Yet another discussion... is naming corals making the hobby less desirable?

Are Coral Names Getting In The Way Of You Enjoying The Hobby?

  • Yes

    Votes: 114 54.0%
  • No

    Votes: 97 46.0%

  • Total voters
    211
  • Poll closed .

Zachbud

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I just got 20 sps frag pack from aquasd today.
all came as sticks which I was really hoping for. A trachy was ordered and they gave me a free green blasto.

nothing in frag pack was labeled.Most a mystery some obvious. I’m extremely happy but would like to kinda know what they value to others:/ hard with a name to share
 

DHill6

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Coming from the other end of the spectrum, I have a small tank and I’m being very picky. I have limited space and I want to know what a specific coral is going to grow into. Yes, I buy the high Enders, I know bad wording to use. I downsized and decided I wanted a sunset in a box of water.
 

JLynn

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I don’t care about coral names. I find the trendiness of them annoying. BUT! They are the only way we currently have of tracking any kind of provenance for aquacultured corals, and I can’t think of any more practical method to do that. For that alone, I support the continuance of naming strains. For example, for my first acro, I want a Bali Green Slimer, because they are big, colorful, and have a very long track record of success in this hobby. If Bali Green Slimer weren’t a common, recognized strain of aquacultured coral, I could never really know if I had the coral I was looking for.
 

Bouldereefer

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Names are BS and for bragging, arrogance, and to jack up prices. I drive a Lamborghini, a Ferrari, a Porsche, a Mustang , a truck. They are all cars. I own two of the previous mentioned and my favorite is my rusty 15 year old truck.
Buy because you love it not because it has a designer label. Let’s face it, put two corals side by side and they look the same however one is 3X more because it has a name.
If you enjoy stuffing the pockets of the named coral sellers then it’s your choice. Me, I’ll stick with what makes me happy.
 

Jordan Prather

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@PerplexyHexy I dont play the name game I think it's stupid. Just dont stress out over it. Take for instance my mom the other day fell in love with these rodactus mushrooms. She has a discosoma that has been spitting out babies like crazy so I showed the guy a picture of them and a picture I found online. And told him they look identical but I have no name or lineage. He liked the ones we had and we liked the ones he had. We mutually agreed it was a good deal and everyone was happy. Just be honest up front and I think you'll see how happy everyone is when they get their corals. Sure you might encounter a snob that has to have a name or wants to out of their way to just say that's not right but in my experience that's only about 1% everyone else is just happy to have something new and cool to look at in their tank. You'll also realize the exact same piece may have 20 different names so to the people that like to keep track good luck keeping up lol
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Screenshot_20191018-103717_Facebook.jpg
 

Eric R.

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If you don't know the name, trade it with pics as is but without a name. Esp. helpful if you can show the piece the frag is from to show what it should grow into. If it's a nice piece, someone will like it and want it, regardless of if you know the right name.
 
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PerplexyHexy

PerplexyHexy

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@PerplexyHexy I dont play the name game I think it's stupid. Just dont stress out over it. Take for instance my mom the other day fell in love with these rodactus mushrooms. She has a discosoma that has been spitting out babies like crazy so I showed the guy a picture of them and a picture I found online. And told him they look identical but I have no name or lineage. He liked the ones we had and we liked the ones he had. We mutually agreed it was a good deal and everyone was happy. Just be honest up front and I think you'll see how happy everyone is when they get their corals. Sure you might encounter a snob that has to have a name or wants to out of their way to just say that's not right but in my experience that's only about 1% everyone else is just happy to have something new and cool to look at in their tank. You'll also realize the exact same piece may have 20 different names so to the people that like to keep track good luck keeping up lol
20200118_151727.jpg
Screenshot_20190825-141820_Samsung Internet.jpg
Screenshot_20191018-103717_Facebook.jpg
Thanks for the response... I like seeing everyone’s unique responses. Gives a broader aspect of what people are looking for when coral collecting, but your personal comment means alot... thanks holmes!!!
 
