Is it ok to get coral, even if you don’t know the name of it?

[James_O]

I always like to be prepared when buying anything alive, and to know their name and how to care for them. But is it ok to buy small frags that you have no clue what they are? Is all care similar?

I was just at my LFS, and they had a section of $10 frags, some of which looked great!

#reefsquad

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Does your LFS not know what the frags are?

Google is your friend when shopping. The last thing I bought that I didn't know what it was was a galaxia. I immediately regretted it when I learned what it was.

 

[Billldg]

The name of a coral really means nothing. The question is, are they softies, LPS, or SPS. Softies and LPS are similar when taking care of them. SPS is different.

 

[Rmckoy]

The name of a coral really means nothing. The question is, are they softies, LPS, or SPS. Softies and LPS are similar when taking care of them. SPS is different.

Some sps are smooth skin , deep water ,
Some acros are almost impossible to care for .
spath..... are said to be almost impossible . Along with many others

 

[Rmckoy]

It boils down to .
how stable is your system ?

 

[James_O]

The name of a coral really means nothing. The question is, are they softies, LPS, or SPS. Softies and LPS are similar when taking care of them. SPS is different.

When you guys say “softies”, do you mean like it looks like it’s soft? Or it’s waving in the current?

All the ones I was looking at were wavy.

Does your LFS not know what the frags are?

Google is your friend when shopping. The last thing I bought that I didn't know what it was was a galaxia. I immediately regretted it when I learned what it was.

It would definitely help if had access to a phone at my LFS. ;rolleyes:

I would think they know what it is.

 

[fachatga]

Agree with billldg. Look at hard/soft and polyp size. Care is similar. If you’re still unsure put it away from light in low flow and slowly move it higher and see what makes it happy.

 

[James_O]

It boils down to .
how stable is your system ?

It’s just started, and is close to being cycled. (I used bottled bacteria)

I’m not going to add any just yet, I just want to be prepared.

 

[Billldg]

Toadstools, mushrooms, rhodactis, and such are softies. Acans, blastos, euphyllia, and such are LPS. If they were waving then its either softies or euphyllia, in all likelyhood.

I highly recommend looking at the BRS 52 weeks of reefing when they talk about Softies, LPS, and SPS. Its a great series of videos explaining what they are and what they need.

I just read that your tank just started. I would wait a while and let your tank stabilize before looking at corals. I have had to rush frags into a smaller tank due to issues, but they never really look good in a newly setup tank. I know it can be VERY hard, but patience is a must. It will save you a ton of issues down the road.

 

[Rmckoy]

Google is your friend .....
Plan what you want to stock and capable of caring for before impulse buying and later regretting it .

being freshly cycled I’d shop for easier such as palythoa , zoas , hammers , Xenia , gsp ,

stay away from anything sps

 

[Jekyl]

Naming every single variation of coral is only used to charge extra. In my opinion it brings this hobby down. Buy what you like, and what your system is right for. Don't worry about names.

 

[James_O]

I just read that your tank just started. I would wait a while and let your tank stabilize before looking at corals. I have had to rush frags into a smaller tank due to issues, but they never really look good in a newly setup tank. I know it can be VERY hard, but patience is a must. It will save you a ton of issues down the road.

So getting fish first is usually best?

Naming every single variation of coral is only used to charge extra. In my opinion it brings this hobby down. Buy what you like, and what your system is right for. Don't worry about names.

Ok, lol.

Google is your friend .....
Plan what you want to stock and capable of caring for before impulse buying and later regretting it .

being freshly cycled I’d shop for easier such as palythoa , zoas , hammers , Xenia , gsp ,

stay away from anything sps

I definitely don’t like impulse buying. I will wait.

 

[MaxTremors]

Go to your local library and check out some books on coral. They might be somewhat out dated, but they will at least give a good overview of the common types of corals available. I have this marine invertebrates handbook that is surprisingly comprehensive, it’s around 500 pages and has color photographs and it covers all of the common corals and other inverts (everything from hitchhikers to clams to shrimps). The reason I recommend a book instead of a website is that you can just thumb through it without having to search for (or know the names of) each type of coral. Reading books like this will give you a good idea of what you’re looking at when you go to the LFS (at the very least it will give you an idea of what direction to look online and to ask questions at the lfs). Here’s the cover of the book I have, it’s probably 20 years old, so I’m sure there’s an updated version, but books like this were incredibly helpful when I first started to learn about corals and it gave me an idea of where to start when trying to identify corals/inverts.

 

[MaxTremors]

Naming every single variation of coral is only used to charge extra. In my opinion it brings this hobby down. Buy what you like, and what your system is right for. Don't worry about names.

Couldn’t agree more. Giving some stupid name to every single coral is ruining the hobby. It’s all an attempt to price gouge. There’s a retailer that posted a sale on this site today that was full of $500+ (and that’s ‘on sale’) one inch or less frags. They all have some stupid name and while they’re all pretty, I can’t help but wonder who actually buys them? If there’s one piece of advice I can give to people new to the hobby, it’s don’t get caught up in the name game, buy corals that you like, don’t spend 2-10 times more on a frag just because it has a stupid name, 99% of the time you can buy an unnamed coral that’s fairly close in color, growth pattern, etc. for a fraction of the price.

 

[Jekyl]

Couldn’t agree more. Giving some stupid name to every single coral is ruining the hobby. It’s all an attempt to price gouge. There’s a retailer that posted a sale on this site today that was full of $500+ (and that’s ‘on sale’) one inch or less frags. They all have some stupid name and while they’re all pretty, I can’t help but wonder who actually buys them? If there’s one piece of advice I can give to people new to the hobby, it’s don’t get caught up in the name game, buy corals that you like, don’t spend 2-10 times more on a frag just because it has a stupid name, 99% of the time you can buy an unnamed coral that’s fairly close in color, growth pattern, etc. for a fraction of the price.

This. I've wanted a gold torch for a while and refuse to pay what's asked for them

 

[Rmckoy]

Go to your local library and check out some books on coral. They might be somewhat out dated, but they will at least give a good overview of the common types of corals available. I have this marine invertebrates handbook that is surprisingly comprehensive, it’s around 500 pages and has color photographs and it covers all of the common corals and other inverts (everything from hitchhikers to clams to shrimps). The reason I recommend a book instead of a website is that you can just thumb through it without having to search for (or know the names of) each type of coral. Reading books like this will give you a good idea of what you’re looking at when you go to the LFS (at the very least it will give you an idea of what direction to look online and to ask questions at the lfs). Here’s the cover of the book I have, it’s probably 20 years old, so I’m sure there’s an updated version, but books like this were incredibly helpful when I first started to learn about corals and it gave me an idea of where to start when trying to identify corals/inverts.

I think we all have that same book .
You were right about a little out dated

 

[hds4216]

This. I've wanted a gold torch for a while and refuse to pay what's asked for them

I found one for $250 and jumped on it lol. Def the most I've ever paid.

 

[Jekyl]

I found one for $250 and jumped on it lol. Def the most I've ever paid.

Still about 3x what I'm willing to pay Lol

 

[hds4216]

Still about 3x what I'm willing to pay Lol

Yeah, not sure a gold torch is in your future then

 

[Jekyl]

Yeah, not sure a gold torch is in your future then

You'd be surprised. I only get corals from local reefers now. The deals are wayyyyyy better than LFS or online.