwater tank because of advancements in the hobby have made it possible for anybody to do so. 10 years ago and back that wasn’t the case, if you had a saltwater tank, everyone thought you had s lot of money and were doing something out of the norm for a hobby.

Then you have super hyped up corals with designer names and add on this “omg a ban a ban the hobby is disappearing” and PRESTO, high prices.

There are more than enough vendors with coral farms to satisfy the hobby without relying on wild imports.

But specific to OPs example of buying a hammer it’s very relevant. The Indo ban is really hurting euphyllia prices.

[Pslreefer]

Originally Posted by sde1500

But specific to OPs example of buying a hammer it’s very relevant. The Indo ban is really hurting euphyllia prices.

wwc sells torches for $59 during their live sales. I bought a neon tipped purple one during their cyber Monday sale.

They are online for regular retail at $99. They have hammers online at like $60 but during lives sales like $30.

If you buy at regular retail then yes, your gonna pay.

[Chuckd76]

Not hating on anyone but I'll pay the prices my local shop has and not complain.
Yes, online is cheaper and local clubs do swaps and such but my lfs is a place I can go and get good advice, good (same day) equipment and good livestock.

To me it's sorta like a big box store or my local harware store.
At the big box they ask "what do you need?"
At the local store they ask "what are you trying to do?"

There is no substitute for a lfs.

[reefgeezer]

Personally, I'm done buying tiny little frags from hobbyists. The price used to justify the risk. That no longer holds true. The barely healed (at best), laughably small frags offered are just way too susceptible to shipping & acclimation stress. LFSs in my area don't carry much worth their asking price and clubs don't exist in my area that I'm aware of. Call me cheap, but my plan is to maintain a fish only with dry rock tank with the couple of coral colonies I already have. I'll add corals if I find small colonies at decent prices. I don't expect that to happen though. Corals have gotten kind of like gasoline... every disaster, export ban, or environmental scare is an excuse to raise prices.

I know the current situation in the hobby makes it a seller's market. I don't blame those who have supply to meet the demand for getting as much as they can. I'll just have wait it out... or get too old and feeble to maintain what I have & just sell it all.

[Pslreefer]

Originally Posted by Chuckd76

Not hating on anyone but I'll pay the prices my local shop has and not complain.
Yes, online is cheaper and local clubs do swaps and such but my lfs is a place I can go and get good advice, good (same day) equipment and good livestock.

To me it's sorta like a big box store or my local harware store.
At the big box they ask "what do you need?"
At the local store they ask "what are you trying to do?"

There is no substitute for a lfs.

There so much misinformation here.

You think places like WWC, Aqua SD, unique corals, etc are not lfs’s???

They in fact are and just are bigger and more successful lfs’s.... They also have the absolute best customer service and guarantee in the biz. I can drive an hour and a half to WWC as my lfs anytime I want.

Additionally, most any lfs can get wholesale prices from them, at least WWC anyway.


My local fish store 5 miles from me, ya I go there for convenience but the only think I buy from him is food and fish. His frag prices are ridiculous and all he does is get a bunch of wholesale colonies and chops em upend marks em up.

Just like drug dealing: chop it up, fluff it up

[dmsprague]

Originally Posted by Pslreefer

.

SNIP
My local fish store 5 miles from me, ya I go there for convenience but the only think I buy from him is food and fish. His frag prices are ridiculous and all he does is get a bunch of wholesale colonies and chops em upend marks em up.

Just like drug dealing: chop it up, fluff it up

LOL I hear ya. I was at my LSF last week and they were chopping up corals they just received. They even told me they would chop one smaller if I wanted while they had the saw going. There was nothing that appealed to me plus I would probably not buy one that had just been cut. I like to see that they are healing and / or starting to grow a least a little before I'll by.

[Chuckd76]

Originally Posted by Pslreefer

There so much misinformation here.

You think places like WWC, Aqua SD, unique corals, etc are not lfs’s???

They in fact are and just are bigger and more successful lfs’s.... They also have the absolute best customer service and guarantee in the biz. I can drive an hour and a half to WWC as my lfs anytime I want.

Additionally, most any lfs can get wholesale prices from them, at least WWC anyway.


