Is the reefing community cooling down?

[anyever]

I strongly feel that the reefing community was much more active during COVID. Many new people were joining, and there was a lot of buying and selling. Any equipment or frags would sell rapidly at relatively high prices.

However, since last year, we've started to see more people quitting, and selling frags has become much more difficult. Many frags are left without buyers for a long time.

I guess this isn't a good sign. It's partly due to the return to office after COVID, but it could also be a reflection of where the economy is heading. Any thoughts?

 

[theMeat]

In my decades in the hobby have seen its popularity wane and ebb like the tides. Pun intended.
The internet has really allowed for the sharing of knowledge and helped with its progress big time. While at the same time the lfs is not the gathering spot it once was, where hobbyists would share in person.

 

[BeanAnimal]

It has been cyclical for as long as I can remember and that is decades. Most of the “fad” people in any hobby don’t stick around long, be it aquariums or sourdough bread baking.

 

[acroholicanonymous]

It has been cyclical for as long as I can remember and that is decades. Most of the “fad” people in any hobby don’t stick around long, be it aquariums or sourdough bread baking.

You got me at sourdough bread baking

 

[zheka757]

cost of living is way more now days, keeping tanks is extra monthly (unnecessary) cost

 

[UtahReefer]

It's a hobby where there is a lot of "come and go". It's an expensive hobby, requires patience, and requires discipline. That alone wears out the faint at heart. A reef tank is a hole in which one keeps pouring money into, and money alone cannot make it be successful. It is a lifelong education and many don't have the time or interest in that type of commitment.

 

[EliMelly]

I get it a lot. I started about two years ago and almost quit when I lost all my fish to velvet and ich. I was persistent as I just set up a new 200 gallon tank. I think people who aren’t very committed won’t make it through the harder aspects of the hobby…

 

[GuppyHJD]

I have had tanks for most of my life. In 2007, I sold my 180 and lived on a boat for 12 yrs. Four years ago I setup a new system in the house. The industry has changed alot. Since then BRS changed ownership and declined. The big conventions have over hyped and under delivered. Several of the LFS stores have closed. The online coral sites seem to be getting smaller,photoshopped, over priced frags. I think the increased costs for "basic" setups have priced the new aquarists out of the industry before they get started.

 

[BristleWormHater]

No insights on the economy from me, mods already took down one post of mine on this topic today, sorry mods. But the same can be said for most hobbies, they peaked when everyone was stuck inside, and have fallen since then, but every hobby has ups and downs

 

[BristleWormHater]

In my decades in the hobby have seen its popularity wane and ebb like the tides. Pun intended.
The internet has really allowed for the sharing of knowledge and helped with its progress big time. While at the same time the lfs is not the gathering spot it once was, where hobbyists would share in person.

I'd say there is still a few lfs around that are a gathering spots, I sometimes have trouble parking my favorite shop. Always people talking and looking around. I'm probably just lucky to have that experience though.

 

[Spare time]

1. People were indoors a lot during covid, at home, and not traveling

2. A lot of people get in, have a tank crash from disease, equipment failure, or laziness then leave after a year or so.

3. People get bored of pets quickly. It is not uncommon for people to try to rehome or give up pets after the initial excitement is done and the care continues.

 

[LPS Bum]

Cost of living and inflation aren’t helping. It’s an expensive hobby and when everything costs more, cuts often have to be made.

You mentioned Covid. There were a lot of people getting “free” cheddar from the gov’t at that time, and I’m sure some of that was used to purchase new aquariums, corals, gear etc. Not hard to see why it’s slowed down a bit.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I'm thinking that the economy has some to do with it, but really I think even with all of the information at hand, people still want instant reefs. And when that doesn't happen and they realize it takes work and your work will be reflected in how your tank turns out, they quit. We all see it here almost every day, some one is questioning why their 3 month old tank won't keep their acro, or torch looking like I did at the Store or the pictures on a website. Then they realize it's a year before they have the knowledge and the tank they started with dry rock will be able look like everyone else's tank they see on Instagram. Then it's not worth it.
I'm just glad I'm pig headed and was one of the reefers who stuck it out. Now, some people say coral are too expensive! Back in the day we would get this for x dollars etc. hopefully prices come down and makes it more fun.

 

[danreef55]

 

[kyreefville]

Funny back when I started in reef over a decade ago almost two there was internet and forums. Locally, Those that had good growth would share with each other. We literally would have meetings and swap frags. Those were the beginnings of todays fragsapalosa. Online was fish and cuc. If I needed a lot of cuc I’d go online. Otherwise live store. Heck I’m 55 and when I was in college I ordered fresh fish from a magazine cichlids. Glad to see all the aqua cultured stuff going on.

But to your point and some have said of course it’s decreasing post covid and from economy tightening. Further it’s simple economics supply and demand there are just a ton of people sellling frags online so many I don’t even want to look. Maybe if I was looking for a specific item.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Funny back when I started in reef over a decade ago almost two there was internet and forums. Locally, Those that had good growth would share with each other. We literally would have meetings and swap frags. Those were the beginnings of todays fragsapalosa. Online was fish and cuc. If I needed a lot of cuc I’d go online. Otherwise live store. Heck I’m 55 and when I was in college I ordered fresh fish from a magazine cichlids. Glad to see all the aqua cultured stuff going on.

But to your point and some have said of course it’s decreasing post covid and from economy tightening. Further it’s simple economics supply and demand there are just a ton of people sellling frags online so many I don’t even want to look. Maybe if I was looking for a specific item.

I would like to see us going back to personal frag swapping. So many people I meet are great people and will tell you all about the coral they grow and offer to sell frags at close to store prices. I was talking to someone I just met via another reefer, he tells me he has a yellow banana torch with more heads then he knows what to do with, and a Raja Rampage Chalice that is huge, he was going to start flagging and he will call me when they are ready. Dumb me being the kind of person who gives extras away didn't realize until later it was a sells pitch and he intended to sell them at store prices. I would rather see my coral in someone else's reef and have a shared experience than just make money. But also I can see how a person who spent that much money on a frag or head and the time it takes to grow out wanting to make their money back and get a little profit

 

[theMeat]

Back in the day, before internet, you had to buy and read books to gather info. Hobbyists would share info in person and you just had to try it and hope it was good info. Now with the ease of sharing info and crap info getting debunked quickly it’s MUCH easier to have a successful tank. That might not seem relevant to the topic’s question but in some regards it is and yes crap info still abounds. Let’s take some examples of some overpriced hyped up stuff that you don’t need and turns ppl off to the hobby. If you’ve been at this hobby for a while I’m sure you can think of some.

 

[rhitee93]

...

 

[rhitee93]

I would like to see us going back to personal frag swapping. So many people I meet are great people and will tell you all about the coral they grow and offer to sell frags at close to store prices. I was talking to someone I just met via another reefer, he tells me he has a yellow banana torch with more heads then he knows what to do with, and a Raja Rampage Chalice that is huge, he was going to start flagging and he will call me when they are ready. Dumb me being the kind of person who gives extras away didn't realize until later it was a sells pitch and he intended to sell them at store prices. I would rather see my coral in someone else's reef and have a shared experience than just make money. But also I can see how a person who spent that much money on a frag or head and the time it takes to grow out wanting to make their money back and get a little profit

Recently, I flew 1000 miles with a coral frag on my lap, and met a total stranger in the cell phone lot at my final destination airport to give it to them. That was fun. We need more of that

 

[paragrouper]

cost of living is way more now days, keeping tanks is extra monthly (unnecessary) cost

This. Hobby money is always the first to go when costs are rising.