echinophyllia, love or hate?

[jonesinreefer]

Hey everyreefer who happens to be interested/obscessed with echino's. I've recently seen a beautiful frag on display at the lfs in Oak. CA that the owner spent a fortune on. I believe it's watermelon alien eye or something very closely related. Now, I've been obscessed with getting my hands on a couple watermelon colored frags so I dove head first into the online frag retail community to see what was out there. 2 problems blocked my purchasing a frag from an online dealer. (Forget about price, I know this is an expensive hobby.)

#1 Ok so first off, I inevitably found Tyrees limited corals site. (I'm an amateur and in no way intend to criticize any sights or persons livelihood, this is just my own interpretation) The waiting lists and prices both seemed odd to me. I really would like a frag of that watermelon alien eye, no doubt, but then I thought about it critically, from a preservationist POV. Now, I did read that the original frag was collected from Tonga if I got that correct. So I deduced (lawyer talk) that if the coral was limited and the original was from Tonga, it was recently collected? Just wondering if anyone knows the laws governing coral collecting in Tonga, because for the money, shoot, I'd take a diving trip down under to get a frag myself! But alas, our diminishing oceans reefs would haunt me till the end of my days. Are waitlists the inevitable line for the most beautiful echino's?

#2 For "watermelon golden eye" I did find a ridiculous price of $20 + $10 shipping on some website with no waitlist, like fortune3 reef allure (no specific info given b/c I read the non commercial disclaimer thingy). So, I put in an order through the secure check out, secure I hope, and checked my order status for the last 4 days. No reply, no processing. There was a number to call so I rang up the guy and it was a little shady as the answer was "hello?" I said, "reefallure" he says "yes?" told him of my order and he tells me that the sight is just a test sight!!! HAHAHA! WOW. So, he lets me know that they're operational in 3-8weeks and I tell him about my payment, right, then he cuts me off and says he's in a meeting. I'm in NorCal and it was about 2 when i called, puts them at 5pm. Should I call back?

As for #2, what about my credit card information? I have no way of knowing what test site personnel have access to it and where it will "hang out" for the next 3 weeks to whenever! It smells fishy, (no punn) Should I consider preparing for legal action?

Main Point> Where can an amateur hope to find an echino watermelon frag? Remember to p.m. anything commercial related please.
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Thanks for reading my post everybody and I appreciate any and all replies.

:rollface:

 

[neyugn0w01]

Best bet is a local reefer with the frag or RC (try RandyO- person I got it from).

 

[jay24k]

I can't stress this enough Register your credit card online with your issuer. Most (Citibank for sure) allows you to create a virtual credit card number. Use that number and it becomes invalid after it is used. You can also call and have them deactivate it in case of a situation you had.

Best bet to pick up pieces is local reefers. Waiting for the Tyree list is a joke. I honestly couldn't imagine waiting 5 years for a frag. Most people get those pieces and once they get passed around sell for cheap. I bought the LE loisietta locally and I now sell it to locals for 25 bucks for a big frag of it. To me, it's not about the name but getting the corals out there. I'll never pay over 50 dollars for a coral.

 

[apex003]

RandyO had some watermelon frags in the classifieds right now, if they aren't already gone. As for the cc info, you might consider canceling that transaction with your company and then canceling the card and getting a new one with a different number. Should be free and could save you a lot of headache if "reefallure" decides they want some goodies on your dime.

 

[ReefDoctorMicromussas]

Call your credit card company.. they will handle it in no time.

He he, I got mine from Neyugn so that means mine also came from... Randy O too LOL such a tight little circle.

Hey try to PM ... "RARE" and then beg him, tell him he is handsome ect. he has a watermelon like 5 inches in diameter.

 

[tacocat]

1. Tyree list, slap yourself onto it. Why not? It doesn't cost anything and you when you find one, cancel your name from the list.

2. DANG, that sucks. See above posts.

Try finding the frags on the RC classifieds. Be quick, these corals are in top demand. They are beautiful and definitely worth the effort.

 

[duec22]

I too would look locally, or at someplace like frags.org. I obtain most of my LE frags locally typically at half of what they sell for online. But to be honest if you think that $20 is a ridiculous price for a coral that every one and their mother would like to have a frag of, then I wouldn't get your hopes up. I live in central Cali....LE central, and I still haven't been able to get a frag for a price that I'm willing to pay, and I'm willing to pay more than $20.

As far as your CCard info, call your CCard company and they should be able to deactivate the old card and send you a new one. Better safe than sorry..

Edit: I reread your post, and I think the ridiculous part or referring to how low the price was....I agree. Most of the time if is sounds too good to be true, it probably is....so ignore the part about not getting your hopes up...

 

[Mr. Ugly]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8043956#post8043956 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by duec22
I live in central Cali....LE central, and I still haven't been able to get a frag for a price that I'm willing to pay, and I'm willing to pay more than $20.

Yup, Cali here too. Not a lot of Watermelon to be found here, and it's pretty pricey. Definately on my most wanted list.

I did get lucky and went halfs with a buddy on a nice one at the Bay Area Coral Farmers' Market this past June

 

[Jacob D]

I think you should post your experience in the feedback forum so others don't end up making purchases at this 'test site'. It's pretty bold to be accepting payments if they are 'not operational'.

 

[jonesinreefer]

Thanks all. Yeah, $20 was "ridiculously" cheap as I had meant, guess that meaning got clouded. I would pay around $80 for a frag of watermelon or the LE, personally I can't really tell the difference nor care. But the credit card registration info by Jay24K was indispensible. Thanks man!

 

[Al G Blenny]

First off what city are you in? It might help people determine what local reefers to check out. You must have gone by Lucky Goldfish in Oakland. Hunter has some nice corals. I go there pretty regularly.

Always remember the term "supply and demand". The reason watermelon frags are so expensive is because eveyone and their mother wants one and there aren't very many out there. Yeah it may eventually become common in the hobby like purple digi but do you want to wait 10 years to save $100? I know I don't have that much patience. Plus in that amount of time you could have grown out 10+colonies and sold frags for close to what you paid for them.

Tonga. You can't just go there, dive, collect corals, and bring them home. If it were that easy don't you think lots of others would have thought about it? The collectors aren't oblivious to the trade. You think they do giving, see a watermelon colony, and say "nobody would want that ugly one. Lets get more frogspawns". There aren't that many of that color out there.

I agree with tacocat. Just put yourself on the lists. I am on most of them. What does it hurt? I got the watermelon well before my name came up on the list but then I lost it. About a month later Tyree gave me a call saying my frag was ready. I was so happy I didn't drop off of the wait list. I didn't like some of his corals when I first signed up. Three years later I started to like some of them like the Psammocoras. I'm glad I stayed on for those because now I have his blue one and his red one. Your tastes change. You may never know what you will like in two or three years. Personally I think the wait lists are great.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8064373#post8064373 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Al G Blenny
Tonga. You can't just go there, dive, collect corals, and bring them home. If it were that easy don't you think lots of others would have thought about it?

Heh, and it's not like there's piles and piles of Watermelon just waiting to be scooped up over there. We're talking about a coral that's awesome looking *and* uncommon.