No one wanted the DD gigantea today?

[ajdiver]

Man that's what I call inflation here in Florida! Their double that here.

 

[BonsaiNut]

He had two M. doreensis - one really nice purple one and one red one. The reds are very rare. We were both talking about it. The red was the first red M. doreensis the store owner had ever seen (I've seen a couple more over the years). I keep asking about a red S. gigantea. The owner said they had a red S. gigantea at the wholesaler but he didn't pick it up because it was HUGE and if he buys anemones that are too large he can't sell them because few people have tanks large enough. I have to guess that he was likely describing a S. haddoni... I often question ID's from shop employees or store owners unless they REALLY know their anemones.

 

[OrionN]

The price of a Gigantea here is about 350 (other than the Petco gigantic)

 

[SDguy]

Retail price for a purple gigantea in Southern California is $150.

Well, not really. I mean, we have one shop here in SD that I got my mag for $70 or so... sure, we all have that "one shop"... but the other places sell them for easily over $100... so let's not let the whole country think we are drowning in super cheap anemones

 

[OrionN]

A bland Magnifica is about 175 here in Corpus Christi.
You guys got it soo good.

 

[BonsaiNut]

so let's not let the whole country think we are drowning in super cheap anemones

We AREN'T drowning in super cheap anemones. In fact, I know some stores who refuse to keep anemones at all - due to their fickle nature and the fact that many reef keepers don't want them. That said, I can go to one of three different stores that carry anemones, and not pay an arm and a leg for them. I think anemones are kinda like cephalopods. You have to know where to go, and they are somewhat uncommon, but you can get them if you know where to look. That said, if you DON'T know where to look you can still pay top dollar for them somewhere else...

 

[SDguy]

We AREN'T drowning in super cheap anemones. In fact, I know some stores who refuse to keep anemones at all - due to their fickle nature and the fact that many reef keepers don't want them. That said, I can go to one of three different stores that carry anemones, and not pay an arm and a leg for them. I think anemones are kinda like cephalopods. You have to know where to go, and they are somewhat uncommon, but you can get them if you know where to look. That said, if you DON'T know where to look you can still pay top dollar for them somewhere else...

I'm not disagreeing with anything you are saying, but socal isn't the same as North Dakota, and San Diego is part of socal, and I don't have 3 stores I can go to like that. I was just clarifying for our national readers, that's all.

 

[BonsaiNut]

I'm not disagreeing with anything you are saying, but socal isn't the same as North Dakota, and San Diego is part of socal, and I don't have 3 stores I can go to like that. I was just clarifying for our national readers, that's all.

Wink wink I'm just closer to LAX - where all the critters come in and all the wholesalers are

 

[clorox]

Retail price for a purple gigantea in Southern California is $150. Was just at a store three days ago that had two purples and one green. The green was I think $75 or $80.

He had two M. doreensis - one really nice purple one and one red one. The reds are very rare. We were both talking about it. The red was the first red M. doreensis the store owner had ever seen (I've seen a couple more over the years). I keep asking about a red S. gigantea. The owner said they had a red S. gigantea at the wholesaler but he didn't pick it up because it was HUGE and if he buys anemones that are too large he can't sell them because few people have tanks large enough. I have to guess that he was likely describing a S. haddoni... I often question ID's from shop employees or store owners unless they REALLY know their anemones.

I took one of those purple Gigantea. From your description I figured we're talking about the same store. I was there yesterday and they had left a blue a purple and green gigantea. I really wanted the green, but it was in bad shape with its mouth gaping open and its pharynx exposed. I didn't feel like treating it so I chose the purple despite its size.

That purple M.Doreensis was a real beauty, but the red one I thought might have been dyed, the color looked a bit unnatural.

They also had a beautiful H.Magnifica, but I already have that checkbox ticked.

9 out of 10 that red carpet he was talking about was a haddoni. A week earlier I was there and bought a small bleached gigantea that they could not ID. For the owner they are all carpets, no distinction between S.Haddoni or S.Gigantea, but maybe price wise that's a good thing.

 

[BonsaiNut]

I took one of those purple Gigantea. From your description I figured we're talking about the same store. I was there yesterday and they had left a blue a purple and green gigantea. I really wanted the green, but it was in bad shape with its mouth gaping open and its pharynx exposed. I didn't feel like treating it so I chose the purple despite its size.

That purple M.Doreensis was a real beauty, but the red one I thought might have been dyed, the color looked a bit unnatural.

They also had a beautiful H.Magnifica, but I already have that checkbox ticked.

9 out of 10 that red carpet he was talking about was a haddoni. A week earlier I was there and bought a small bleached gigantea that they could not ID. For the owner they are all carpets, no distinction between S.Haddoni or S.Gigantea, but maybe price wise that's a good thing.

Yeah I agree with all your points. I was there when he just had gotten them in and they were still being acclimated. The two purples were fairly bleached, but seemed to be doing better than the green, even though the green was darker with zooxanthellae. Both purples had nice blue columns.

The purple LTA was amazing. The red was not - it clearly needed some tlc - but I don't think it was dyed because I have seen them before. They all have that dark "rust" red color. I personally think the purple color is more striking on LTAs.

Did you see the GIGANTIC pink BTA he also had? The thing was a monster. I even took a video of it The magnifica I saw, but I didn't think it was all that amazing. It had been in the store for a while. If you think you need a big tank for that purple gigantea, the magnifica would dwarf it

Good for you for picking up one of the purples. I like to hear when Reef Central peeps get good anemones because I hope to see photos of them down the road!