My local fish store 5 miles from me, ya I go there for convenience but the only think I buy from him is food and fish. His frag prices are ridiculous and all he does is get a bunch of wholesale colonies and chops em upend marks em up.

Just like drug dealing: chop it up, fluff it up

Just because WWC are local to you doesn't make my information incorrect.
And just because you have a store near you who gouges doesn't make my lfs not worth going to.

And saying this store or that store has the best customer service is an opinion that does nothing for your argument.
After all, even a child abuser can buy a "Best Dad Ever" mug.

If you aren't happy with a store near you, regardless of the reason, don't support it.
I am thrilled with how I'm treated at my lfs. That's why I go. From sales to giveaways to just "I'll throw that in for nothing."

Sure those stores you listed are all local to someone. Good for them. My point is support someone you think is doing a good job.

If your store has stupid high prices, haggle.
If that doesn't work, walk away.

But, if you have a store near you that's worth anything, shop there.
They'll appreciate it and maybe your business will help them grow to be included on a list that someone posts during an online argument and you can reap the benefits of your local store having the buying power to get the best prices/corals in the business.

[Heuristic]

Originally Posted by dnguyen1

I remember those days... now everything is designer. But I’m looking at things differently. Back then I didn’t take care of things the way I do now. I never thought I’d spend 200 on a tiny bounce but now I’m willing too because of the stage my tank is in. I dunno... I agree prices are crazy sometimes but I don’t mind buying a small frag to see the discipline of watching it grow pay dividends... I guess I’m contributing to the high costs by paying the high costs

When I restart my tank this is more of the mindset that I'm going to have on it. Before I bought a pretty cheap frags and a few middle of the road stuff and found myself really only enjoying the middle of the road stuff and had to keep moving my cheap stuff out of the way LOL

[EMeyer]

To me it's sorta like a big box store or my local harware store.
At the big box they ask "what do you need?"
At the local store they ask "what are you trying to do?"

As an aside, that is very high on the list of the reasons I prefer Home Depot to local hardware stores any day.

"What am I trying to do? Oh, are you gonna refer me to your aquarium specialist? How about instead of asking a bunch of questions you tell me where the 1" ball valves are and get out of my way?"

Same with LFS. Its like, I asked if you have any cleaner shrimp in stock. I did not invite a bunch of questions about the size of my tank, my nutrient levels, or ask for your "helpful advice"

Of course, buying online is obviously better than both for the same reason.

[Crusty Old Shellback]

It's been going on for years, it didn't just start the last few years.

What we used to sell as frags, one day became called colonies. Then what they were selling as frags, later became called colonies. The last time I was at our club frag swap, some years ago, what a lot of people were selling as frags looked more like stuff we used to throw away.
Steve Garrett was about the only person I remember at that swap who was selling what people would call mini colonies for about the same price as others were selling their miniscule frags for. He never gouged the hobby.

All of the naming of corals and Limited editions, etc, can be traced back to a few people who started it. They took a piece of coral that they found interesting, usually from some one else's tank, stuck a name, a L.E. and a high price on it. It snowballed from there. So we have ourselves and a few others to blame for the high prices.

I've given away frags of stuff people were selling for high prices. They complained to me because I was "cutting into their sales". But I thought this was a hobby?

This is also one of the other reasons I left the hobby. People and companies price gouged for frags and even equipment. Put a Reef ready/ reef only moniker on it and charge double for it. But you will never be able to stop it, or even slow it down.

I remember back in the day ( I know, here we go with that line again) I got involved in what was called a Zoa thermos trade. It was done right here on reef central. People would sign up on a list as to how many frags of Zoa's you were willing to trade. Minimum frag was 5 polyps. You would match up with people and send them some frags and they would send some to you, wrapped in wet paper in plastic bags inside a thermos. You paid for your own shipping.
We all wound up with some amassing Zoa's for our collections. Good luck seeing that happen again.

[d2mini]

Even though I agree with the OP in some ways, you also can't compare some of the crazy stuff that is available today to what was available 10-20 years ago.
I'll sell you that old school green torch for $5/head too.

And some of the collection bans aren't helping either.

[alton]

You could compare buying colonies of coral to adult fish in the old days. Today we buy frags and juvenile fish which ship and acclimate better to our tanks. It could almost be considered a more responsible thing to do? And like d2mini said today's coral is so much nicer than 15 years ago