Good investments

[Drewbaby]

I want to start keeping some LE zoos/palys, but am wondering what types are less likely to melt on me and which will be good investments? I like Rastas, udder chaos, Gobstoppers, and some of the hornets. Are these ones that are worth trying or do they have a good history of melting?

I have some pink zippers, whammin watermelons, nuke greens, purple deaths, radioactive dragon eyes, pink panthers, and some mint chocolate chips that are doing well. I didn have a weak frag of bam bams that I tried to rescue but those melted away.

 

[jaesong]

Is your tank ready for the investment?

 

[Drewbaby]

Tank has been running for 4 1/2 years steady as a full reef tank. Plus I'm already keeping 7 types of z/p currently. I don't see why it would not be ready?

I was asking about the higher end types such as the utter chaos and rastas because I wanted to know which types of high end zoas and palys other people have had good luck with.

 

[SD Actuary]

The only thing I have had bad luck with on 2 separate occasions were Non-Tank Raised Fruit-Loops, and one Darth Maul frag (my current darth maul colony is doing fine)

I also have Rastas, they are doing fine, and from everyone I know in my area that have Rastas they have not complained about melting. Although they are known to be fairly slow growers. Rastas "only" being ~$40 pp I would say you could easily try a 1-2 polyp frag from pretty much any seller without losing any sleep.

I am getting my first Utter Chaos frag this week, it is from a reputable seller, lineage is traced, and there is a guarantee on the polyp. I am confident there wont be a problem with it, I have also not heard of anyone whining about spending $150+ on a frag and having it melt away.

My only concern when considering a high end investment on something like Utter Chaos, LE Bowser, Bloodshots, etc. would be to only buy from reputable sellers, or do tons of research into the people you are buying from.

If they are charging $25 pp for Utter Chaos, i would be wary.

Long story short some of the high-end ones that I have had luck with and do great are: Bloodshots, Space Monsters, Captain Americas, Rastas, Any Hornet, Strawberry Wines, Chong Bong, Paradise, and more that I cant think of.

If you would like a list of some of the more reputable sellers I can let you know that as well.

 

[Scopus Tang]

IMO, zoas and palys are never a good financial investment; financial investments are bonds, houses, real estate, etc. Zoas and palys are a living coral, they grow, the reproduce, they die (sometimes they melt), prices go up and prices go down.

 

[Friday Night]

IMO, zoas and palys are never a good financial investment; financial investments are bonds, houses, real estate, etc. Zoas and palys are a living coral, they grow, the reproduce, they die (sometimes they melt), prices go up and prices go down.

+1 its all a dice roll bud. Everyones system is different the only way to find out is to roll the dice.

 

[SD Actuary]

My thoughts on the investment aspect

1 polyp Soprano = $250

Invest this Soprano into your (stable) tank for 6 months.

Admire your 10 polyp Soprano.

Frag into 9 single polyp frags and sell at $100 per polyp.

250 x (1 + i) ^.5 = 900

Solving that equation for i yields 1196% interest annually.

Seems like a good investment to me

 

[RokleM]

This forum is not here for "investment" advice. If you want a quick buck and a gamble, go play the lottery or stocks.

This is a reefkeeping and educational forum for hobbyists. What goes in your tank is your decision based on how much money you want to spend, what looks neat to you, and based on what "responsible reefkeeping" thoughts you have. No more, no less.

 

[650-IS350]

zoas and palys are never a good financial investment; financial investments are bonds, houses, real estate, etc. Zoas and palys are a living coral, they grow, the reproduce, they die (sometimes they melt), prices go up and prices go down.

+ 10000

 

[SD Actuary]

Never said I was in this hobby to make money, in fact I have never sold any of the things in my tank.

Just jokingly arguing that you "could" show that if you wanted to consider corals as investments, the yield on them can be astronomical compared to the current state of the market rates and housing yields.

Im in this hobby to see the living things grow that amuse me the most. How most of this coral looks other-worldly and doesnt make sense why they would need to, in nature, look that beautiful to survive.

But i think im steering this thread away from what it was intended.

Did not mean to insinuate that you should only be in the hobby to make money. I certainly am not.

 

[KafudaFish]

When I read the OP the first time I thought the same thing:
investiment = making money.

The second time I read it I got a different meaning:
The OP is willing to spend more money on higher costing zoas but does not want the whole I spent $250 this week on some frags and they all melt.
If he spends that amount of money he/she is hoping that the chances of surviorship are as good as the $10 25 polyp frag that is in the tank.

No?

 

[XSharkboyX]

My thoughts on the investment aspect

1 polyp Soprano = $250

Invest this Soprano into your (stable) tank for 6 months.

Admire your 10 polyp Soprano.

