Why do you buy expensive corals/frags? Investment?

[BeejReef]

Price is always a consideration not because of what I could or couldn't actually afford, but bc I don't enjoy spending crazy money. It ruins the fun for me. Still, I do have two or three prime perches set aside to go outside of my comfort zone.

I have bought one coral I consider "expensive," $80 millipora frag. I bought it bc I was at the frag swap and it was my favorite of all I saw that day. Didn't know how much it was, and paid for it with no regrets.

It somehow seems different when you don't know the price up front.

 

[Greybeard]

If I have the opportunity to buy a big, healthy frag, or even a small colony, and the price is a bit high, well, I'll think about it.

Buying the latest 1" high dollar supper-duper rainbow marketing department frag? Not going to happen.

IMHO, naming corals for marketing purposes is the worst thing that has happened to this hobby, and I, for one, will not be taking part in it. As I read this, there's a Jason Fox banner below, advertising Homewrecker, Jolt, most beautiful corals in the hobby. They can keep them.

 

[Stoney]

I have to disagree! 99.99% of the people who see my tank have NO CLUE what anything costs, so how could it possibly be a status symbol?

Like many others who contributed to this post, there is only one thing I care about...the beauty of the specimen.

I think you misread my post, I never said that you buy high end coral as a status symbol.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

There's a race against time and coral bans. We may not see certain corals in near future. Only on the net or books. Next generation definitely won't see or get to raise certain corals. If I see corals that no long seen or available in the USA I do pay whatever the price. Here's an example of one no longer available. I have 4 frags and mom a coral.

 

[BradB]

I rarely buy expensive corals that are new. The exception is if I see something completely different from anything I've seen before and have to have it. Usually I make an expensive purchase because something I wanted for years is not going to come down in price.

For example, Space Invader Pectina and Yellow tip Elegance were my only > $30 purchases last swap, both have been around for years but I got a better price than I have seen before.

I really wonder who is buying all the Vino, Beachbum, Homewrecker etc. Yet every year high end prices seem higher and frags seem smaller. You are guaranteed one of two outcomes. Either it dies, or it drops to half the price before it is big enough to notice in your tank.

 

[C. Eymann]

If I was starting a basement farm OP I would.

Otherwise, aside from some OG corals, nah.

 

[Waters]

I pick up whatever looks "good" to me.......unfortunately normally the better looking pieces usually cost more.

 

[playapixie]

Investment? LOL. ROTFL. Literally nothing about reefkeeping is an investment.

Status symbol? That’s also darned funny. Literally nobody who sees my tank even gets that all those corals are living things, much less that they are “collectible“ to some people. So I have no idea who I’d be gaining status with. Strangers on the internet? Hmmmm....nope.

I buy corals I like, that I think will fit in and thrive in the place I want to put them, regardless of “name brand” or status or popularity.

I have occasionally sold a few frags here and there as prune and thin out my tank, and the name brands do seem to make people more eager to get them. But I give away or trade way more frags than I sell, because I liked this hobby better when it was a trader’s hobby. I occasionally sell some of the nicer frags, but it doesn’t even begin to make up for a tiny fraction of what I’ve put into the hobby financially over the last 9 years. It’s definitely not an investment.

 

[tankstudy]

Some of the expensive corals fit the color scheme or theme I'm after.

 

[playapixie]

I have to disagree! 99.99% of the people who see my tank have NO CLUE what anything costs, so how could it possibly be a status symbol?

That’s exactly what I just said.

 

[siggy]

I dont have a plan for the tank. I do have a wish list and keep my eyes open. it's all about color

 

[siggy]

 

[Billldg]

For myself it’s simple, if I like it and want it I buy it. If I can make a little cash down the road then great, but it’s not the reason I bought certain corals.

 

[The Aquatic Arsenal]

For me personally as a hobbyist, I don't like the costs of some corals, so I wait until I can find a good deal on them. Other then that, I buy what I think look cool. Names don't matter to me so much, but names that have been around forever make it easier to communicate with the rest of the hobby. I have recently feel in love with RFA's, as I am sure some of you know, they can get a little expensive. What I have always wanted before I became a vendor is a jawbreaker mushroom lol.

 

[Bastray]

I can find enough awesome looking corals for $40-$60. No need for me to spend $200 on a tiny nub.

 

[Daveobrien]

Whats the definition of Expensive? (>$50, >$100, >$200, >$500, ...) Maybe we each should include this in our answer.

 

[Mical]

I buy corals that I like/prefer. Often I pass on really expensive because I've found if you wait you'll find a more reasonable priced version. Recently scored SPS corals from local Reefer on Craigslist - ad said 10 assorted SPS - $100 - well he threw in 4 additional and a cooler. Super nice guy. I'll be buying from him again!

Here's copy of ad - https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/for/d/minneapolis-sps-pack-aquarium-fish-tank/7012106494.html

 

[Steve_Skullsplitter0]

Because if I didnt spend the money on corals my wife would spend the money on Rae Dunn.

 

[dreamsr]

Something tells me that most people who buy coral as a status symbol either don't realize it or won't admit it.

That was my thought too—only people who are very into the hobby would recognize and know the price of specific corals, and how many of those folks are drifting through your living room on a regular basis?

 

[Bastray]

Whats the definition of Expensive? (>$50, >$100, >$200, >$500, ...) Maybe we each should include this in our answer.

For me, expensive is anything over $100. I typically try and stay below $50 if I can. $100 is when I start to feel guilty for paying so much for a coral.

 

[azbigjohn]

I have always wanted to change my name to "sps killer" and, also am in the process of "rebooting" my tank. Until I prove to myself I can consistently keep everything thriving, I aim for less expensive, easy, but still nice looking corals.