Robert Paulson!
Corals prices gone wild !!!!
- Thread starter Dave VG
- Start date
650-IS350
New member
Hold me. Does that only pretain to Friday Nights? LOL J/K
I stopped @ 1 AR. now have a PSL, 3rd is going to be 1911.. at least those things won't melt on me or won't cost me $2500 for 1 eye ... nor cost 300 for a single newly named polyp that can melt over night or die during shipment plus $50 shipping cost.
heeehhehehehhe that was my rational for walking from the hobby.
Friday Night
New member
Charles lets make use of that PSL yell "pull" and ill throw a red hornet in the air. YEWWWW HAW!
Friday Night
New member
:thumbsup:
MikeandNicole
New member
I am pretty new to the reef central zoa board and have seen this type of thread pop up a bunch of times already. I think there are points on both sides but I started to wonder what was the underlying cause of these issues.
I think it all comes down to what James Carville once said, "It's the economy stupid!" When did all coral prices (this is not something that is unique to only zoas) start to skyrocket and the naming thing take place? Looking back it seems is started around 2002-2004 and what was happening then, the economy was taking off. For the next 5-7 years most people had jobs and disposable income and what do you know the price of corals took off. Now in the past year or so a lot of people are unemployed and the disposable income has dried up. Now people can't pay the prices and look all the coral prices are coming down.
I think this trend will continue until there is a pickup in the economey and then it will happen all over again. When people have disposable income price is not a big issue but now that people are short on cash price is a huge issue. The issue then becomes worse since people are trying to sell corals to raise cash and trying to turn the hobby into a business. This keeps the naming cycle and prices up as people need the cash. However, there are no buyers and prices are coming way down. I have seen some of the lowest prices out there in the past month and those are the ones that are selling.
I would say enjoy the cycles and buy what you like for a price you can afford.
I think it all comes down to what James Carville once said, "It's the economy stupid!" When did all coral prices (this is not something that is unique to only zoas) start to skyrocket and the naming thing take place? Looking back it seems is started around 2002-2004 and what was happening then, the economy was taking off. For the next 5-7 years most people had jobs and disposable income and what do you know the price of corals took off. Now in the past year or so a lot of people are unemployed and the disposable income has dried up. Now people can't pay the prices and look all the coral prices are coming down.
I think this trend will continue until there is a pickup in the economey and then it will happen all over again. When people have disposable income price is not a big issue but now that people are short on cash price is a huge issue. The issue then becomes worse since people are trying to sell corals to raise cash and trying to turn the hobby into a business. This keeps the naming cycle and prices up as people need the cash. However, there are no buyers and prices are coming way down. I have seen some of the lowest prices out there in the past month and those are the ones that are selling.
I would say enjoy the cycles and buy what you like for a price you can afford.
kev apsley
In Memoriam
If you've been in the hobby long enough you should have by now built up a network of reefing friends/buddies where you can track down just about any "LE" "Named" coral, or whatever you want to call the latest $180 per polyp coral and obtain it for a reasonable price or trade. All of this naming corals and price gouging is definitely geared toward the newer hobbyist because if your in the know than you know better? right??
I've been on all the boards for years and notice it's usually a handful of "newer" hobbyist who latch on to a vendor and continuously bump up their threads and create the buzz/stir for other hobbyist to buy these over priced corals, thinking that they are in cahoots and will benefit from kissing a little a**
I call it a learning curve, you have to come to your senses sometime as to how much your willing to over pay for something. I use to be one of those guys who had to have the latest and greatest $350 per eye chalice frag but over time learned that most people use one good picture and tag on a fancy name to get peoples juices flowing (like they're doing us a favor by only releasing 2 frags at $350 per eye? PLEASE!) Live and learn and don't support the over priced vendors and hobbyist, it's really just as simple as that but as long as their are new people entering the hobby and getting the "reefing bug" than there will always be as P.T. Barnum once eloquently stated A Sucker Born Every Minute
I've been on all the boards for years and notice it's usually a handful of "newer" hobbyist who latch on to a vendor and continuously bump up their threads and create the buzz/stir for other hobbyist to buy these over priced corals, thinking that they are in cahoots and will benefit from kissing a little a**
I call it a learning curve, you have to come to your senses sometime as to how much your willing to over pay for something. I use to be one of those guys who had to have the latest and greatest $350 per eye chalice frag but over time learned that most people use one good picture and tag on a fancy name to get peoples juices flowing (like they're doing us a favor by only releasing 2 frags at $350 per eye? PLEASE!) Live and learn and don't support the over priced vendors and hobbyist, it's really just as simple as that but as long as their are new people entering the hobby and getting the "reefing bug" than there will always be as P.T. Barnum once eloquently stated A Sucker Born Every Minute
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kev apsley
In Memoriam
sorry dp
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MyLittleReef
New member
These things go in cycles. I remember when orange ricordea polyps were going for $8 and then they went up to $40 and now for the most part they are down to $17-20 again.
