You have a monster named coral...and have no room...what do you do?

[octoberfest]

So I have a monster named coral and I dont have the room for it. I recently downsized my tank and can't realistically keep it in there and expect it to be OK.

The downside is that I doubt anyone will pay what it's worth....and I can't bring myself to cut it up.

So in that case what would you do? I know it may sound like a dumb question.

 

[Darren]

Keep a small frag and trade the large piece for several smaller "named" corals...

 

[akabryanhall]

The decision, as I see it is pretty simple. Try to sell it for what it's worth, if that fails you have to cut it up. You could try to trade it I suppose, but you should try to find someone who apprecates what you have. Trade it for a smaller, newer piece.
What is the coral?

 

[FaviaFreak]

we need pics in order to truly give you the right advice ;-)

 

[mainereefer]

I have donated corals to the lfs display tank, that way if I ever want it again you can get it or atleast a peice of it

 

[MattL22]

What is it?

 

[cdness]

You can send it to me for safe keeping. If you ever want it back, just give me a call and I will give it back to you, less a good sized frag for myself. I am assuming you may have people closer to you who could do the same but I figured I'd offer. I have a couple corals in my tank that are under that type of system. I have also given a few away that if I ever need them or a frag of them back I can easily get it.

Otherwise, as stated, try to sell it online as a whole piece. If it doesn't sell (and if it is a high priced named it probably won't), cut it into "man sized" frags and sell them that way. You will end up making more money selling it as frags than the colony as it is easier for someone to dig up $100 rather than $1000 for a coral. In the end this will help you, the person buying, and the coral itself. You will make more money. The buyer will spend less money. The coral will be in more places than just one so it increases the chances that coral will continue to thrive in the aquarium trade. Everyone's a winner!

If you decide to frag it let me know what it is and I may be interested.

 

[rocko918]

Funny, i have the same issue. I have a Tyree $500 efflo that is 13 inches wide and 10 inches deep. It casts a huge shadow and anything under it has died. I struggle with cutting the rim back and selling the frags or just taking it out and getting a lot of space. I dont know what someone would pay for it, but i know i paid 50 bucks for a frag the size of my finger nail.

 

[octoberfest]

the coral is a Tyree fist full o' dollahs chalice. I'm the original owner of it and have a mother colony the size of a dinner plate and a second one not too much smaller. Dragged up the retail value would be in the thousands....but I don't want to drag it up into nothing.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[Ian]

don't get me wrong, it's a nice looking coral but I'd be surprised if you could sell a few thousand dollars worth of frags of that particular chalice. Even a grand worth of frags would surprise me.

If you have that much of it just keep a frag to start over and either sell the colony to someone with a large display tank, donate it to a public aquarium or trade it for credit at a LFS or online vendor.

 

[reeftank21]

I have the same problem with a couple chalice. Hate to cut it up and can't see someone paying what its worth. What a drag.

 

[octoberfest]

don't get me wrong, it's a nice looking coral but I'd be surprised if you could sell a few thousand dollars worth of frags of that particular chalice. Even a grand worth of frags would surprise me.

If you have that much of it just keep a frag to start over and either sell the colony to someone with a large display tank, donate it to a public aquarium or trade it for credit at a LFS or online vendor.

Yeah I dont' mean I could get that much for it I'm just saying if you tried to put a retail value on it it would come out like that.

 

[octoberfest]

This is a bad picture of one of them, I took it with my cell phone last year. I put the egg crate square on it for a size reference. It's grown quite a bit since this photo was taken. The second picture is better pic to show the colors.

Also, let me make it clear I'm not trying to sell this thing right now on here I'm just trying to get an idea of what to do when the time comes.

 

[Acropora52]

Frag it into 4 big pieces, keep 1, give 1 to a good friend, and sell/trade 2. While you won't get the "value" of the piece in dollars, I always thought the point of this hobby was to enjoy the corals/fish and try to grow things and spread them around. That's just me.

 

[bushh23]

Frag it into 4 big pieces, keep 1, give 1 to a good friend, and sell/trade 2. While you won't get the "value" of the piece in dollars, I always thought the point of this hobby was to enjoy the corals/fish and try to grow things and spread them around. That's just me.

I agree. That is a super nice piece and cutting it into 30 little ones would just flood the market with it anyway. I would at least make it into 4 and watch it grow all over again. That way you can make some money and still share it with the rest of the hobby. Very nice looking piece though!! It would be a shame to let it waste away

 

[fsu1dolfan]

Beautiful looking piece....i only wish i had this "problem" LOL. Whatever you decide make sure you atleast keep a piece!

 

[CJO]

Where in NC are you? I know several people in the Charlotte area that could use a colony like that.

CJ

 

[octoberfest]

I honestly think I'd shed a tear to cut this thing into four pieces..hahaha. Also, keep in mind I have two colonies this size, all started from a large frag years ago.

 

[Troylee]

This is what's gonna happen regardless IMHO... If you found a buyer to pay big dollars for the colony they will chop it all up and sell it to recover the cost.. Just the way it is...

 

[Ian]

This is a bad picture of one of them, I took it with my cell phone last year. I put the egg crate square on it for a size reference. It's grown quite a bit since this photo was taken. The second picture is better pic to show the colors.

what a great colony! Congrats on growing that monster!

Frag it into 4 big pieces, keep 1, give 1 to a good friend, and sell/trade 2. While you won't get the "value" of the piece in dollars, I always thought the point of this hobby was to enjoy the corals/fish and try to grow things and spread them around. That's just me.

I agree....