should i be salty about this?

[BeanAnimal]

The thread is part of the bargaining strategy to get the vendor to refund some of the purchase price, perhaps?

They posted both pics, have the coral heads on their side, and promising not to out the seller if a settlement can be reached. All without a lawyer, or blue lights from cop cars, It's hopefully going to help them all out?

Sad state of affairs on both sides of the equation. Like I said, in these scenarios, I have zero sympathy for the buyer or the seller and doubling down to ask for a refund -- or be tarred and feathered -- makes the whole situation even worse.

Shame on both of them... nothing personal, but it all looks bad.

 

[BryanM]

I'd inquire about if they really edited the pic, or if they have very specific lighting that they use.

It's likely the former, and its a buyer be ware thing nowadays.

 

[don.chaneaux]

Asking for a vid of the coral before purchase helps a little

 

[BeanAnimal]

def in discussions with the vendor
(it’s why i haven’t named them)

don’t want to be critical of a small business owner and impact their business if things can be handled amicably

But you are actually doing the exact opposite —attempting to use the leverage of the public forum to strong arm them with a not so veiled threat to attempt to impact their business if you don’t get your way.

As I said above, this is not personal — but you are as at fault as they are. Them for peddling corals with unrealistic photos and you for buying a coral and expecting it to look as unrealistic as the marketing photo.

You can’t convince me for a second that you or anybody else would actually believe those colors are a realistic representation under any reasonable regular spectrum — especially considering that the overly blue background is shown and — especially given that you are clearly an experienced hobbyist.

As much as we need to hold vendors to high standards, we also need to be reasonable and responsible buyers — so again — three wrongs don’t make a right.

 

[FenrirAysen]

def in discussions with the vendor
(it’s why i haven’t named them)

don’t want to be critical of a small business owner and impact their business if things can be handled amicably

But you are actually doing the exact opposite —attempting to use the leverage of the public forum to strong arm them with a not so veiled threat to attempt to impact their business if you don’t get your way.

As I said above, this is not personal — but you are as at fault as they are. Them for peddling corals with unrealistic photos and you for buying a coral and expecting it to look as unrealistic as the marketing photo.

You can’t convince me for a second that you or anybody else would actually believe those colors are a realistic representation under any reasonable regular spectrum — especially considering that the background is shown and — especially given that you are clearly an experienced hobbyist.

As much as we need to hold vendors to high standards, we also need to be reasonable and responsible buyers — so again — three wrongs don’t make a right.

You'd be horrified to find that yes there genuinely are people that are willing to believe exactly that.

 

[thamnasteroid]

It's not even an Indophyllia either; it's a regular ol' Cynarina

 

[liddojunior]

sorry, that was a cropped pic…
here’s the full image

(under reefbrite xho and ati t5 actinic)

It doesn’t look brown to me. Honestly looks really cool to me. It’s like rustic orange and red mouth