Buy or Sell: Is holding on to expensive Coral like playing the stock market?

Do you think buying and selling coral is similar to playing the stock market?

  • YES

    Votes: 106 23.4%
  • NO

    Votes: 220 48.6%
  • Kinda

    Votes: 122 26.9%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 5 1.1%

  • Total voters
    453

paul barker

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my LFS is great coral in my tank started to get to big so I started a big tank build but it taking forever for the new tank to come so to save some of my high end corals he took the to his store and we set up a small frag tank to people started asking about my corals at the store he call me and asked if I sell any I yes if he could frag them and not charge a arm and a leg for them he said he could not give me cash for them but he give me 50% store credit I said ok I store in the store one day to see what of my he was selling and how much he was getting for them and to my surprise the prices were fair one hammer head I paid over 300 for he was selling for 50 dollars a head and when the new tank comes I still have big pieces left over for me he told me I had a 1000 dollars in credit so we made a deal to sale my over flow to the store for credit because I just don't think I could sale online if I ship out a coral to someone a I died I'd fill bad and I wouldn't know if I was me that did something wrong or the preson I sold it to
 

Tmtdvm

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I do not value my tank as I do the stock market. It is my private collection that I enjoy day after day and have spent a lot of money/time on. I have never regretted the investment that I have put forth. I have quite a few high end pieces in my tank however, the stock market is falsely inflated right now with the amount of money our government is printing. I will never view either as the same. I only play in the stock market if I have extra money not needed for me or my family. That being said....what goes in the tank stays in the tank. It is purely for mine and my office staff’s enjoyment.
 

Bobbiejoe

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So I have this rock that has a few pretty big WWC Bounce Mushrooms on it that I have grown out over the past few years and I'm thinking of selling it. Thinking of selling it though got me also thinking about coral and how you might "liken" it, somewhat, to the stock market. You can hold and hope for more growth/value or you can sell and cash out while the prices are good or before a tank crash takes out your prized coral. Let's talk about that today!

1. Do you consider the "risks" when holding or selling coral that is a HOT MARKET coral?

2. What do you think about comparing buying and selling coral to playing the stock market?



image via @WWC
WWC_OG_Bounce_Mushroom_WCS07119-SM.jpg
 

Staghorn

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If your really going to sell the corals for a profit I would compare it more to owning the business instead of owning the stock. You are 100% responsible for making that business flourish and when something good or bad happens is on you. I’ve seen a couple businesses and reef tanks that had bad management are are now out of business.
 

725196

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When I get coral I get what I like. Does not matter it’s it’s $5 for a Colony or $500 for a 1” frag. (I don’t have any of those). If it is a coral I want I will find a way to get it.

That being said: there are some corals in my tank that I got fairly cheap, then the prices on them went way up. If I was made an offer I “couldn’t refuse” I would let it go. There is no coral or fish in my tank I would not let go of the right price OR trade came along.
 

Fish man

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I'm not in the hobby for investment purposes. When I buy a coral it's 'cause I like it. It never enters my mind that I could grow it, sell it and make money on it. I leave that to my Ameritrade account. I occasionally frag stuff and sell it back to my LFS for store credit but I'm definitely not making any money from it. Just offsets the costs a little bit. Very little bit!
 

turbo21

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It’s more like a pyramid scheme than anything. Get in at the top and be one of the first and get the big money. Once everyone has it the price drops dramatically.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 68 37.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 32.8%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 13.9%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 15.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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