Purchasing frags from LFS with visible issues

[Shua71]

Hello. Was checking out a LFS and wanted to grab a few frags of zoanthids. The only thing was I noticed a good amount of bubble algae and aptasia. They were embedded in some frags. Would you purchase from them?

I don’t have a QT tank or the space to set one up

 

[20gallonreefer000]

Not worth risking the aiptasia imo

 

[Shua71]

Not worth risking the aiptasia imo

That was my exact thought. Sucks because all of his tanks had aptasia and bubble algae

 

[mcarroll]

I'd have to ask if they would mind cleaning up for you the specific frags you're looking at. Strange IMO if their whole inventory is like that. Tells me someone isn't paying enough attention to the livestock for some reason. Anyway, seems worth asking IMO.

It's also true that hobby fear-mongering has exaggerated the problem. If you had a little time it wouldn't take much effort at all to clean off a couple frags you brought home. The real problem is leaving your fear of the issue aside – that's not so easy. And naturally "according to the internet" both will spread if you even think of trying to remove them....which is BS of the first order. :)

Do you have another local place you can shop?

 

[slingfox]

I personally would try to avoid purchasing coral from any system with aptasia. Those can be challenging to deal with especially if you have a smaller tank which can’t fit the fish which eat aptasia.