I hate the whole naming game. The best way to achieve a great looking tank is to have a good eye when you are buying corals.
I hate the whole naming game. The best way to achieve a great looking tank is to have a good eye when you are buying corals.
650-IS350
New member
A Sucker Born Every Minute Part of the solution as well is also making sure that those folks suckering the newer folks/ones that don't know better yet and end up continuing the cycle DON'T do it or don't get to sucker people. That's on the current reefers to do if they want to make a difference " JUST SAYIN "
But as for me, I ain't gonna bother anymore with this game or crusade as I've given up on this issue pretty much as I've come to the conclusion that this will continue on and on. You'll just continue to see threads like this pop up every other week. You'll continue to see high prices on new pieces, hyping, naming etc. Those who appose it and those that are for it, be it what ever reason they have behind that.
But as for me, I ain't gonna bother anymore with this game or crusade as I've given up on this issue pretty much as I've come to the conclusion that this will continue on and on. You'll just continue to see threads like this pop up every other week. You'll continue to see high prices on new pieces, hyping, naming etc. Those who appose it and those that are for it, be it what ever reason they have behind that.
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NyReefNoob
skimmer freak
if you pay it dont complain, if you dont want to pay it dont complain. you see the ph and other hornets prices dropping quickly now, i am amazed at times on some of the prices, especially knowing the cost through wholesalers, fortunate for me my lfs's know me and know i know better. as for someone who bought a cheap brown coral and colored it up then sells it and makes a little money oh well. and kev is right about having friends in the hobby. i can pretty much go to any of my friends house and tell them i want this or that and either be given it or get it for next to nothing, the ame goes for them with me, and some zoa's sps ect just arent fast growers causing a little more of a price as amount of times ect put into growing something out
650-IS350
New member
Oh yeah, what I say is pretty much in general to what I've seen here , other forums and the hobby in general. No specific person, group or vendor. No spite or intentional malice just an observation.
Ever since pretty much giving up on the hobby and no longer taking it serious ( due to my previous love for it ) I've been more at peace and no longer trip about what I see. I just shrug my shoulders and say to my self, " EH' same o'l thing that Ive been seeing and it is what it is.
Ever since pretty much giving up on the hobby and no longer taking it serious ( due to my previous love for it ) I've been more at peace and no longer trip about what I see. I just shrug my shoulders and say to my self, " EH' same o'l thing that Ive been seeing and it is what it is.
Scott-CapeCoral
New member
Finally, something I agree with you on recently.
aquaph8
Love The Fish
Nope, your still here though. Your in it for life. Take a break if you must.
SnapDragon
Member
I agree that $300 per polyp is a lot of money but it also important to be realistic. I paid $60 for my first "COLONY" of zoas. The colony had at least 200 polyps but they were terrible as far as color is concerned. The LFS said that those were the best that come in, well quite a few years later, I can tell you that was very inacurate. There are some seriously nice zoas that pop up in the for sale section. Now thinking about it more clearly, I would have put the $60 dollars towards something super bright and nice that can grow than 200 polyps that are going to stay drabby. I figure if it is super nice like a car when it is first released it costs more, once it has been around, it generally costs less. Somewhat different analogy but I mean come on ALL OF US would love to buy a Ferrari for the price of a pinto. Ferrari's are expensive and I won't ever buy one even if I had the money, but there are people that do. I think this is the same in our hobby. You can buy the Ford Pinto of zoas and you get what you pay for, but the Ferrari of zoas comes at a price.
Now for those that are selling Pinto's at a Ferrari price, now lets just say I feel bad for the purchaser. Anyways I think most zoanthids are cheap in comparison to chalices. Most being the keyword.
Now for those that are selling Pinto's at a Ferrari price, now lets just say I feel bad for the purchaser. Anyways I think most zoanthids are cheap in comparison to chalices. Most being the keyword.
I really don't get the people who want to compare coral pricing to cars, handbags, cell phones, or whatever else.
Lets try and put this in perspective........
If Sony put out a PS1 in hot pink, does that make it worth $1000?
Or are these new polyps made 100% by hand, using nothing but the finest materials?
Or were these the new upgraded polyps that clean your tank and add top off water when needed?
Lets try and put this in perspective........
If Sony put out a PS1 in hot pink, does that make it worth $1000?
Or are these new polyps made 100% by hand, using nothing but the finest materials?
Or were these the new upgraded polyps that clean your tank and add top off water when needed?
