The whole coral pricing has become a joke

[MUCHO REEF]

That coral for sale at bc is a joke! You should go on the website and read the description. I recently made my first online purchase with bc. It was a pleasant experience and the price was right.

I haven't followed the entire thread, but I've been reefing for a while too. The whole named coral blah blah stuff is amusing, and some coral prices are a bit out of hand. People are paying much more than I ever would. But, You have to admit some of the coral out there nowadays is pretty cool.

Isn't the simple answer to all of this... Don't buy it. There are plenty of cool non-designer corals to be had at fair prices.

Lol.....I did see it......you should read the last sentence of my post above. "Regardless if it is a prank post". I agree, reading the entire thread is very insightful. And you're right, I don't buy them, neither does anyone else that I know.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

You took it wrong I think. All I'm saying is I don't blame RR, JF, WWC, or CC and the likes for asking 200$ a nub for said blue SPS. Why not "mentor" them to avoid this gouging and buy from local reefers? I have two tables being set up at next weeks largest frag show in New England- Frag Farmers Market. Tons of vendors and hobbyists such as my self will be selling. In fact, Jason Fox comes every year. We locals see the prices he charges against what locals are asking. I even have some of his corals which will be half if not even less than his asking price. I feel it helps us to sell more in fact.

I don't follow names and don't know who those businesses are you've mentioned.

I'm not sure who you are referencing regarding mentorship.

What you have to understand is price gouging started with greedy reefers and everyone else in the pipeline followed suit as everyone now wanted to capitalize on said profits.

 

[Tweaked]

I don't follow names and don't know who those businesses are you've mentioned.

I'm not sure who you are referencing regarding mentorship.

What you have to understand is price gouging started with greedy reefers and everyone else in the pipeline followed suit as everyone now wanted to capitalize on said profits.

You mentioned mentoring a few reefers actually. And as stated I see no reason to get upset over price gouging. Just ignore it which you seem to be doing not knowing the big vendor names I posted.

 

[CONSPICILLUM]

Supply and demand. Pimps, whores, johns, and abstainers. Nothing new under the sun.����

 

[MUCHO REEF]

But if you love the hobby and manage to make it your livelihood then I see nothing wrong with that. We know how expensive this hobby is. Building a big enough setup to make a living off of must cost a fortune.

Wow !!!! I think that's the issue many responders have. This is a hobby that many are or have turned into a business. Not with factual advertiments but multiple false claims targeting newbies who aren't aware of the lies, rarity claims, photoshopping, sky high price gouging and claims that lineage from Peter the Polyp Pimp actual adds value to the coral when it means absolutely nothing.

Mooch.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

I find this thread enlightening and I am glad to see this topic drawing so much attention. I hope that more people in this hobby will take a stand and refuse to pay these absurd prices. It isn't supply and demand but purely greed. It almost seems like people buy these simply so they can say "look at me! look at me! or they buy them so that they too can "get rich quick". People that stand to gain from the price gouging will defend this topic to the death.

It's great that you too have been enlightened. You're not alone as many reefers have discovered the same over the years. I could show you tons of PMs, emails and text messages stating the same but I never share private communication.

See post # 88 on page 4 in the link below.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1888199&page=4


MUCHO

 

[MUCHO REEF]

You mentioned mentoring a few reefers actually. And as stated I see no reason to get upset over price gouging. Just ignore it which you seem to be doing not knowing the big vendor names I posted.

Yes, I derive great pride from mentoring reefers who wish to learn about true reefing.

Oh I am by no means upset, more so bothered as thousands of other reefers are as well. Price gouging is dramatically shifting the hobby. I have shared my reasons, but this reefers states it with great clarity in the link below. ( see link )

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2316723

Names simply means you're going to pay someone more money for something they placed "a name" on. Something often common with multiple names. I continue to ignore them.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2031770

And I thank RC for allowing us to discuss this topic at length.

MUCHO REEF

 

[MUCHO REEF]

I try to wait for coral swaps or reef shows (like reefapalooza) to buy what I guess would be called high end coral. I have got many nice corals for a great price just by making an offer... went to one they had here in Jacksonville in December and got 2 higher end and crazy looking acan frags for 40 bucks... when I bough the guy told me he normally sells each of those frags for 50 per polyp!!! they each had 4 or 5.... so suggestion is to look for events near you city and make a drive if you can if you are wanting to get something nice for a good deal. (Knock on wood) it has worked for me everytime I have went

You can also seek out reefers in local reef clubs who will also give you some great deals. Focus on the colors that appeal to you and avoid names and high end labels. Inquire as many questions as possible about the captive care of what you're buying. Question such as, how long have you owned them, how recent was it fragged, how was it fragged, has the coral healed yet, how often has the mother colony been fragged, did they feed the coral, if so, what and how often. Note all parameters including lighting. Never buy anything on a white plug that hasn't been properly cured. If there have been any recent instances of fungus, BI, RTN etc. If the seller won't answer these questions, do not make the purchase, EVER.

Also, check with smaller vendors and you will be surprised at what you'll fine. For example, look at post # 105 of this thread, click on the 2nd link and scroll down to the 17th and 19th post. This purchase was some time ago but a prime example of what can be found for pennies compared to the same polyps being sold for an arm and two legs elsewhere. I would never ever buy anything ever by the polyp. It's a crap shoot if they will live. Good luck.

MUCHO

 

[CONSPICILLUM]

Would it be acceptable to compile a list of local/regional/national sources in this non-recommended "greedy gouger" category? And then to compile a comparable list of recommended "authentic" sources?

