Aussie corals

[rnscross]

I was checking out some corals on DD and looking at the LPS I was wondering whether they are dreaming up these prices or whether they are standard?

PS I'm in australia..

I have one twice this size and it barely cost me anything, I didnt even think it was that special :s

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+8&ddid=149578

HEavily saturated picture, but it looks like a standard blasto that we get all the time, is it something you dont see very often?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+8&ddid=147884

We import fish from indonesia etc and it doesnt cost as much as it does for you guys, is it a matter of supply and demand? not much making it out of australia and there being alot of you who want it, or is it the fact that "aussie" seems to make every coral more expensive?

 

[JDK]

IMO their divers den stuff is overpriced. Can be had for much less most other vedors.

 

[MBIETZ]

Divers den is over priced but there are other sites that are way over priced like sexycorals sure they have some cool stuff but not cool enough.

 

[Turbo snail]

Australian fish/corals are generally more expensive because there are not too many that make it over to the states compared to other places like Indonesia. Australian animals are also practically guaranteed to not have been caught using cyanide, and just handled better and with greater care. Whether or not this is always true I don't know, but that is the pretty well held belief over here

 

[rnscross]

I know for fish, we do look after them, they have a premium price compared to imported ones from indonesia. I thought they sounded a high, but even that first hammer would only cost $40 here if that. I'm glad I live in australia as I am spoilt for fish and corals.

 

[nonstopfishies]

There are a number of factors at play here...

1. Like people mentioned, collection in Australia is much better than in Indonesia or other areas.
2. Australia isn't a third world country and the workers that pull the stuff from the ocean and send it on it's way to the US make much more money than workers from Indonesia or other places.
3. Australia is really far away. Shipping costs are expensive to send stuff all the way to the US, where that coral would never had to get on a plane for you to acquire it.
4. People love stuff from Australia and anything marked as from Australia is "worth" more in the US. Much of it marketing, but some of it quality as well. Lots of Australian pieces have great color that you wouldn't get from else where.
5. Diver's Den prices are definitely on the higher end of what you would see here, but for good reason. They don't immediately sell corals and give them at least a week or two to settle into capitivity bettering your chances of getting a healthy specimen. In addition to that they offer a 2 week no questions asked guarantee on those items which you won't get most places.

All those reasons and more I haven't addressed all factor into pricing of the pieces you are looking at.

 

[dvanacker]

There are a number of factors at play here...

1. Like people mentioned, collection in Australia is much better than in Indonesia or other areas.
2. Australia isn't a third world country and the workers that pull the stuff from the ocean and send it on it's way to the US make much more money than workers from Indonesia or other places.
3. Australia is really far away. Shipping costs are expensive to send stuff all the way to the US, where that coral would never had to get on a plane for you to acquire it.
4. People love stuff from Australia and anything marked as from Australia is "worth" more in the US. Much of it marketing, but some of it quality as well. Lots of Australian pieces have great color that you wouldn't get from else where.
5. Diver's Den prices are definitely on the higher end of what you would see here, but for good reason. They don't immediately sell corals and give them at least a week or two to settle into capitivity bettering your chances of getting a healthy specimen. In addition to that they offer a 2 week no questions asked guarantee on those items which you won't get most places.

All those reasons and more I haven't addressed all factor into pricing of the pieces you are looking at.

Very good answer.