The whole coral pricing has become a joke

[jhatfield]

Confession: I guess I don't have a problem with the selling end of the equation because if I knew there there was someone eager to pay big bucks for something that amounts to a weed in my tank I'd charging whatever I could get for it.

However, as a consumer, I don't know why anyone would pay any amount of money for an ugly, diseased looking bounce, tiny GSP frag, etc.. The combination of buying into a fad and poor taste is more than enough to drive up demand to ridiculous levels.

 

[dkeller_nc]

There are multiple issues with respect to the overall topic of the thread.

I suppose that there may be some disagreement over this, but there's an aspect of "a fool and his money are lucky to have ever gotten together in the first place" to some foolish person paying $6k for a "bounce" mushroom. I tend to side on the "chlorine for the gene pool" divide on this one.

There's no doubt that the hucksterism that fans the flames of these fads aren't helpful for newbs that don't know any better and assume that such frenzies are "normal" and price them out of decent livestock list. Especially when one of the more popular blogs out there disingenuously shouts "XXXX are totally HOT right now!" in the name of "reporting" on the hobby.

But in my mind, that's distinct from deliberately misrepresenting what is being offered by photo manipulation. That's simply fraud, pure and simple.

 

[Servillius]

There are multiple issues with respect to the overall topic of the thread.

I suppose that there may be some disagreement over this, but there's an aspect of "a fool and his money are lucky to have ever gotten together in the first place" to some foolish person paying $6k for a "bounce" mushroom. I tend to side on the "chlorine for the gene pool" divide on this one.

There's no doubt that the hucksterism that fans the flames of these fads aren't helpful for newbs that don't know any better and assume that such frenzies are "normal" and price them out of decent livestock list. Especially when one of the more popular blogs out there disingenuously shouts "XXXX are totally HOT right now!" in the name of "reporting" on the hobby.

But in my mind, that's distinct from deliberately misrepresenting what is being offered by photo manipulation. That's simply fraud, pure and simple.

I'm going to agree again. Fraud can and does happen and I'm not going to even think about defending it. I hope the fraudsters get it in the ear. I've ordered corals from shady fraudsters and I'm lucky that I can shrug it off and not buy from them again. I would hate though to see folks who do a great job getting amazing corals to market get lumped in with them. We all know there are guys out there who charge a premium and continue to have loyal customers while the fraudsters disappoint the small pool of customers able to buy those corals then find their business going elsewhere. There is nothing wrong with "coral pricing" that isn't true for most pricing. There is everything wrong with dishonesty, but every industry has folks taking advantage of the hard work the serious vendors put in.

 

[joesfiddy]

I see jawbreaker mushroom going for $995.00 that's crazy.

 

[GriffinMarsh]

I hope this hasn't been mentioned already previously in the thread, but here it goes anyways.

I feel the worst thing to this hobby is the "named coral" phenomenon because it doesn't hurt seasoned coral enthusiasts, most of us have avenues to find cool pieces from friends, but the new generation of reefers. They can't walk into a store anymore and pick up a stick that 1. doesn't have some dumb name, 2. isn't overpriced. I used to sell A. microclados at $20 for a good sized frag, then someone started calling them SSC and the price went up to $100 per same piece. Luckily for some new hobbyists they were able to get a good frag and now have a colony of it. And it has been said a million times in the hobby, if someone will pay for it, the price won't change. But personally I love seeing a mature reef of everyday corals, than a reef of named branded frags.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

reading this thread is kinda like listening to people complain that Ferraris have gotten too expensive.

Wow....there's no comparison. A car is manmade whereas corals are a living propagating species. I think reefers have every right to voice their opinions for and against.

MUCHO

 

[MUCHO REEF]

I see jawbreaker mushroom going for $995.00 that's crazy.

If you look at post #554 of this thread, I'm sure one of the many excuses that have been given in this thread and others will surely justify the price above. Then again, it's probably just.........GREED.

 

[SeattleReefer]

Wow....there's no comparison. A car is manmade whereas corals are a living propagating species. I think reefers have every right to voice their opinions for and against.

MUCHO

Sure, a car in inanimate and a coral is living but how does that make a difference? Cows, puppies, and ferns are also living creatures yet they all are bought and sold everyday in transactions denominated in dollars.

When I'm presented with a buying choice I usually take that to mean that I have two options. I can take it or leave it. But some people are looking for a third option. They want to shame/coerce/force people to sell them something they want at a price less than they are willing to part with it. Who is the greedy one here?

