What has happened to The reef hobby

Jeeperz

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 28, 2019
Messages
1,637
Reaction score
1,090
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Honestly, I ignore 99% of the names and just buy what I think looks nice. I don't need names to know what I like and don't like, and if I do find a named coral that I like, I find someone locally selling it for much less than online. Why pay $80 for a 1" piece of hawkins echinata acropora, when a local reefer will sell me a 4" piece for $15?
Have you seen what the private sellers are asking for stuff on this site? Just as much as wwc or more.
 

Fishfreak2009

Follow Your Passions!
View Badges
Joined
Nov 2, 2016
Messages
2,129
Reaction score
5,226
Location
Mount Morris Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Have you seen what the private sellers are asking for stuff on this site? Just as much as wwc or more.
Most of my local forums/facebook pages are like that as well. I've been chatting with some of my local reefers that just like having big display tanks of large grown out colonies, and they sell their frags cheap (since they're normally just pruning to maintain some semblance of non-chaos or coral war, or accidentally break a branch while cleaning).

Just got to find someone in the hobby because they like it, not because they want to make millions off every little thing. I'm growing what I like, and honestly once I start fragging, I'll sell frag packs cheap or probably give most away to friends and local hobbyists, or trade frags with other reefers for stuff I don't already have. I did the same when I raised poison dart frogs.
 

Jeeperz

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 28, 2019
Messages
1,637
Reaction score
1,090
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Most of my local forums/facebook pages are like that as well. I've been chatting with some of my local reefers that just like having big display tanks of large grown out colonies, and they sell their frags cheap (since they're normally just pruning to maintain some semblance of non-chaos or coral war, or accidentally break a branch while cleaning).

Just got to find someone in the hobby because they like it, not because they want to make millions off every little thing. I'm growing what I like, and honestly once I start fragging, I'll sell frag packs cheap or probably give most away to friends and local hobbyists, or trade frags with other reefers for stuff I don't already have. I did the same when I raised poison dart frogs.
That's the way to go. I found some good deals and even freebies from locals when I was living in a big city. Now everything I get is mail order due to location so I'm out of luck there. I don't mind paying more but coral prices are stupid now. If I sold everything at current prices, I'd make money. But I'd never be able to get those prices. Simple frogspawn that used to be at most $10 a head is now 30+.
 

Fishfreak2009

Follow Your Passions!
View Badges
Joined
Nov 2, 2016
Messages
2,129
Reaction score
5,226
Location
Mount Morris Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That's the way to go. I found some good deals and even freebies from locals when I was living in a big city. Now everything I get is mail order due to location so I'm out of luck there. I don't mind paying more but coral prices are stupid now. If I sold everything at current prices, I'd make money. But I'd never be able to get those prices. Simple frogspawn that used to be at most $10 a head is now 30+.
Yup. I don't normally buy Euphyllia. I liked gold hammers, same local guy that sold me the hawkins acro sold me a 2 headed gold hammer frag for $20, and a 5 headed frag of pink tipped green frogspawn for $20. He was pruning his 300g tank.

I bought a black light torch coral for $40 on AquaSD on sale months ago. It's thriving. I bought a ton of stuff today during their live sale, but didn't buy any Euphyllia because even on sale, they were still expensive. I used the money that would have bought 2 or 3 euphyllia to buy like 8 acros. Luckily, I won the $400 ultra Euphyllia pack at the end of the live sale, so I'm excited to see what Euphyllia I'm receiving!
 

Fishfreak2009

Follow Your Passions!
View Badges
Joined
Nov 2, 2016
Messages
2,129
Reaction score
5,226
Location
Mount Morris Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nice. We got a couple nice rfa and a few other things like bird'snest, and cheap zoa's. Just can't pay the prices they are still asking.
Completely understand. We definitely spent more than we should have, but bought a lot of cheaper frags, and spent a little more on certain things we both really liked (like the giant clams and a few of the anemones). Then again, these same $75 crocea and $75 maxima would have been $200 each at my LFS that even carries clams. Most of them don't carry Tridacnids anymore. And I've never seen a Hippopus for sale locally since 2003, let alone for only $40.

TankGrownUltraORACrocea-_150_4_1080x.png
ORATankGrownMaximaApprox2_-_150_2_1080x.png
ORAHipoppusClam_approx1-2_-_80_4_1080x.png
 

MaxTremors

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 20, 2021
Messages
3,625
Reaction score
6,213
Location
Boise
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not sure what country you are on but that's expensive gas too. We know what caused our high prices and inflation here in the U.S.
Gas prices are surging around the world. Blaming it on a politician just shows a complete lack of understanding of how gas prices, inflation, or global economics work.
 

monkeyCmonkeyDo

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
Messages
8,288
Reaction score
8,087
Location
Puyallup, Wa USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Get better equipment. More.
Get a bigger display or sump. Buy a bigger skimmer
A calcium reaction ir fancy doser or computer controller for your tank.
Your gonna stock it with livestock that cost more. Lol.
D
 

Fishfreak2009

Follow Your Passions!
View Badges
Joined
Nov 2, 2016
Messages
2,129
Reaction score
5,226
Location
Mount Morris Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've been keeping saltwater fish since 2003, and have watched prices climb, especially in recent years. It doesn't surprise me though, all prices have gone up quite a bit. Want to be surprised at high prices? Look at the cost of higher education. Veterinary school is costing me roughly $100,000 per year, and I owe for my 8 years of undergrad as well. It's a mountain of debt, but it's in a field I love, and as for my undergrad, I got 2 bachelors degrees and 2 minors, knowing once I finish school I won't go back. I am the type of person that has multiple interests and wanted to pursue them all, so got a B.S. Biology with a minor in urban agriculture and agroecology, and a B.A. in German Languae and Literature with a minor in cultural anthropology.
 

Jeeperz

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 28, 2019
Messages
1,637
Reaction score
1,090
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Completely understand. We definitely spent more than we should have, but bought a lot of cheaper frags, and spent a little more on certain things we both really liked (like the giant clams and a few of the anemones). Then again, these same $75 crocea and $75 maxima would have been $200 each at my LFS that even carries clams. Most of them don't carry Tridacnids anymore. And I've never seen a Hippopus for sale locally since 2003, let alone for only $40.

TankGrownUltraORACrocea-_150_4_1080x.png
ORATankGrownMaximaApprox2_-_150_2_1080x.png
ORAHipoppusClam_approx1-2_-_80_4_1080x.png
And 3 years ago that was a $40 clam at the place I used to go to
 

Jeeperz

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 28, 2019
Messages
1,637
Reaction score
1,090
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've been keeping saltwater fish since 2003, and have watched prices climb, especially in recent years. It doesn't surprise me though, all prices have gone up quite a bit. Want to be surprised at high prices? Look at the cost of higher education. Veterinary school is costing me roughly $100,000 per year, and I owe for my 8 years of undergrad as well. It's a mountain of debt, but it's in a field I love, and as for my undergrad, I got 2 bachelors degrees and 2 minors, knowing once I finish school I won't go back. I am the type of person that has multiple interests and wanted to pursue them all, so got a B.S. Biology with a minor in urban agriculture and agroecology, and a B.A. in German Languae and Literature with a minor in cultural anthropology.
The sad part is after all that schooling you make less than a beginner doctor yet put in more years of school. I used to know a couple vets.
 
Back
Top