Why do you buy expensive corals/frags? Investment?

[PurpleMonsterSlayer]

Not yet lol. One day though

Here you go nice and cheap only $300 ( undoctored photo taken with a iPhone X and yellow lens under attic lighting)

 

[Dvanlier05]

I don't really look at prices when buying corals, just get what I like. Unfortunately I tend to pick out the most expensive pieces all the time. Story of my life.

 

[Orko]

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

Beauty great deal!!!

 

[PurpleMonsterSlayer]

I don’t buy my coral based off price or names I base Purchases based off looks and what I think is nice. And you can always find good deals if you look. I was thinking about buying a WWC Hollywood dreams Acro and ran across this deal last night.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

I started buying some higher end frags because I love the color and want the challenge of trying something new. Keeps the hobby interesting.

I justify buying pricier frags to my wife by saying I can sell frags for more than cheaper coral and they will pay for themselves and more eventually. I actually started getting into fragging early this year as a way to get new exciting coral. I find I really enjoy seeing how happy other reefers are to get large pieces of coral from me at low prices and helps me meet some local reefers. It's really made me feel more connected with the reefing community and brings me alot of joy to share my coral with others. I purposely sell frags for below market, and understate the size because I know how excited I get when I get a nice piece of new coral and I want other hobbyists to feel the same. I traded a few coral with a local hobbyist recently and can't stop staring at my tank now that there's something new. Reminds me of how I felt when I first got into the hobby and would stare at my live rock and would be in awe of the tiny life it had.

 

[JOKER]

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

I as well only buy frags. Have a few nice sized colonies.

 

[Jacked Reefer]

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

Thanks! I'll be sure to let everyone know when i get frags. I have a couple cookin' rn. But i'm in the processes of a tank transfer so its gonna be a while.

 

[rmiles54]

After 10+ years in the hobby price has definitely become a factor seemingly only based on the corals appearance. More color the coral has the more money they ask. Also species specific trendy, like shrooms, zoas, And Favia. Maybe it is somewhat status symbol? Personally, on a budget with a packed tank. I now try and find the best deal while selecting good colorful pieces.

I would love to see some available frags that all of you have at half the price! I haven’t sold any coral, I’m kind of a hoarder. I have fragged a bunch and now have multiple colonies.

Great conversation!

 

[ShaggyRS6]

I actually got a few frags. To be honest I dont really like them, especially in a new sparse tank. They look really odd. I then bought a smaller colony, more expensive yes, but looks so much better in a new tank. So to answer your question, I buy expensive corals because that's what is cost to get something bigger!

 

[PlasmaBoy]

If you think corals are expensive now, a coral ban will push things sky high !

 

[Metcho]

because I budget accordingly :

Lol laughed my a** off!!!

 

[ss30]

Depends on what you call expensive, most I've spent is about $150 on a Torch (wall type).
If you can afford it is it expensive?

 

[Jon Fishman]

Because Mommy and Daddy didn’t love me enough.....

I don't really look at prices when buying corals, just get what I like. Unfortunately I tend to pick out the most expensive pieces all the time. Story of my life.

Yep..... I don’t look at prices, I look at coral! I asked the guy “ooh how much?!” and pointed at the Jason Fox Real Time Rainbow Chalice frag the size of a finger-nail, and was told $400......... I went back to it 5 times at least, but just can’t justify that, no matter how pretty it is.

 

[c2l2parker]

because I budget accordingly :

Love this. Best laugh in a while.

 

[c2l2parker]

I often ask myself this question. When I first got in the hobby, I bought a rock with mgsp’s. Why? I thought it was attractive, different, and inexpensive. Years later I look in my tank and view it as a “weed”. Yet when the Plummer comes over to fix my sink, he glances in my tank, and what does he comment on...yep the mgsp rock. He doesn’t notice any of the 50 other more expensive corals.
Then a few weeks ago I am in the Lfs with a friend, and he and the store employee get all worked up over two hydnophoras that had just arrived. They weren’t really expensive, but certainly more than my mgsp. My friend buys one. and I buy the other. Now after settling in a while, I look in my tank and think to myself that the hydnophora looks basically the same as my mgsp’s, only it has a little purple mixed in with the green. So why did we all get so excited about it?

 

[305Reefer]

I buy expensive corals for several reasons. The first being general experience. After having tanks for a certain amount of time and building up dozens of systems over the years it starts getting kinda boring to have the same old "affordable" corals. You start desiring the more rare, colorful, or unique corals.

The second and more important reason, is that growing expensive corals helps make the cost of a reef tank virtually vanish. When I get real busy selling my frags I can make $3-5k/mo selling corals. If I had cheap corals and did the same I would have to send many more boxes, spend more on plugs, more time fragging, more time bagging, more expensive fedex bills, etc... When its a single polyp or 1/2" frag that costs $500, it makes taking the time to sell and ship it more valuable. I have 7 tanks in 4 systems and I probably spend over $500/month in salt, additives, food, etc... It truly makes reefing more enjoyable when you are not spending money on it.

The last reason it related to the first. Trading. Once you have an established growing collection of hot corals, its very easy to get people to trade with you. And after a while you can substantially lower the price of the coral for friends and family. JF Homewrecker is a great example. I bought a tiny frag when it was like $800.. But since then Ive grown a colony and Ive probably sold off 15-20 frags at 300-600/each.. its more than paid for itself and also been used as trade fodder to get other really nice corals from other hobbyists.

 

[spiraling]

I wished I lived near all of you who sell your expensive frags for a discount

I used to really want all the expensive corals. I drooled over all the "coral ****" on the internet with the beautiful colors. Then I realized two things.
1 - I would probably kill it (I wen through a bad time with my tank killing things)
2 - the colors in my tank aren't that great, so the expensive one won't look like the photo after a few months. Yeah I'm working on good colors, but {insert excuse here}

Now I'm happy with fast growing easy stuff. frogspawn, torts, millies, zoas all look incredible. Maybe one day I'll pop for some unusual stuff for the colors, but looking at it won't make me any happier than looking at what I currently have.

 

[lynn.reef.nerd]

I get corals that look good to me. If it is expensive and I can afford it, I will buy it. If I cannot but still want it, I'll save up. It is an addiction not a status symbol or investment. Getting something beautiful for myself and to show others is an endorphins for me. Weekly or monthly dose of frags are my zoloft/cocaine/whatever drug you prefer.

 

[bonarjoseph]

I personally buy hardy high end coral because when it grows you feel accomplished and you can trade it for other pieces and essentially lower the price

 

[Wesley Clarillos]

I started buying some higher end frags because I love the color and want the challenge of trying something new. Keeps the hobby interesting.

I justify buying pricier frags to my wife by saying I can sell frags for more than cheaper coral and they will pay for themselves and more eventually. I actually started getting into fragging early this year as a way to get new exciting coral. I find I really enjoy seeing how happy other reefers are to get large pieces of coral from me at low prices and helps me meet some local reefers. It's really made me feel more connected with the reefing community and brings me alot of joy to share my coral with others. I purposely sell frags for below market, and understate the size because I know how excited I get when I get a nice piece of new coral and I want other hobbyists to feel the same. I traded a few coral with a local hobbyist recently and can't stop staring at my tank now that there's something new. Reminds me of how I felt when I first got into the hobby and would stare at my live rock and would be in awe of the tiny life it had.

This made my day reading this. What a cool dude in the reefing community. You rock.