Frag into 9 single polyp frags and sell at $100 per polyp.

250 x (1 + i) ^.5 = 900

Solving that equation for i yields 1196% interest annually.
Seems like a good investment to me

Its this kind of thinking that got us into then the current mentality of the hobby. Why is everyone out to make money while reefing? Thats not what this hobby is about period!
I encourage you to take a look at this thread.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1941053

For clarification there is no such thing as high end, and LE zoas and palys. Its all false hype to drive up the price...

 

[Scopus Tang]

My thoughts on the investment aspect

1 polyp Soprano = $250

Invest this Soprano into your (stable) tank for 6 months.

Admire your 10 polyp Soprano.

Frag into 9 single polyp frags and sell at $100 per polyp.

250 x (1 + i) ^.5 = 900

Solving that equation for i yields 1196% interest annually.

Seems like a good investment to me

My response to that would be that you have obviously never bought a Soprano. I've yet to see or hear from anyone who bought one of the last group of soparanos to hit the market who has any to sell. In fact at least one has already posted a thread that his are currently melting and I'm willing to bet that most of the others have too.

 

[650-IS350]

there is no such thing as high end, and LE zoas and palys. Its all false hype to drive up the price.. this

 

[SD Actuary]

I guess its more difficult to convey sarcasm on the internet than you would think.

The OP was never looking for "hey how can i make money off this name-brand coral thing" he wanted to know which types of coral will be worth the monetary investment, meaning, which ones will survive and look good in his tank.

The 2nd response was implying that he was looking for a way to make money, and suggested investing in realty and financial instruments.

I doubt that if the OP was looking for a way to earn some money by investing his income that he would think first to come to his favorite online reef-aquarium forum for advice.

The post about the Soprano's was simply stating that, hypothetically, with the current state of things, you COULD make money, at no point did i say that he should go and do that.

For clarification there is no such thing as high end, and LE zoas and palys. Its all false hype to drive up the price...

This “false hype” is not hype if there are people out there who consider it worthy to spend their money on.

I agree that these species are not given a scientific name of "KO's Nightmare" when the first person to discover them in the wild sees them. If they were called "Orange Flower Coral Things" then yes, they might not sell as much. I did not invent the concept of marketing, I did not name these corals, I am simply using the names as a common reference that people within this hobby will understand.

Do what you want to do within this hobby, I am not bashing you to go out and buy some $100 per polyp frag because it’s cool, so why should you tell me to boycott them if I, personally, like the way they look?

 

[usefulidiot213]

You guys are crazy.. :wildone:
Sometimes I think people just look for ways to argue on this site. Zoos are Zoos. They come is all kinds of different shapes, sizes & colors. Buy the ones you like, and don't buy the ones you don't like. If the ones you like are $200 per polyp, and you feel comfortable in spending that amount of money, then rock the house. Just don't be surprised that 2 years from now they are $20 per polyp. :dance:

 

[SD Actuary]

You guys are crazy.. :wildone:
Sometimes I think people just look for ways to argue on this site. Zoos are Zoos. They come is all kinds of different shapes, sizes & colors. Buy the ones you like, and don't buy the ones you don't like. If the ones you like are $200 per polyp, and you feel comfortable in spending that amount of money, then rock the house. Just don't be surprised that 2 years from now they are $20 per polyp. :dance:

Perfectly said.

I didn't come here to argue or to give "investment" advice as to what Paly or Zoa is selling the highest right now, but i'm not going to sit back and have people tell me i'm a bad person for ruining this hobby because i pointed out that, currently, a certain Paly is selling for a lot of money.

 

[650-IS350]

read this for your information

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1941053

 

[Drewbaby]

Thanks to all those that chimed in, but just to clarify Kafuda Fish is correct in his thinking that I was talking about investing my money into more expensive "higher end" corals to grow out and enjoy. I know there is no real profitable way to enjoy this hobby and make a business out of it. I choose to enjoy it and let those that make money do what they do. I give them credit for doing what they do to survive.

I do like the comical visual breakdown that SD posted. In all seriousness this is how these large companies stay in business. Its just unrealistic for any of us hobbyists to achieve that exact return do to the fact that there are so many people involved.

 

[israel.kendall]

I don't understand why someone would say they are only using the names as a common reference everyone would understand, while at the same time speaking of "lineage".

IMO, if it's the right coloration to be an "Utter Chaos" or whatever, then call it that as a common reference. As for "lineage", what does it matter whose tank it was in? They ALL came from the ocean, that is the lineage. It's laughable to think that only one colony of any named coral existed in the ocean and that you must trace the "lineage" to some auto mechanics aquarium or something.

My investment advice: Buy the coral without the "lineage" as they are a fraction of the price, take the extra money you save and put it towards something else worthwhile.