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PerplexyHexy

PerplexyHexy

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If you don't know the name, trade it with pics as is but without a name. Esp. helpful if you can show the piece the frag is from to show what it should grow into. If it's a nice piece, someone will like it and want it, regardless of if you know the right name.
Totally what Im thinking... Nice, honest and exchange made between both hobbyists is legit... no regrets...
 
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PerplexyHexy

PerplexyHexy

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At the end of the day, I buy the things I like the look of regardless of name and only buy when I think it’s worth the price. I think at the end of the day it’s subjective.

I say make up your own names and charge what you want. :)
Yes!!!
 

Jordan Prather

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Thanks for the response... I like seeing everyone’s unique responses. Gives a broader aspect of what people are looking for when coral collecting, but your personal comment means alot... thanks holmes!!!
No problem. I think the name game is just all about money. People wanting money and people wanting to prove they have money. There are some out there that the name means something. Years of proven success in the hobby. Now adays before a piece even gets off the boat it has a name that's what I dont agree with. At the end of the day though this is a hobby for me judging by the prices of the pieces I posted my mom might have got the short end of the stick but you wouldnt know it by how excited she was for her new babies to go into the tank.
 

freshy&salty

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Its like weed is here in Washington. The names are whatever stupid thing the grower thought was clever on harvest day. But in actuality, indica, sativa, and hybrids are all youre choosing. Same with corals IMO. A shrooms a shroom, zoas a zoa, palys a paly, etc etc. You can call it a "flibbity dibbity shroom" and the only part that really matters is the shroom part, so you know what kind of care it requires.
I think "cosmic sky" whatever coral just ends up easier to use to describe then say " blackish with white spots that fade gently into blue edges" whatever coral.
At the end of the day, if you like it is all that matters.
 

USMA36

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I buy what looks nice (sale lighting is a whole other debate) sometimes they have crazy wwc or JF names and sometimes they're unknowns I pick up at club meetings and off Craig's list. One of my favorite Acros is also my fastest growing I got a 4" colony for 30.00 on Craig's list. In the end I forget the names in about a day and a half so I buy what'll make me happy.
 

Reefer40b

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I like names. It helps me with identifying pieces and I like having different identifiers for different types/colors of the same species of coral (a. Millepora for example comes in a plethora of variations). It does frustrate me when people name things as something bc they think it looks similar to this or that but know that it did not descend from that piece. The argument of "it all comes from the ocean" seems very odd to me since it seems to be an attempt to deny the uniqueness of different pieces. I'm someone who actually does care whether or not the piece I've got actually is what I'm calling it.
I agree with this, and being an owner having names helps keep things organized. If it looks similar but you don't know where you got it, its just another piece of coral. People want what they are paying for to be true, if its not then be honest and don't call it what its not.
 

Spiffy

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This is like the baseball card craze in the 90's. I'm waiting for a Becket like magazine or website to start tracking the prices of each piece to try and legitimize the prices. By the way, that market crashed...and so will this one. People who don't understand value, buy these corals at ridiculous prices and thus set the current market. The market is obviously set by supply and demand. Right now some, not so bright buyers, are willing to act as if there is no supply...wrong. If you read on this forum what people have in their tanks, it's obvious that there is plenty of supply and people are starting to all have the same things in there tank. Translation, demand will wain.

Oh, BTW, baseball cards don't die. Paying $200 + for a frag, that can die is nuts. Besides, I'd say 50% of these corals change color in the owners tank because of the infinitely broad set of parameters that can and do exist...so what's the point.

Final word...save your money!
 

Pioneer

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Naming corals is dumb and just a way to help jack up the price. When you are buying a 1/2 to 3/4 frag of something for $150 to xxxx's of dollars and the dam thing can change color on you it's time to rethink what's going on in the hobby. I will be on the side lines for now. It's to bad really. Basement remodel is happening and my 700 gal is being built.
 

S2G

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Yes definitely. The made up names, doctored pics, sky high prices, & little tiny need a magnifying glass frags. If that's what you want then by all means, but I refuse to participate out of principle.

It's hard to get connected with locals as well due to this. What goes up must come down though.
 

RalphTech

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I'm still trying to remember SPS vs LPS.
BTW- when on biz trips to other states I seek LFS and buy mushrooms. They grow but don't spawn.
 

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