Thermos Swap: When's the last time you traded frags with someone locally or via mail?

When is the last time you traded frags with someone either locally or via shipping service?

  • Days ago

    Votes: 75 12.3%
  • Weeks ago

    Votes: 83 13.6%
  • Several months ago

    Votes: 46 7.5%
  • Over 6 months

    Votes: 15 2.5%
  • Over a year

    Votes: 39 6.4%
  • Several years

    Votes: 55 9.0%
  • Never Traded

    Votes: 294 48.1%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 4 0.7%

  • Total voters
    611

mattdg

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
Messages
866
Reaction score
1,382
Location
New Hamburg NY
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
If I am meeting up with someone who's buying a frag and I often try to throw in something interesting, especially if it's an expensive piece that is being purchased. Often, other reefers will return the favor. I swear, for some reason, these end up becoming some of my favorite coral.

There is still something to be said about good old fashion trading, even if we have to cover many of our pricey purchases with sales. I think it's important that both options coexist, so others can acquire rare pieces and we can build networks and friendships with others who share our interest in reefing.

It speaks to one of my favorite things about the hobby, meeting people you may have never taken the time to get to know otherwise. Reefers are an eclectic bunch, from all walks of life. It's awesome.
 

7thpagano

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 9, 2021
Messages
11
Reaction score
29
Location
st louis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
At one time, many moons ago, us zoanthid lovers would have what we called "thermos swaps." We would buy a lunch box soup thermos, pack what frags we could get in there, and ship via 2 day usps for a few bucks. That was fun! Of course we now have really good insulated shipping boxes to use! I was thinking about frag trading today and was wondering how often people are still actually trading, not selling, coral frags. Let's talk about it today!

1. When is the last time you traded frags with someone either locally or via shipping service? (NO BUYING OR SELLING BUT AN ACTUAL TRADE)

2. Would you be interested in finding people that just wanted to straight up trade frags?


m_5d1f8d5a5feabb3879657b85.jpg
I just did yesterday. I got some great mushrooms and I gave some of my mushrooms.
 

Reef of Fillory

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
1,133
Reaction score
637
Location
Tampa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Parroting what others have already said, I have not traded coral for coral.

1) I don't necessarily have anything that anyone else wants, and i'm not willing to pay/trade at ridiculous price estimates.
2) I typically give away, or "sell" at a deep discount if I have extra corals
3) My tanks have never grown out enough to need "trimming" to maintain them [I've moved too frequently to achieve any semblance of stability in my tanks]

One additional thing [also parroting what other have already said] is that everyone's so gung-ho on "making money" by selling off their frags that a lot of the "help" that I used to find in the community is just absolutely gone. Even when I find someone asking reasonable prices for something, it's only because they already tried to sell it at higher prices and at some point they're just looking to "clear their rack".

Sad imo, but I don't think we'll see a turn back to what there was when I set up my first tank. Everyone's about "making money moves" now days.
 
Last edited:

rgulrich

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
232
Reaction score
430
Location
Marriottsville, MD
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Some of my friends in our reef club trade frags on as much a routine basis as we can under current circumstances. We've handed off a wide variety of SPS, LPS, and soft/leather corals along with their zoanthid and anemone buddies. I love surprises, and my reef is always open to hand off frags in trade. Some of these traded surprises are simply amazing, and I haven't found anywhere else.
Cheers,
Ray :cool:
 

Brittanyjo

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 11, 2020
Messages
433
Reaction score
329
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would love to do this. I have never had the opportunity. I live in an isolated area and can't meet anyone locally, so it would have to be via mail.
 

mfinn

likes zoanthids
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2006
Messages
11,454
Reaction score
8,308
Location
Olympia, WA.
Rating - 100%
5   0   0
At one time, many moons ago, us zoanthid lovers would have what we called "thermos swaps." We would buy a lunch box soup thermos, pack what frags we could get in there, and ship via 2 day usps for a few bucks. That was fun! Of course we now have really good insulated shipping boxes to use! I was thinking about frag trading today and was wondering how often people are still actually trading, not selling, coral frags. Let's talk about it today!

1. When is the last time you traded frags with someone either locally or via shipping service? (NO BUYING OR SELLING BUT AN ACTUAL TRADE)
I remember the thermos swaps and did a few.
Got my first PPE polyps in a thermos.
 

brahm

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
492
Reaction score
357
Location
Mammoth Lakes,Ca
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I trade or give frags away to local reefers, friends, etc.. don't care what I paid for them once they are in the tank all silly names and prices are for the most part forgotten if it's growing out and I have extra happy to clip away if someone comes by and likes a frag. Never know when something unfortunate might happen and you'll be glad that coral is growing in someone else's system

To add, doesn't mean I won't sell stuff online from time to time, or if I have something reallllly special but sooner or later our tanks fill up, you start running out of space and either the corals will kill each other, smash into the glass or out of the water, and who wants to throw away coral...
 

