How can hobbiests help LFS with fragging?

[ronnie]

Okay, I posted this yesterday to get a feeler on how trading between hobbiests impacts LFS sales:
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/pr...ng-frags-causing-lfs-go-out-3.html#post549367

So here is a question I thought of just now.

How can we, as hobbiests, help our LFS with frags/fragging? Or can we? What if they are unwilling to trade with us, or give credit, or buy frags from us? Is that something that any LFS should do (trade or buy frags)?

Thanks for all the responses on the last post - I look forward to you guys helping me out on this one as well. :kiss:

 

[KLR]

Both of my lfs will buy frags from me and trade my frags for store credit with them.

Im not 100% sure why a store wouldnt do this....................if its a frag they wanted ,to keep in a display or sell, of course

 

[ronnie]

Both of mine won't at this point. I'm curious what people have done to try to overcome that barrier - I have another store, but two hours away, that is willing to trade, but I'd much prefer to do it here.

 

[clowns101]

Ya,I think the best thing to do is explane to them why you want to trade.Im not sure how hard the stores are 2 hours away from me are,but I know PC and PL locally are always ready to trade.I think the best thing to do is tell them that you dont want alot of money for them,and for every 2 frags you trade you get 1 nice one in return or half the value in credit for what they will sell it for.

 

[TopNotchCorals]

I trade with my LFS all the time, I give him stuff for free too:angel:

 

[KLR]

Both of mine won't at this point. I'm curious what people have done to try to overcome that barrier - I have another store, but two hours away, that is willing to trade, but I'd much prefer to do it here.

I go to one of them ALOT! for starters lol

But i also help them find good wholesale stores to get some nicer corals in stock.

I do deals with them like, 15 medium-large frags for $75

 

[george albert]

MY local store also trades and gives store credit from me also it help us both out

 

[ronnie]

Any points I can present to them to get them to change their minds?

 

[clowns101]

I think the best thing to do is tell them what they can sell them for.Then tell them that you only want partial trade,which is good,and not like a expensive trade unless it is a nice coral.Make since?

 

[KLR]

That^

and

When talking to them or emailing them, show them what the corals are worth(if your selling nicer frags) so they will think,o this is a good deal!

Make deals like if you buy 10 frags you get 2 free......if you buy 20 frags you get 5 free.. idk the owner of your lfs, but depending on how they personally feel about the trade of coral frags will affect how much you can sell to them at once

 

[Kbra]

Some stores get burned by people with fresh frags or people bringing in buckets of xenia and gsp. Thats probably why some of the stores dont. They just need to be selective but it becomes hard to turn away your everyday costumer to say i dont want your stuff.

 

[Seasonedreefer]

I think most stores are reluctant due to the fact they have no idea what is in your tank. i.e. Parasites, aptasia. Most stores that buy from the big coral farms like Ora don't have to be dipped because it was already done for them when Ora received them. When a store can get corals in and not have to dip or worry about pest like aptasia it's less time and more profit for them. I think that's why a lot of stores don't mess with the retail customer side of frags.

 

[ronnie]

What about stores that don't worry about dipping?

I dip everything as a proactive step. I wish my LFS did, too.

 

[Seasonedreefer]

That's what I was trying to say if they buy from coral farms they don't have to dip. When a coral farmer gets a piece of coral in they dip it before they put it in the nursery.

 

[ronnie]

Sorry - I meant even when receiving pieces locally, they don't dip, treat, anything. The corals just go into the systems after acclimation.

 

[Seasonedreefer]

If they aren't dipping after buying corals locally the lfs is taking a huge risk and potentially putting all other live stock on the line.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

regardless you are taking a risk from a farmer to a local person when you buy a coral you take a risk.
I dip & qt everything thats goes in my tank I don't care who it came from!
I was reading Fragfarmers site I believe he had an issue once before long time ago.
Red bugs and flat worms didn't come out of the air they came from the ocean as to why you would say they are reef STD free mast yes maybe but something can always happen.
I do agree most issues come from normal reefers as most don't know what a red bug looks like flat worm and or nudis

 

[lvsuckerfish]

That's what I was trying to say if they buy from coral farms they don't have to dip. When a coral farmer gets a piece of coral in they dip it before they put it in the nursery.

so if you dip before you add to a system you will not have anything to worry about? is that what I am understanding you are saying?

 

[Seasonedreefer]

so if you dip before you add to a system you will not have anything to worry about? is that what I am understanding you are saying?

Well yes and no. All I am trying to say is the bigger coral farmers and coral retailers dip their corals. This makes it easier for the lfs. 1 because they don't have to dip for critters and 2 it saves them time and money on dips medication and the biggest ticket item of all....... Time.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

I see LFS with issues from time to time and they get from wholesalers and farmers both. I still dip everything it is best practice atleast . I go a little further and qt also as less headache for me later down the line.