 

[dbigfoot111]

i feel the exact same way.....

 

[Protoavis]

Sure, a car in inanimate and a coral is living but how does that make a difference? Cows, puppies, and ferns are also living creatures yet they all are bought and sold everyday in transactions denominated in dollars.

When I'm presented with a buying choice I usually take that to mean that I have two options. I can take it or leave it. But some people are looking for a third option. They want to shame/coerce/force people to sell them something they want at a price less than they are willing to part with it. Who is the greedy one here?

The people seeing it as a profit based "hobby"?

 

[reefwars]

The people seeing it as a profit based "hobby"?

Unless your picking corals out your backyard for your own use It's always been a profit based hobby ever since that fist shipment was sent out .....for money lol this hobby has never not been about money there's always been someone selling something for something somewhere

 

[MUCHO REEF]

I saw this on the auction site. It's a scrap of green star polyp.

Kinda funny that someone spent the time to glue this up. Oh, it's not very expensive, but there is the $50 shipping.

It's both funny and sad. See post # 528 of this thread which says this below.

"And you know what? The LFS is selling aiptasia and majano anemones. They sell aiptasia at 10 php a piece and 50 php for larger ones. I even saw before a 200
php liverock covered in majano "

I can just see someone now attaching their name to these weeds or even naming them and also calling them ultra, limited edition, grade A, rare, just discovered and marketing them to some unknowing and unsuspecting reefer for hundreds of dollars.This is why the OP created this thread, to warn you.

MUCHO

 

[Servillius]

I don't get it. Am I supposed to be indignant that someone stuck GSP in their $5 frag tank? The poster says it's not expensive. I'm sure it's not unreasonable to think if it was remotely expensive we'd know the number.

What's the evil part, the fact that it made its way into the online store? What if I bought some other corals and want some GSP?

Ranting about greed is all fine and well, but can you tell me what you believe this person did wrong?

 

[ReefInterest]

I don't get it. Am I supposed to be indignant that someone stuck GSP in their $5 frag tank? The poster says it's not expensive. I'm sure it's not unreasonable to think if it was remotely expensive we'd know the number.

What's the evil part, the fact that it made its way into the online store? What if I bought some other corals and want some GSP?

Ranting about greed is all fine and well, but can you tell me what you believe this person did wrong?

Yes, it seems like a pretty useful little frag to add to your order (if you wanted GSP).

A lot of folks actually get great satisfaction with growing a small frag into something larger.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

There's no doubt that the hucksterism that fans the flames of these fads aren't helpful for newbs that don't know any better and assume that such frenzies are "normal" and price them out of decent livestock list. Especially when one of the more popular blogs out there disingenuously shouts "XXXX are totally HOT right now!" in the name of "reporting" on the hobby.

But in my mind, that's distinct from deliberately misrepresenting what is being offered by photo manipulation. That's simply fraud, pure and simple.

Photo manipulation is rampant, I agree and it IS fraudulant, " distinct and deliberate". It use to be frowned upon but with these new silly names and the sky high greedy prices that has accompanied it, it has become mainstream. I have never seen such glowing nuclear colorations posted along with blue eggcrating, blue sand, blue live rock, blue cuc, blue livestock, blue hardware, blue everything . But as you've stated, " that's simple fraud pure and simple".


Mooch

 

[kozmic]

It's probably been said at some point in this thread... maybe multiple times, but...

"Caveat Emptor"

A fool and his money are soon parted... simple solution to this issue (for those who see it as an issue...) is... "don't be the fool".

There are plenty of folks who buy used cars without doing proper due diligence there too...

 

[usmc1812]

There is a sucker born every minute. Living in Central Florida we have plenty of stores, some are better than others. The prices of these corals are ridiculous. The coral is only worth what someone is willing to pay. There are plenty of fools out there who will buy some bogus named corals. All this stuff comes from the same wholesalers. Then the store comes up with some crazy name like crazy vagina lips and everyone must have them. The best part is all the same corals

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Amen brother, it's simply ridiculous.

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

 

[MUCHO REEF]

I was just at a LFS that had a half inch frag of GSP for $30. ***. I sold a fellow reefer a 5"x5" sheet for $10.

I was heading to bed and I saw your post so I gotta ask. You're kidding right?

MUCHO

 

[Protoavis]

Unless your picking corals out your backyard for your own use It's always been a profit based hobby ever since that fist shipment was sent out .....for money lol this hobby has never not been about money there's always been someone selling something for something somewhere

There is a difference between profit and covering expenses....