Calling out all vendors... Ultra Rare Super Toxic Holy Garbage...

[Sean Clark]

Tilting at windmills my friend. It works which is why it happens.

Last I knew, windmills were less and less prevalent theses days. Don may have been on to something. A man before his time.

 

[Matt1997]

View attachment 2952203

Thought you were selling the ultra rare super rainbow tongs!

 

[F i s h y]

Tilting at windmills my friend. It works which is why it happens.

Agree but if enough people try, changes can happen. I don't mind taking the heat and trying. Appreciate all of your contributions on r2r.
Happy reefing.

 

[Matt1997]

This is a problem and actually illegal. Multiple big companies have been sued and caught for this in other industries. It can’t be a sale price when it never changes from that price lol. That’s the retail price

The loophole is that each piece is WYSWYG so same coral can be a million different prices

 

[Jekyl]

What does gross margin have to do with the topic of the predatory Coral name game?

Adding FLAIR WORDS to an ordinary coral which should command an ordinary price, then adding 50% because of the Name does nothing but price consumers out.

When is it downright Lying? There is a certain vendor here who sells single, Barely pinching heads of a torch as two heads. Is that okay? I don't think so. Two is a number. It means something. It's verifiable. I can count to 10 with my hands. Why can't they count to Two with their eyes?

When's the last time we saw an ordinary RFA listed for $20? 2 years ago, that was the standard. Today, Everything is rainbow, super Ultra $45 minimum. The coral is the same.

Inflation is a thing. Shipping cost is a thing. Those have gone up. We agree.

Every coral is not rare, super or Ultra. They can Just be coral. We'll still buy them.

I cringe every time I see a zoa ID thread

 

[Reefer Matt]

Is there a certifying authority on coral lineage on these brand name super expensive coral? Or is it a smile and a handshake? Meaning, if I buy a $1000 coral, do I get a certificate of authenticity with it? Or just the seller's word?

 

[Jekyl]

Is there a certifying authority on coral lineage on these brand name super expensive coral? Or is it a smile and a handshake? Meaning, if I buy a $1000 coral, do I get a certificate of authenticity with it? Or just the seller's word?

This is why I laugh at every ID thread. Basically trying to track down what some dude in a basement or warehouse named his coral.

 

[Matt1997]

I see and understand both sides of this. Living close to Top Shelf Aquatics, World Wide Corals, and Living Reef Orlando and visiting them all regularly, I’m not quite sure the majority of people on this forum, who will never visit either retail location or farm have any idea the cost of running such operations. It can’t be cheap. I also know when I buy from them, I’m getting clean, pest free coral.

Now, that’s not to say the internet prices aren’t inflated or at the very least, slightly more than the local in store prices. I had my eye on this one zoa from WWC, Pixie Dust it’s called. It’s always $120 online for 3-4 polyps. I went into the Winter Park location and they had a frag of over 20 polyps for $40. I bought it lightning fast.

Should you be careful with the live sales, absolutely but there are always gems to be had at a fair price. I shop regularly from the live sales compare the prices to in-store and pick up in store. I guess I’m lucky I only pay a few bucks for gas versus a shipping module.

You think if WWC and places like tidal gardens weren’t receiving astronomical profit margins they would be able to run such facilities? I think the size of these farms/retailers is a good indication of profit. I don’t see retailers like Walmart and Costco operating out of 200sqft mall units…

 

[Matt1997]

Is there a certifying authority on coral lineage on these brand name super expensive coral? Or is it a smile and a handshake? Meaning, if I buy a $1000 coral, do I get a certificate of authenticity with it? Or just the seller's word?

Sellers word. More than likely the seller bought that torch for $200 as a colony and sold you a single head for $2000.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Thought you were selling the ultra rare super rainbow tongs!

Those are still in grow out. I can put you on the list but you need to make a deposit in bitcoin

 

[Matt1997]

Those are still in grow out. I can put you on the list but you need to make a deposit in bitcoin

How many Bitcoin you want? 3 or 4?

 

[Nate Chalk]

I didn't say that I dont. And if you were to ask anyone that buys from me they would tell you they walk away with way more quantity and quality than any super named vendor garbage... @Nate Chalk

Hobbiest and friend trading and swapping is where I hobby started.

Can attest to both @F i s h y and other local hobbiests being a far better source for coral than any online vendors. Generous prices and sizes + the stories that come along with it.

Someone you can talk with for advice, Swap and yes size does matter for frags. If something goes wrong anytime in the neighborhood of 6 months you're liable to lose the whole frag. Vs a bigger healthier chunk may survive a swing.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Is there a certifying authority on coral lineage on these brand name super expensive coral? Or is it a smile and a handshake? Meaning, if I buy a $1000 coral, do I get a certificate of authenticity with it? Or just the seller's word?

Best bet is to get to the source if u can or a well known keeper that has integrity and is a degree removed from the source. There’s a few that come to mind.

 

[MooreReefing]

The argument about vendors being “pest free” vs hobbyist coral or higher quality shouldn’t be relevant to the point of this post. If you’d rather buy frags from WWC/Top Shelf/Living Reef etc then that is perfectly fine because at the end of the day, I have as well and nobody is in control of your money but you. You work for it and it’s yours to spend. However, to say that pests from hobbyist coral is a problem but the frags from vendors are “pest free” is just wrong. I’ve been in the farms of all three of the places listed above. They have the same pests that any hobbyists do. It’s to be expected in this hobby. If you haven’t had any pests then consider yourself extremely lucky. I’ve gotten zoa eating nudibranchs and big enough to be easily noticeable sized aiptasia on many frags from those vendors. If you dip corals and take the proper precautions like everyone should, then buying from hobbyists should have no impact other than a little more money in your wallet.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

How many Bitcoin you want? 3 or 4?

Psshhhh.. what do you think this is, a chop shop?

 

[BirdFish5000]

Yeah, I've absolutely gotten blatant aiptasia and vermetids from two of the big, "pest free" vendors. Honestly best to just assume frags from anywhere will come in with something.

 

[Jekyl]

Yeah, I've absolutely gotten blatant aiptasia and vermetids from two of the big, "pest free" vendors. Honestly best to just assume frags from anywhere will come in with something.

Nature finds a way

 

[F i s h y]

Nature finds a way

 

[Jekyl]

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My gifs and emojis don't work for some reason. Thanks for the assist.

 

[F i s h y]

My gifs and emojis don't work for some reason. Thanks for the assist.

I've got you...