I Like Booger-Sized Corals—And So Should You

[MarineDepot]

Joe says that local fish stores have been getting a bad rap for selling tiny booger-sized coral frags.

Find out why he loves these diminutive-sized jewels and why he thinks you should, too!

I Like Booger-Sized Corals—And So Should You

 

[cmwalters]

I actually love the idea of booger sized frags. I'm a college student, and lord knows that college is expensive so I just cant go throwing out ridiculous amounts of money on large frags and colonies of higher-end corals. But I love higher-end corals. Thus, the booger frags give me an opportunity to grow them without the huge upfront cost.

 

[MarineDepot]

I actually love the idea of booger sized frags. I'm a college student, and lord knows that college is expensive so I just cant go throwing out ridiculous amounts of money on large frags and colonies of higher-end corals. But I love higher-end corals. Thus, the booger frags give me an opportunity to grow them without the huge upfront cost.

Exactly! Thanks for sharing, cmwalters! :thumb:

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Great article. I appreciate his perspective on this.

 

[saltyphish]

Agreed!

 

[tupes]

Personally the photos you've posted aren't booger frags. I've seen a lot of acro frags .5" and half of that is covered with superglue. And the lfs will sell them for over $100. That's what I think is ridiculous.

I am one who does believe in buying only 1-2 polyp size frags or small acro frags and lettong them grow out but stores need to know when to draw the line. Same goes for the incredible chalices out there that sell for $1,200 or a 3/4" 1 eye frag. This is also why a good bit of people also do the group buys so you can get a great coral at a great price.

Granted if people would stop buying them at that price and people would start selling the ones they have at a lower cost as to not try and make their money back on the first time they frag the priced would drop for the rest of us. I've done that several times with zoanthids and chalice get a frag for 70-80$ and sell the same size frag once it grows our for 40-50. That way others get a good deal and hopefully they will spread that deal and coral prices will drop. Also now 2 clubs that I belong to have forums that you have things to give away and R2R being one of them. I think that's an awesome concept

Ok. I'm done ranting.*I'm sorry if I went a little overboard with this.

 

[Acroholic]

I cannot say this for fact, but IME it seems larger frags have a higher survival rate in a new tank than tiny ones. Larger frags have more flesh to lose and still live than little ones.

 

[tupes]

^^ to an extent. As long as it's not a fresh cut. A small frag has just as much a chance of survival as a larger frag. When I do my fragging I usually wait over a week for zoanthids and 2-3 for sps or at least when I start to the it start to incrust.

 

[dendroman]

IME all frags should be one inch, for better servival rates we all know prices are high. The reason company's do this is to make sure they make the most they can off of the coral.We all know how long it takes for a booger sized frag to grow into something worth while.

 

[Acro]

I only buy frags, reason being when it grows out I can honestly say it's my coral and tank raised.

 

[gar732]

Yeah, I don't think those frags posted are what everyone complains about being boogers. Those look like normal sized frags. It's when you have 1/4" sliver of a chalice or that 1/2" nub of sps with five polyps on it. I'm all for buying frags but those dinky frags are no good for anyone.

 

[reeffirstaid]

I think frags need to be healed, and not 1/3 super glue, fresh cut. When I sell corals, I make sure that new growth has started on the frag, totally covering the frag plug's center, before even offering them for sale. I hardly ever sell corals, but I want to make sure people are getting a healthy, healed animal, large enough to take a little stress from shipping, placement, and possibly a nip or two from a fish, and come out alright. If you cut a coral, then ship it off right away, you are risking bacterial infection, and not waiting long enough, to know that the coral has healed.

As for 1,200 dollar+ eyes of chalices and 600 dollars, for one 3 zooanthid polyps, multiple times on this forums I've expressed my opinion on these practices. Each time I get an ear full for grief from people, who must love playing a lot, for something so small, with a risk of dying off, due to the practices I just described. Each time a moderator from this site, removes my post, and sends me an email asking me to shut up. I've been hard at work, on an article, about this very issue. It's eye opening, and I hope after reading it, people will be empowered to make smart choices, getting beautiful corals, for a fair price.

 

[revhtree]

Bro you were asked to follow the rules about adhering to our friendly forum. Your opinions are welcome and encouraged. But you are not allowed to go into anyone's sale threads and make derailing and negative remarks. I never told you to shut up. Please don't exaggerate. I'm actually looking forward to your article myself.

Thanks.

 

[hybridazn]

Hahaha

 

[Rpujol85]

Preach Rev!

No but really, I'm sure that vast majority of us buy smaller sized frags. Who can afford colonies of anything but eagle eyes, like the article mentioned?

I agree with all of the positive aspects of what the article mentioned, but the points made here about exorbinantly priced corals holds true.

I believe we need to let this craze die down, "pay it forward" like the thread we've seen going around (rather than trying to "profit" off of fellow reefers). I understand business is business. What I am referring to is when hobbyists expect to recoup the money they originally spent on their corals. Like mentioned above I'm glad to get 1/2 the value I paid if it means new stuff in the tank for me and another fellow reefer.

We would all have much nicer tanks if we could all share the love. (and that's coming from a republican. lol.)

 

[RalphsReef]

I can deal with a booger-sized frag as long as the price is booger-sized too. Too many vendors play the hype game and charge an arm and a leg for a booger. Not cool.

 

[Diesel]

I must say as hobbyist that I more enjoy my tank if I see a small frag growing into something amazing.
This hobby can be amazing as long as we try to keep it down as a hobby but to many fooks see only $$$ as the frag will grow out into a mini colony and they don't know how soon to frag it and sell a few frags.
Yes, I sold some frags to, just only to make sure I didn't had a coral war on my hand.
Most corals I gave away here in Houston.
The matter the fact when my tank wasn't doing that great I gave away all my high priced corals as I knew the reefers I gave them too I would get a small frag back when my tank is back to normal.
Yes that include also the JD and Avenger, Pink Floyd, Orange Passion and many more from the RR farm.
I can't wait to slowly start loading up my tank again with all the good stuff I have in my frag tanks from T and M not to forget W oh and A, but have to go to this Diatom cycle first.

 

[brandon85]

I wash my filter socks with Fiji water...

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I wash my filter socks with Fiji water...

Doesn't everybody??

 

[hybridazn]

Doesn't everybody??

I wash mine with unicorn tears that are collected by mystical imps but twice a decade. It doesn't get much more baller than that.