Grallster

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 6, 2019
Messages
83
Reaction score
77
Location
South Bend
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think one of the best reasons for a frag trading network has yet to be mentioned—spreading out your precious frags to multiple tanks to mitigate the pain of a total tank crash. If your tank crashes and you lose everything, frags that were traded in the past can come back to you when your tank “gets back on its feet.”
A few of my reefing buddies and I have been through this exact situation before.
So keep this in mind—if you trade/give frags away to your fellow reefers you can expect some back someday...if you **** people with fancy names and prices...well I think you can guess the rest.
 

chicago

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 28, 2014
Messages
1,597
Reaction score
544
Location
chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
i have a bunch of monti that I usually give away.. lots of tubs stellata .. spongodes, grafted, seasons greetings and more.. these guys are hardy and fast.. they have survived alk swings and more..
 

MartinWaite

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 1, 2017
Messages
307
Reaction score
253
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I give corals away to friends and to newbies but never zoas as I don't really like them and don't see what people like in them really. I know it's all down to personal taste some will love them others not I used to have some and think it was this silly naming and absolutely stupid pricing to match that turned me against them.
 

Reef of Fillory

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
1,133
Reaction score
637
Location
Tampa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I give corals away to friends and to newbies but never zoas as I don't really like them and don't see what people like in them really. I know it's all down to personal taste some will love them others not I used to have some and think it was this silly naming and absolutely stupid pricing to match that turned me against them.
I like zoas to add coverage and color, but I don't go for any "special" ones. Cheap-o's for me
 

catalystNfacade

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 9, 2020
Messages
33
Reaction score
32
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think BRS had a youtube video recently about the supply of corals being disproportionate to the demand and therefore there's been an increase in price, which has caused an entrepreneurial path in reefing.

Makes sense but if anyone has any left overs...

Just setup a Neptune on my tank and am ready to take on more reefing responsibility.
 

Ichtha_yo Stuff

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2020
Messages
127
Reaction score
183
Location
Tampa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I prefer to trade rather than sell. I am trading with someone this weekend. Even if someone doesn’t have anything to trade like a new hobbyist I will sell them big frags for $5. I know I could get way more but I feel as a veteran Reefer that is how I was treated when I got into the hobby so I am paying it forward.
 

Ed olson

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 20, 2021
Messages
193
Reaction score
286
Location
Matthews
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think BRS had a youtube video recently about the supply of corals being disproportionate to the demand and therefore there's been an increase in price, which has caused an entrepreneurial path in reefing.

Makes sense but if anyone has any left overs...

Just setup a Neptune on my tank and am ready to take on more reefing responsibility.
I disagree. While there may be a supply issue that doesn't mean folks have to charge an arm and a leg for something. Single polyps of zoas going for well over $200. That's just pure greed. But as long as people cough up the cash for them they will stay just as costly.
 

Reefing_addiction

Corals and Cronies over Crack
View Badges
Joined
Jun 14, 2020
Messages
9,521
Reaction score
35,902
Location
Aurora
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
At one time, many moons ago, us zoanthid lovers would have what we called "thermos swaps." We would buy a lunch box soup thermos, pack what frags we could get in there, and ship via 2 day usps for a few bucks. That was fun! Of course we now have really good insulated shipping boxes to use! I was thinking about frag trading today and was wondering how often people are still actually trading, not selling, coral frags. Let's talk about it today!

1. When is the last time you traded frags with someone either locally or via shipping service? (NO BUYING OR SELLING BUT AN ACTUAL TRADE)

2. Would you be interested in finding people that just wanted to straight up trade frags?


m_5d1f8d5a5feabb3879657b85.jpg
I have who I call my Zoa guy! And that’s pretty much all we do is swap frags. Sometimes, rarely, we buy one because we don’t have anything to trade. But generally we just trade or give in good faith that the other will return the frags with new stuff!

I also trade with a person on here. But we also buy from eachother.
 

N.Sreefer

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 16, 2020
Messages
1,506
Reaction score
2,261
Location
Dartmouth, N.S
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
1. A week ago with a friend of mine its been years since ive traded with anyone from the reefing community seems like frag swaps just don't exist in Nova scotia.

2. I would absolutely love to have the chance to swap frags. On that point if anyone in canada wants to trade any coral (literally any including xenia kenya tree ect) for some zoas or mollys that were born in saltwater pm me!
 

Brady4000

I just wanted a Mantis Shrimp.
View Badges
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
1,467
Reaction score
2,873
Location
Fiji
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My entire tank is done off dry rock trades (bought too much off offer up but it worked out traded for frags) and frag swaps. I think the most I spent so far on a coral $ is $35.

Edit:$35 for a single coral that is. I bought multiple frags but from $5-$35. Mostly because I am also trading something
 
Back
Top