Price of Corals in STL

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curtcherry

Member
Is it just me or do the coral prices seem exorbitant and the selection seem lacking here in St. Louis? Yes I know I have lived in STL all my life... I am somewhat new to the corals but it seems like the $5 frags are not that good. While the large corals in the stores are a bit pricey. Is there a happy medium?

Can one get a decent zora garden started for $15-$30 with 3-5 colorful choices?

Once you are done laughing, let me know where I went wrong.

Thanks!
 
Slash has a lovely CDP program that you could use to accomplish this goal.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2572447

Coral Donor Program (CDP)
The SLASH Coral Donor Program (CDP) allows members to receive frags from other members for no cost with the condition that they in turn pass along frags to other members once the coral has grown out. The CDP is completely voluntary so this is where it helps to be a little social and make it out to events and get to know a few folks. There are well over a 200 different corals available to SLASH members through the CDP and the list continues to grow.

The CDP is managed on a members only section of our club website here. The full rules and a more thorough description of the program is available at the top of the CDP forum. If you are interested in learning about the program before you become a member you can reas some of the details over on this ReefCentral thread.
 
Where are you finding these colorful 5 dollar frags? Other cities? The internet? Local hobbyists?
 
Lance A. Lot said:
Slash has a lovely CDP program that you could use to accomplish this goal.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2572447

Coral Donor Program (CDP)
The SLASH Coral Donor Program (CDP) allows members to receive frags from other members for no cost with the condition that they in turn pass along frags to other members once the coral has grown out. The CDP is completely voluntary so this is where it helps to be a little social and make it out to events and get to know a few folks. There are well over a 200 different corals available to SLASH members through the CDP and the list continues to grow.

The CDP is managed on a members only section of our club website here. The full rules and a more thorough description of the program is available at the top of the CDP forum. If you are interested in learning about the program before you become a member you can reas some of the details over on this ReefCentral thread.
Click to expand...

I would absolutely do this! I saw that but was to shy to ask. I am signing up today (if that is possible).
 
curtcherry said:
I would absolutely do this! I saw that but was to shy to ask. I am signing up today (if that is possible).
Click to expand...

I'm sure it it possible... You can also sign up at the swap coming up in less than a month. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2578976 You will be able to look at a bunch of different CDP corals all at once. If you want people to bring certain corals to the CDP tank at the swap I would suggest making a thread for the specific ones you want.
 
Shipping and boxing makes internet corals equal in price to store bought corals unless you purchase box lots$$$$, or if you're looking for something the store doesn't stock. Gathering corals from half way around the world ain't cheap either. You pay to play;)
 
Coral prices in STL are really not that high. An example would be a 1 head B grade acan goes for about $25-40 at the pet store in West Plains Mo last time I was down that way. When I lived on Hawaii a giant chunk of local Zoa's about the size of a normal cluster of green grapes at Walmart was about $75. I got 3 heads of rasta's the size of pin tips (tiny, tiny, tiny, pin tips) for like $35 bucks in STL, Just depends on where you live and the cost of shipping/keeping/breeding and caring for the coral all add into the price.
 
curtcherry said:
Is it just me or do the coral prices seem exorbitant and the selection seem lacking here in St. Louis? Yes I know I have lived in STL all my life... I am somewhat new to the corals but it seems like the $5 frags are not that good. While the large corals in the stores are a bit pricey. Is there a happy medium?

Can one get a decent zora garden started for $15-$30 with 3-5 colorful choices?

Once you are done laughing, let me know where I went wrong.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Most of the STL fish stores have sales that you can find out about by getting on their email lists or following on facebook. Check them out as there is always sales on the more common frags (buy 3 get 3 free, etc). I don't think $5/frag is realistic unless you want brown corals. Also hobbyists are more likely (not always) to sell things cheaper if you are looking for a specific frag. +1 for CDP, it's awesome. Overall I think St. Louis prices are pretty fair compared to some of the things I've seen on the internet and in other cities.


Nanook said:
Shipping and boxing makes internet corals equal in price to store bought corals unless you purchase box lots$$$$, or if you're looking for something the store doesn't stock. Gathering corals from half way around the world ain't cheap either. You pay to play;)
Click to expand...

Agreed. I've started stocking my new display and have realized this as well...you gotta pay to play.


kegogut said:
One thing about this hobby,it isnt cheap in any aspect.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Reef keeping and diving are probably 2 of the most expensive hobbies there are.
 
Good to CDP is strong. I will certainly use it. Question: I want to be a good citizen to the CDP and return the favor. If I was to buy and invest in a really nice coral, what should it be for CDP?
 
curtcherry said:
Good to CDP is strong. I will certainly use it. Question: I want to be a good citizen to the CDP and return the favor. If I was to buy and invest in a really nice coral, what should it be for CDP?
Click to expand...

That's a hard question to answer. If I'm not mistaking the CDP list is around 150 corals.
 
i paid ton of money in shipping so far since i bought from many different vendors :(. I usually try buy enough to get free shipment. Most vendor give you free shipment from 250-300. I recently just bought JF asskra zoa for 100 a poly and the damn thing stress out and don't think will make it. The vendor only give me 75 dollars credits toward the next order. I spend 375 total with this vendor for sonic flare, utter chao, jf asskra and jb mushroom. I'm really hope the JF asskra can make it so i don't have to spend anymore. I don't know why our lfs doesn't carry high end stuffs too much.
 
Aqua Man 07 said:
some lfs do carry nice corals you just are not seeing a photoshop version of it.
Click to expand...

Trust me, All the sps or lps i saw from online vendor or store from another states are super nice. Our local fish store market are nothing compare to other market. I guess it depend on where the high end market at. The Corner Reef is the only one with a little bit high end stuffs in our market. If you get a change check out world wide coral or topshelfaquatic. Those are just a few but there are a lot more. Not sure if you hear of dip n dot for sps, for zoa stratosphere are 350-400 a poly, mushroom are wwc bounce and jb breaker.
 
every local fish store will carry those, in 10 years when they are common and cost 50 bucks. Cant be rare if it is found everywhere...
 
It's just a business decision for those guys. Unless they've got a ready buyer, they're taking a BIG risk spending money on high end corals.

Instead they're looking for volume business. They'd rather sell 10 $50 frags than take a risk on not being able to sell 1 $500 frag. We as hobbyists aren't typically willing to cough up $500 for a single coral when we can get 10 different ones for $50 a piece. So, it makes sense to the business owner trying to keep his business alive to not have a store full of expensive coral that he can't sell.
 
nate12 said:
Trust me, All the sps or lps i saw from online vendor or store from another states are super nice. Our local fish store market are nothing compare to other market. I guess it depend on where the high end market at. The Corner Reef is the only one with a little bit high end stuffs in our market. If you get a change check out world wide coral or topshelfaquatic. Those are just a few but there are a lot more. Not sure if you hear of dip n dot for sps, for zoa stratosphere are 350-400 a poly, mushroom are wwc bounce and jb breaker.
Click to expand...

As an avid sps grower/collector, this name game and price gouging makes me sick and slightly depressed about the state of sps. Why any 1/2 inch nub is worth 500-1000 to anyone is beyond me. I look at those corals and think about my mortgage or car payment lol. When I moved, I was selling named corals for $10-15. Now most hobbyists are trying to recover there "investment" and even hobbyist prices are whack. I've looked at the vendors you've mentioned and I'm kind of glad the lfs haven't bought into this yet. We will have a lot less people entering the hobby if every stick costs even $50 because it has a fancy name. End rant.

I do agree, some of the stuff online looks awesome, but be careful, some vendors are notorious for photochopping.
 
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