My trip to the mad reefer

[Sloeber]

nice looking piece. i had one like 8 years ago. it dropped about a dozen babies of itself over the course of a couple months. my sandbed was littered with 1"x1" babies. i lost the piece during my honeymoon when my tank crashed. been looking for one similar since and have not found one.

the prices of online retailers are a joke, IMHO. many of them ask absurd prices and get those prices. for those living in NY, LA, etc $80 or $100 may represent a good price, i don't know. i know your coral is wonderful, but i wouldn't pay $100 for it. $40-50 is what i would expect it to sell for locally. personally i have never bought a coral online because of this. i believe our LFS's still represent the best pricing for good corals. maybe it is because local places stick with a standard mark-up, whereas an online place has a much larger market and can artificially inflate the price and know they can get it when a coral like yours arrives at their store.

FWIW, that coral was probably sold as a generic moon to the LFS, ie it wasn't upcharged from the transhipper because it was a nice piece. most favias are about $8-10 wholesale, which seems about right given the retail price you paid.

 

[brad23]

I'm sure it was sold as generic to the LFS, he had the same price on all the different ones he had.

Online prices on corals are for the most part are cheaper than any LFS I've ever seen. I'd like to know where you shop at.

 

[Sloeber]

after 20 years i've got a few contacts

 

[blooper74]

I wouldn't mind meating some of those contacts when I start setting up my larger tanks.

 

[llewoh05]

hell i wouldn't mind meeting those contacts right now. you'd be suprised how many corals i can stick in a couple 10s

 

[llewoh05]

well i guess im heading to Peoria tonight to pickup my niece for dress fittings tomorrow with the bride. Was wondering if the mad reefer had anything good to look at or buy right now. figured i would stop in and say hi.

 

[blooper74]

Yeah they got some cool stuff in yesterday.

 

[brad23]

I would respond but I just had my 4 wisdom teeth pulled and it sucks big time.

 

[brad23]

Oh and one more thing, I'd like to see a LFS anywhere around here that carries a peace like that. I've never seen anything like it in this area.

From what you've said sailfin and inland are about the only places you go to and they are both way over priced.

If it starts dropping off babies you can have one, although I think I need to find a shaded area for it.

 

[hounddog01]

That is very nice. Great price also.

 

[Sloeber]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7134322#post7134322 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by brad23
Oh and one more thing, I'd like to see a LFS anywhere around here that carries a peace like that. I've never seen anything like it in this area.

From what you've said sailfin and inland are about the only places you go to and they are both way over priced.

If it starts dropping off babies you can have one, although I think I need to find a shaded area for it.

i bought my moon from sailfin. back in those days i did not pay more than $50 per coral because both myself and my lady were students. IIRC i paid $29.95 for my moon. most of sailfin's LPS were 29 or 39 back then.

i bought most my LPS coral from harbor aquatics or sailfin. clams were entirely harbor. fish are crossed between sailfin and inland. sps are frags from hobbyist or clayton pets. i haven not bought anything in over 2 years.

i don't think you need to find a shaded area for it.

 

[brad23]

Everything was cheaper back then This hobby goes up in price every year.

 

[Gluestick]

Where is this mad reefer located?
Thanks

 

[Horace]

Bloomington IL, out by the outlet malls just off the interstate.

 

[brad23]

I thought it was in Normal.

 

[rjhall]

http://www.themadreefer.net/997911.html

 

[Gluestick]

I'll have to go next time I visit my sister Celeste at ISU! Should be going in the next couple weeks!