Question for keepers of chalice

[coralfragger101]

OK - so I bought a chalice frag online that came today. Overnight express.

It isn't anything like the pictures. Is it common for chalice to completely lose color during shipping? I mean this thing is just plain ugly brown right now.

 

[coralfragger101]

I think it is. I can just now start to see "some" color coming back.


Online pic.

Now.

 

[brians4671]

the online pic looks like it was photo shopped to some extent. from what ive learned it a matter of getting the color to come out ive heard stories of brown chalices coming out amazing once properly cared for hth.

 

[Magga Pie]

I just had that challice it melted 3 days after I got it. Goodluck with it, its a very nice piece.

 

[kifeter]

It depends on the lighting alot. When chalices have been shipped to me they never really loose much color, if any.

 

[roblack]

They shouldn't lost much color if any during shipping. I have received many boxes with very colorful corals in them,polyps extended too. Probably an older pic, and the lighting on the original pic looks very blue.

 

[loyalrogue]

I've found that when you nuke a coral with actinics you can produce some amazing photos to sell it online.

 

[coralfragger101]

So you all are trying to say that this is what's it's going to look like for me?

I might as well throw it in the garbage can.

I do question the bagging for shipping. I bought some zoos as well. This should have been in its own bag. It wasn't. It was wrapped and rubberbanded with plastic and put in the same bag with the zoos. I realize "why" he did it but could this have "suffocated" the coral in a sense?

 

[sedor]

I agree...the online picture is definitely taking with very blue lighting. You should probably have some actinics over your tank as well though. Either way, I do think you got a nice specimen. You just need some "pop" to bring those greens and blues out.

 

[ReefWreak]

I dunno about suffocating, but they shouldn't be anywhere near each other, and bagged separately.

When I send corals, I double bag or triple bag everything, each bag rubberbanded then put into the next bag, rubberbanded, etc. Then I have those bags floating around the container in which I pack everything, but I try to secure them in with styrafoam or newspaper or whatever so though they're floating they shouldn't move too much.

As far as suffocation, I'm considering dry/moist shipping everything I send ever again, because apparently if taken care of properly when they arrive at the new location (thrown into tank in high flow), then they're supposed to have better outcomes than corals shipped in water. Sounds like a dangerous idea, but I've read numerous times about improved shipment success when shipped dry/moist than wet (in RK mag [E. Borneman), in "Coral Propagation" book [Calfo], etc)

 

[sedor]

Ship it to yourself and see how it works out. Should come out the same as overnight shipping. Only difference would be the animal wouldn't be making any airline arrangements

 

[coralfragger101]

Believe it or not. The light in MY pic is a 20k radium.

I know someone that ships zoos that way. Just wrapped in moist paper towel.

I used to ship hermits that way a few yrs ago.

 

[Linesider]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15327258#post15327258 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Magga Pie
I just had that challice it melted 3 days after I got it. Goodluck with it, its a very nice piece.

mag and i split that same chalice one day..mine already grew another eye and coored up a it let me try to get a pic.. of it. its in mid tank for me at moderate flow .. 400wmh6500k+100watT5spure actinics/blues.


dont trash the chalice. one mans trash another mans treasure..

Chuck sorry couldn't make it over yesterday..Imma try to next couple days. Ill let you know, i would like to see that chalice also

 

[LouPhoenix]

Another thing to consider is that the coral is very likely still shocked from the shipping and handling process, new water parameters, new temperatures, different flow pattern, different lighting conditions. I would give it at least a few weeks to adapt to its new environment.

 

[coralfragger101]

Lou: That was/is really my basic question. Of course I'm not going to throw it out. It's obviously still alive. I'll just let it be for awhile and see what happens.

 

[LouPhoenix]

Yeah,

If everything is as it should be in your tank, it will adapt and color up accordingly. Looks like a nice piece...keep us posted on what happens.

 

[clockwurk]

I've seen this chalice and the initial pic is accurate in the sense of lighting... in the photography sense. The pic you took seemed to have white balanced either by your settings or by the cameras default.

I believe this is the biggest issue buying online. Many dealers will say what lens/camera and lighting they use to take the pic but there's about a million variables added to that, that can dramatically change the picture. The main goal of these coral pictures is to enhance, NOT to change the coral, but sadly some online stores do a little too much "exaggerating".

The initial pic is accurate to a degree though, I'm sure if you blast the that chalice with powerbrites that it will look much closer to the initial pic. But I'm sure the vendor didn't specify that :/

But regardless, I think your piece is nice. If you really don't like it, maybe someone here can offer a trade?