I'm a returning aquarist and long-time FOWLR guy taking the excursion into reefing after many years. The misinformation is real, but some of the premium sources also seem to have good quality product.

Inward from the extremes, the lines get fuzzy on what is and isn't quality product at appropriate pricing.

Photoshopped "She-Hulk Nipple-Burst Splendorificus Ecstasy Galore" single-pollups for $399 are obvious, but the more subtle cons are less obvious... obviously.

I'll admit to preferring to build a reef more than grow a reef, and I'm willing to spend some money. But that automatically means I want colonies over frags, and that's not the trend.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Would it be acceptable to compile a list of local/regional/national sources in this non-recommended "greedy gouger" category? And then to compile a comparable list of recommended "authentic" sources?

You should check with RC first or at least make sure it's ok to do. You should run it by the OP as well. You could take a poll or PM everyone in this thread who's against price gouging.

I'm a returning aquarist and long-time FOWLR guy taking the excursion into reefing after many years. The misinformation is real, but some of the premium sources also seem to have good quality product.

There's a lot of misinformation for sure.

Inward from the extremes, the lines get fuzzy on what is and isn't quality product at appropriate pricing.


Photoshopped "She-Hulk Nipple-Burst Splendorificus Ecstasy Galore" single-pollups for $399 are obvious, but the more subtle cons are less obvious... obviously.

lolol

I'll admit to preferring to build a reef more than grow a reef, and I'm willing to spend some money. But that automatically means I want colonies over frags, and that's not the trend.

Good luck on your endeavor my friend, you'll do well I'm sure.

Mooch

 

[MUCHO REEF]

rant alert

I get that people want to make money on corals but it's gotten to the point it's more about greed than making money. The zoa trend is probably the most comical of all. When I see 15-100 per polyp, I start wondering who in the hell is buying this? You can't even get a good colony of anything anymore because everyone wants to cut everything into small pieces and charge what they use to for large versions. I saw this "Nuke" green torch for 300 dollars. I paid 300 for our Huskie and she's a hell of a lot more entertaining than a torch coral. lol. Don't even get me into the renaming of corals. "Incredible Hulk Zoa" "Darth Maul zoa" "24k Torch" Give me a break. Last rant. The 40 dollar PURPLE HAZE mushrooms. These should have a street value less than a damsel. I had so many purple mushrooms in my tank I couldn't even see the other corals. They grow like weeds. I guess it all comes down what people are willing to pay for it. This hobby has a lot of people with more money than smarts, no offense, I'm one of them most of the time.

rant over

I'm glad you posted this thread and hopefully it will continue to enlighten a lot of reefers into seeing what we see. Hopefully in the great realm of possibilities, things will change.

MUCHO

 

[SIR PATRICK]

Fleabay is not the only place where such price gouging is taking place, facebook is another.

It would be wonderful if enough people such as yourselves ( those who disagree with the price inflation ) started your own forum or group in an effort to bring the cost back down to reality.
Rant over

Could happen

 

[SIR PATRICK]

I have been thinking more on this topic recently as I scroll through my local clubs facebook page. I'm become more and more upset with the prices. Prices regularly hit over hundreds. It makes me hate the people who are consistently posting "high end" corals and it's always the same people who have this junk. I can't handle the greed. Its a totally fictional market that has been created out of thin air.

You see it clearly brother.......

 

[SIR PATRICK]

there are 2 ways to help bring down the overly inflated prices.
1. Spread the word to others to quit buying such frags.
2. Undercut their pricing by a large margin as well as giving said frags some stupid catchy name all the while calling it rare or hard to get.

The latter being true in the sense that it is rare to get a decent frag for a decent price as.

+1

 

[SIR PATRICK]

the funny part here is that many different retailers lurk the forums & they won't change a thing until we refuse to pay the artificially inflates prices. And when we don't they drop prices, then put on sale etc. If we all keep in mind that they want to move the corals out asap bc they'll die in their tanks if they dont, total loss.

Keep an open mind but not so open that your brains fall out ('',)

+2

 

[SIR PATRICK]

It always comes down to economics. Flood the market with relatively inexpensive, colorful, frags and the prices will fall naturally; driving many of these "suppliers" out of business.

Can be hard to do with the "cherry pickers" lurking before the rest.....

At least for the fist 6 months...the market usually does become flooded soon after that.. Price is likely cut in 1/2 in the first month...........

 

[SIR PATRICK]

Selling your own frags cheaper will not deter, lower or alter these sky high prices. The gougers will simply buy up all your cheap frags and resale them and laugh at you. I know this for a fact as one of them told me this personally several years ago.

It's been 10 years now and these prices are going even higher and nothing, nothing is going to stop it unless you begin to educate as many reefers as possible to what is going on with factual proof. There are tons of threads alone out there to do this.

Mucho

Yup- Cherry pickers....



Not just limited to wholesale...........

 

[SIR PATRICK]

Isn't this capitalism at its finest? (or worst?)

Worst...........

 

[SIR PATRICK]

Not to derail the thread, but isn't that to identify lineage? Whether or not you believe the seller/origin of the coral is another issue, but lineage can be important, no?

Personally, I don't care much about the boutique corals, but if a frag I'm considering came from ORA or ReefGen or some other trusted source, I'm much more apt to purchase than if it's a no-namer from Joe Schmoe's tank.

Just because its got a famous name doesnt mean you can compare an establishment like ORA to a chop shop who might misrepresent their corals or keep them under extreme/uncommon conditions, to look as good as they will after 1 year in your tank........

 

[SIR PATRICK]

Not to derail the thread, but isn't that to identify lineage?

Lineage is the highway to getting ripped off if you ask me....