How Do You Justify An Expensive Coral?
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Dr. Zoos
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- Apr 2, 2014
- Location
- Woodstock, Ontario
To funny I was thinking today about this. How people will pay 200.00 for a zoa polyp. Where are they day's of trades and sharing. When a frag was covering a plug. Gsp was sold by the chunk and cheato given away by the bag full. As equipment gets "higher tech" and prices climb so are the frags we used to hand out at club meetings to members cuz it's cool to share your treasures
It all starts somewhere. This discussion has been on here a few times and it is interesting to see the difference of opinions. I personally do have expensive zoas. Most were obtained off mutual trades where wanting something outweighed the retail value of corals. Supply and demand is a big one. If there is only a few and you want to be the one who has it, you will pay it. That goes for everything in life
If you want the newest Oakley's or Nike, then you pay more. Down the road as it becomes more popular and increased availability the price is driven down. At the same time a newly rare one is discovered.
Look at me and gobstoppers. I got a frag in a $20 grab bag. Back them they sold for > $30 pp. I have grown a 100 frags and sold for $10-20 with a half dozen heads. I have hundreds more in my tank. Same goes for sunny d. I also have good luck with purple death. Grow, sell and trade for other 'expensive' corals. Take money from sales and do the same.
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If you want the newest Oakley's or Nike, then you pay more. Down the road as it becomes more popular and increased availability the price is driven down. At the same time a newly rare one is discovered.
Look at me and gobstoppers. I got a frag in a $20 grab bag. Back them they sold for > $30 pp. I have grown a 100 frags and sold for $10-20 with a half dozen heads. I have hundreds more in my tank. Same goes for sunny d. I also have good luck with purple death. Grow, sell and trade for other 'expensive' corals. Take money from sales and do the same.
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Oh...my bad, sorry
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No problem. I'm not experienced enough for anything too expensive.
WiredWeasel
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- Feb 29, 2016
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- Canada
I like to think I'm buying it for a long term investment but I just end up hoarding everything due to laziness....
I didn't know I was ready. It was more the fact that the last thing didn't die, levels are stable and no major changes...so try something new. But unless you can light $100 bill on fire just to watch it burn, then you probably aren't ready for the real pricey stuff lol. I wish I could find that meme
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kapelan
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- Joined
- Jan 11, 2015
- Location
- Kitchener, Ontario
probably when you watch that fast growing corals take all the space is the time to buy only slow growing or expensive
AdInfinitum
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- Jan 12, 2012
- Location
- Thorndale, Ontario
Once all the easy stuff is growing notably (surviving doesn't count...the reef is a world of grow or be overgrown...so if it's not growing assume it's dying...). Then it's time to buy one of those amazing pieces that catches your eye.....treat that purchase like a trip to the casino....lots of hope....adrenaline....dreams of it growing so big that you have to sell tons of expensive frags just to keep it from growing out of the water and into your light fixture...all the while accepting the fact it may RTN overnight...you had some fun...blew some cash and will wait for a while before you try again...
Marz
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- Feb 9, 2014
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- Orangeville, Ontario
Kyle1970
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- Nov 16, 2014
- Location
- Ayr, Ontario
Likely just me, but every time I pay "big money" for a single zoa or for a 1/2 inch frag, they tend to die.
I've noticed that people that come to look at the tank couldn't care less about some of the expensive pieces.
But I guess if just to show off to others of the community then you need to go high end.
I've just stopped. Got rid of picaso's, haven't replaced higher end frags if they die, and tend to avoid all ads that say "rare"!
Personal level that I've reached. Also due to the fact that I've accepted that I am a "scanner", I don't need the best....
My $0.02
I've noticed that people that come to look at the tank couldn't care less about some of the expensive pieces.
But I guess if just to show off to others of the community then you need to go high end.
I've just stopped. Got rid of picaso's, haven't replaced higher end frags if they die, and tend to avoid all ads that say "rare"!
Personal level that I've reached. Also due to the fact that I've accepted that I am a "scanner", I don't need the best....
My $0.02
Canadianeh
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- Joined
- Sep 20, 2016
- Location
- T-dot
I think it is just personal gratification than to show off. It is like knowing you own something expensive. I don't think other people care that much though. They probably just go "ohhh", "wow" and "ahhh" for a bit then totally forget about it. There was someone selling zoa on GTA aquaria for $2k or something and was sold within short period of time.
I started my coral purchasing at christmas time this year, figured after 6 months it was time. Biggest ive spent was 40 on a colony of eagle eyes which have approximately doubled in size since then. Im confident i can take care of any of the softies/lps at this point however everytime i look at peoples builds who have SPS i notice they all run dosers / apex systems etc etc. With great technology comes great coralability.
Its been said 100x before but not impulse buying is definately key. I was guilty of that with my first frag, i bought a not so good looking colony of zoa's to "trial run" since it only cost me 15 dollars, they were bleached and unhealthy so it was definately poor form to make that my first try. Months later they are still alive and guess what, most of them have their full color back and turning into real beauties.
Seeing my magic carpet mushroom split by itself the other day definately was a confidence builder after i found out it wasnt dieing and was actually a good thing that it appeared to have broken in half.
You need a nice balance of disposible cash / time / effort / equipment / confidence
Best thing we could all do is have basement frag tanks and do alot more trading. As ideal as this is im not sure its terribly realistic but can a fella dream?
Its been said 100x before but not impulse buying is definately key. I was guilty of that with my first frag, i bought a not so good looking colony of zoa's to "trial run" since it only cost me 15 dollars, they were bleached and unhealthy so it was definately poor form to make that my first try. Months later they are still alive and guess what, most of them have their full color back and turning into real beauties.
Seeing my magic carpet mushroom split by itself the other day definately was a confidence builder after i found out it wasnt dieing and was actually a good thing that it appeared to have broken in half.
You need a nice balance of disposible cash / time / effort / equipment / confidence
Best thing we could all do is have basement frag tanks and do alot more trading. As ideal as this is im not sure its terribly realistic but can a fella dream?