What I Ordered vs What I Got

[BornHandy]

My kids, along with my wife, went online, and picked out some corals for me for Christmas. (Am I lucky or what?) A few days later, my boys (4 and 6 years old) presented me with the box, and couldn't wait to see the my face when I saw "the blue one", and "the green one"! What I got was a brown coral, and another brown coral. Now I have two disappointed children (who feel cheated), and only one of the three corals they picked looked like the picture...

Taking my kids out of the scenario, this is a problem that's way too common, and I believe it's time to put up a little resistance.

I was thinking a thread showing what the online sales image looked like as compared to the actual frag looks like would be really helpful to us online shoppers. I would love to have a resource like that before paying $90 bucks for a "blue" coral that came in as brown as a paper bag...

A thread like that isn't even helpful if the seller isn't listed, so toes will be stepped on. I feel like it's a necessary evil to make the hobby a better place for the reefers, and it keeps the sellers honest.

By all means, if I'm breaking any rules, let me know, and if the thread needs to be deleted, I understand...

 

[BornHandy]

Kessil A360's with t-5 purple plus lights. No amount of shifting the colors have yielded anything like the picture on the blue heron.

To be fair, the birds nest has a hint of green under the bluest of lights, and the green turbinaria is pretty close to spot on, even in the whitest lights... I was happy with that one.

The other two are equivalent to $20 frags at my LFS.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My kids, along with my wife, went online, and picked out some corals for me for Christmas. (Am I lucky or what?) A few days later, my boys (4 and 6 years old) presented me with the box, and couldn't wait to see the my face when I saw "the blue one", and "the green one"! What I got was a brown coral, and another brown coral. Now I have two disappointed children (who feel cheated), and only one of the three corals they picked looked like the picture...

Taking my kids out of the scenario, this is a problem that's way too common, and I believe it's time to put up a little resistance.

I was thinking a thread showing what the online sales image looked like as compared to the actual frag looks like would be really helpful to us online shoppers. I would love to have a resource like that before paying $90 bucks for a "blue" coral that came in as brown as a paper bag...

A thread like that isn't even helpful if the seller isn't listed, so toes will be stepped on. I feel like it's a necessary evil to make the hobby a better place for the reefers, and it keeps the sellers honest.

By all means, if I'm breaking any rules, let me know, and if the thread needs to be deleted, I understand...

 

[sfin52]

Thats about right. With that said I wish the vendors would take pics under white, blue and mixture. At least you have a chance to see what your are getting.

 

[thewackyreefer]

I have a feeling they get a good amount of one time purchasers.

 

[SoggyNW]

I'd give them a few weeks. I got a load of SPS from a guy across town and most of the pieces turned brown in n my tank. 4 weeks later the color is coming back. I think the stress of moving makes them ugly up.

 

[X-37B]

On a lighter note: Thats Funny!

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Buying corals online is like dating someone who you met online. The picture is not replicateable under any normal lighting, and there is a certain level of disappointment every time you see it.

 

[sfin52]

Wwc is a good company with a good reputation. Have you reached out to them. I've gotten corals that have completely changed in my tank. The colors may come back

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Wow, and you paid $207 for all that? Check out the threat a member posted about WWC pricing going through the roof. Geez, this hobby

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/wwc-pricing-is-going-through-the-roof.672418/

 

[BornHandy]

Wwc is a good company with a good reputation. Have you reached out to them. I've gotten corals that have completely changed in my tank. The colors may come back

I haven't reached out yet, I intend to tomorrow... These have been in my tank for almost two weeks now, and I have seen zero change in the colors as of yet. In addition to that, I placed an order with Legendary corals months before, and everything they sent looked EXACTLY like the picture, (with the exception of one DOA) so maybe my expectation was high.

 

[Tamberav]

Kessil A360's with t-5 purple plus lights. No amount of shifting the colors have yielded anything like the picture on the blue heron.

To be fair, the birds nest has a hint of green under the bluest of lights, and the green turbinaria is pretty close to spot on, even in the whitest lights... I was happy with that one.

The other two are equivalent to $20 frags at my LFS.

The ORA one should color up. It may have browned in shipping. I am not familiar with the middle one. Man those prices are high.

 

[JPergamo]

Was the birds of paradise really 60 bucks? That's the most absurd thing I've seen in a long while....

 

[BornHandy]

I'd give them a few weeks. I got a load of SPS from a guy across town and most of the pieces turned brown in n my tank. 4 weeks later the color is coming back. I think the stress of moving makes them ugly up.

I hope you're right! If that blue turbinaria changes to look like the picture, I am happy to have a little egg on my face, and will shout it to the rooftops that WWC sold me a beauty.

 

[The Aquatic Arsenal]

I believe a thread like the OP stated should be made. I will keep my comments to myself, but it wasn't that long ago I had to order coral from online vendors as well. I understand everyone's complaints. I think it would be good for memebers to see comparison pics. There is so much that goes into coral health/color though. It isn't all just because of "blue" lights, maybe mostly

 

[TheHarold]

Was the birds of paradise really 60 bucks? That's the most absurd thing I've seen in a long while....

I’d say the absurd thing is that people buy it FOR that price. But oh well

 

[Waynerock]

Corals.com
What I ordered vs what I got vs now. There are still some places that keep it real

 

[Zeal]

Seriously why dont people buy off WWC Ebay page? Ive gotten stuff 60% off if not more using a bot

 

[BornHandy]

I’d say the absurd thing is that people buy it FOR that price. But oh well

It's an expensive hobby, and I will pay a premium for a premium specimen. I'm not buying homewrecker acro's, but I'll gladly pay for a color I want...I just want it to be the color I paid for...

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Seriously why dont people buy off WWC Ebay page? Ive gotten stuff 60% off if not more using a bot

Can you share an example? How much was shipping?