Why do you buy expensive corals/frags? Investment?

[The Aquatic Arsenal]

Ok now that your a vendor Do you have that awesome Jaw breaker? Pic or.......

Not yet lol. One day though

 

[dreamsr]

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.

“Expensive” varies for each person, but wouldn’t the reason for going into whatever you consider “expensive” be the same, no matter where you set the limit?

 

[Mistahman]

I buy what I think looks nice for the spot I have chosen it for. That being said, I have a price limit. I have gone over for a must have piece, but not often.

 

[hotdrop]

“Expensive” varies for each person, but wouldn’t the reason for going into whatever you consider “expensive” be the same, no matter where you set the limit?

I think that’s true, for me buying a more expensive frag is kind of a testament to my confidence at the stability of the tank. Saying that you believe that you have a robust enough setup to handle a more expensive coral.

 

[ADAM]

I buy what turns me on at the moment and I have a history of being able to care for. Thinking about it more in depth due to the question being asked, I think having a few high price pieces also help motivate me to keep a check on things when I’m feeling lazy or life gets extremely busy. Most people who see my corals have no idea of the difference in the green torch and the Dragon soul or what an OG bounce is.

 

[AZMSGT]

I buy what I like, if it’s expensive then I may think about it more.. but typically, if I like it I’ll get it eventually.

 

[NanoDJS]

I look at it this way. Some people like to go spend money on fine dining and the like , some people like to collect cars/boats, some people blow tons of money on drugs and frivolity. I work too much to do any of the above lol and have no desire for it. Coral reefs though have been my "mystical place" ever since my first reef dive in the 80's as a child. Nothing can make me more content ,so I embraced the hobby with vigor and passion many years ago. Back then we had to trade what we had with like-minded people and some amazing history and friendship /family bonds were made , very little money ever changed hands , but good times ,good people and great coral were a plenty. Then with the advent of the internet and a lot of forums it gained so much traction , things started to demand a premium which were once free , group bought colonies that started all these hobbyist today , a lot of the vendors were handed what they sell you today from fellow reef club members. Their hard work and diligence in aquaculture has made an industry at this point , giving the same amazing experience to a massively huge and new emerging group of people , who have sooooo much choice now, the corals we can get now are amazing , due to people investing $$$ crazy butt money upfront to get the "Master" pieces , and making them available for all of us. I support that in some cases , in some cases I don't. example.... I am offered a chance to have a Master Piece like Jellybean Chalice......the question isn't how much , its will this EVER happen again. I am all for that ,charging for legit rarity , but the whole "bounce" craze has me like what the heck are these people doing .... but that's new school ... that I am not with. I have noticed a lot of people do just get the $$$ stuff to tout the e- peen For me nobody but my wife and kids see the tanks anyhow , I don't even post pics typically... I have saved so many free/cheap corals that were going to die , just to save them from some lfs or reefer. I usually get the most enjoyment out of those free / cheapo half dead guys. And then when the master comes up ..... its mine , I prioritize my purchases prices on scale of rarity. I just love the hobby and taking care of these aliens in our living room.

 

[C. Eymann]

^^^^well said, one of my favorite things to do is scour through the cheapo/browned out frag racks and watch them grow out/develop.

 

[gotmesalty77]

I buy more expensive corals so I can sell em' for less. Hopefully lowering the cost in the long run so everyone can have pretty coral without paying big bucks.

You are a wolf among sheep. Seriously not all heros wear capes. I very soon will join you in this valiant crusade, stocking my tank now.....

P.S hmu when you got frags.... LOL

 

[Jose A Venereo]

If I like the coral I buy it, but I try to keep it under $100. Also found out going to swaps you find really good deals. Beside the "fads change". I remember when an ancanthastra frag was one $600.

 

[Sea Witch]

I feel like the longer I'm in this hobby the less appealing higher priced coral becomes... just like LV purses and high priced meals.... I dont need to spend more money on something that serves its purpose at a lower cost. I used to buy any and everything I saw that I liked. Didn't quarantine well...didn't dip and eventually cost myself time and money.... but not this time....I'm looking for deals and cheap (not inexpensive....CHEAP). My tank is happy and healthy and I'm learning how to appreciate the beauty in that

 

[Matt Carden]

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

At least 8 votes as of now, surprising!

 

[Big Boy]

I refuse to buy expensive corals or overpriced “rare” fish. For every expensive fish or coral there is a similar much less expensive one that looks very similar and is almost as beautiful Most guests or friends in your home won’t have any idea what the difference is I laugh every time I see a black tang for sale for $800-$1200 and you can buy the common yellow for a fraction and it actually looks better.

 

[Steve_Skullsplitter0]

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

Seriously though I have some cheaper frags and colonies. But the last 6 months spent literally 1000s on high end specimens. I guess I want stuff that's rare. I even drove 800 miles to go to Reefapoolza.

 

[JOKER]

When buying SPS it is hard to find those great colors in a lower price point most of the time. It is also easier to sell of a few frags when the original grows out. I will say that a lot of them are way overpriced when they come out. I have to wait a year or so most of the time to get to the price I want to spend. I actually have some nice frags that I paid well less than half the original price. A few frags later and my original is paid for, so kinda an investment as well.

 

[Louie00067]

I only buy frags , I get my satisfaction waching a frag turn into a colony .

 

[JordanS01]

I don't really buy high end often, but the couple that I have I hope to resell at a way cheaper price than they are currently. I just don't understand all the high end craze and a single zoa or two going for a thousand or a little more.

 

[Smarkow]

I often find I an looking for a certain color and form of stoney coral. Some colors are almost always more expensive - yellow and fuchsia for instance. Green is cheap.

Sometimes I can find cheap zoas that will get the particular color I want

Color and growth form are the key for me

 

[PurpleMonsterSlayer]

honestly my small tank is getting pretty full and I’ve been thinking of getting a few 100-200 frags just to see if they will grow and so I can trade them but I have a hard time figuring out what to get because the photos seem so doctored that I doubt the frags will look anything like the photos. Suggestions?

That’s why you google and try to find pictures of colonies to see what it can look like after it grows out.

 

[PurpleMonsterSlayer]

Most expensive coral was a 1" rainbow chalice frag that I paid $300 for a year ago. It's now 1.1" .... so I figure I'll be able to frag it again and make a killing in about, oh, 200 years. Excellent!

A year and it grew .1 inches very impressive. I have never had a chalice grow lest the .1 “ a week. You must be doing something right.