zoa rant.

[er1c_the_reefer]

drez, now you're catching on. but there are cases where you'll be waiting a while to get certain corals. echinos, for example, you'll be waiting for a long time, cause they grow like molasses.

 

also...

 

...there are cases where someone with a certain coral frags it and distributes it to 12 people, and for some reason, they all crash at once a year later even though they're in seperate tanks and only one person managed to save a frag. supply goes down, demand same = price increases.

 

...if person propagates a certain morph. because he gets a chance to frag it, it crashes, either the tank or the coral. this happens to me all the time with armageddons. supply drops, demand same = price increases.

 

...as new people come into the hobby and demand the same coral. supply same, demand increase = price increases.

 

...what's actually gonna happen is the lfs's are gonna catch on to whats popular. then the wholesalers, who then ask the transhippers. then a lot of that coral will be imported and supply goes up, demand goes down = price will drop.

 

...just because demand for a certain coral goes up because transhippers are getting requests for "blue zoas" doesn't mean you'll find the right morph. supply same, demand same = price same.

 

thats why certain corals, like japanese acans, are still fetching high prices, albeit not as before, they're still higher priced that indo acans because japan has a low quota.

[formerly icyuodd/icyoud2]

Wow, this thread is absolutely unbelievable......

 

You see, the part about this reefing community (specifically the NANO reefing community) that drew me in from the beginning was obviously the amazing creatures that I personally could keep on my desk. There was nothing better in the world than being able to come into my room, see that blue glow of my lights, and plop down to watch the hermit crab rumble over the live rock, see the 6-line swim through his maze of holes I didnt know existed, and to see the actual beauty of some corals living in my tank. I would sit there for hours, just observing a complex niche in its most simplest form.

 

As I became sucked into this hobby, like most other people around here have, I found out the ACTUAL best part about our little community.... The friendship and generosity that is understood by complete strangers. I could type a question about anything online here and not worry about the repercussions or getting, gasp, "flamed". I could sit in my lowly house in Idaho (yes, Idaho) and type to people in California, Florida, and even, dare I say, Cleveland and they would respond back with enthusiasm and an actual caring. I loved that fact, and honestly, it's probably the main reason I am still in this hobby (as a college student, it really isnt financially smart for me to stay in it, but I just cant get away from it).

 

Over the course of the last few months though, I have started to drift away from this NANO community, if only for the mere fact of this entire argument that resides within this thread. This little community, which has boomed even more since I have joined it, is so focused on money and "rare" corals, its really quite sick. Now, dont get me wrong, I see nothing improper with buying a coral you think is stunning, but its the fact that we are driving up prices to the point that you CANNOT buy anything without paying the premium price that frustrates me.

 

Yes, I have a reason to be like this, as my monthly income is probably the fraction of most of yours, but to be honest, when I was a kid my mother taught me the same thing all of your mothers taught you..... Sharing is caring. Now im not saying that you have to give corals away for free, but be fair! If we all sold corals for the same price, regardless of their "lineage" or "rarity", we would all be happy! People could easily attain what they desired, at a reasonable price even! Think about it....... if we all shared, perhaps even sacrificed a little of our precious colonies, there would be a widespread ability to attain the corals that really really speak out to you as a person. It would be amazing.... the people that really liked Blue SPS could find it easily, and for the people that really loved the pink soft corals, well luck would shine on them as well.

 

By driving up the prices and using our "rights as an American society to sell whatever we want for whatever we want", we are tearing apart this amazing community at the seams. It creates a division between those that have superfluous funds and those who scrape by.

 

The bottom line is..... I love this community very much. All of you are great people, and even though I have never seen ANY of you face to face (because I live in Idaho/ Washington) I still consider you friends......... er, as much as someone can be a friend when they only relate together on an online forum dedicated to taking care of creatures not normally taken care of I just wish that we could, for once, forget about our personal gain and self centered attitude, and go back to the way it was..... when sharing some amazing corals with a fellow reefer was worth the sight in their eyes when you handed them that dripping plastic back with a piece of rock and a strange organism on, now those were the days.

 

Keep sharing, Keep this hobby the way it was........

 

 

the thread was started in fun. its a debate, discussion, not an argument. theres no name calling, not out to hurt anybodies feelings, just trying to save everybody a few $$$$$$

 

it really doesnt matter to me one way or the other. i personally wont buy expensive zoa's with designer names. at the same time, i have a lot of designer zoa's in my aquarium (purchased as zoa's)

 

 

what i'm getting at is this. up here in canada, there's not a big zoa's craze and the prices are cheap.

 

online, its an entirely different story. designer names, designer prices.

 

i've never walked into any of my lfs to find a sign that says "eagle eye zoa's" (or any other name) and i've never seen any of my lfs sell zoa's for more than $10 a frag-10/ $60 for 50-100.

 

if there the same zoa's coming from the same north american distributors why are the prices so much different. its not like i live close to the ocean.

 

you are your own worst enemy when it come to zoa prices. thats all i'm saying.

[Jackopus]

Vinney the strong arm of the ZBM is looking for Youz all....

[SeeDemTails]

Till then I'll buy something less popular but equally nice IMO.

 

BWahaha!!! ....you dont think I am buying up cool stuff too when I see it reguardless of if it has some flashy name? I have zoas in my tank that are super cool and I have had for years that still have no name, and I dont care if they do. But I still like my named zoas as well.

 

The fact is that corals are becomeing more popular, and soon governments will restrict collection even more, IE in Florida, and that will rise the price of corals even more than some stupid name. The future is in aquaculture and exotic colorful corals will become even more expensive.

 

So, till then I will be adding to my collection, and you wont be buying any of it, because it wont be for sale.

[dshnarw]

Posted this on a red wines thread in the classifieds, but it deserves a spot in this thread too:

 

"Red Wines"

 

Enjoy!

[kkyyllee]

"O MY!! What a fantastic coloristic living piece of art. Beautiful megenta, roseate, maroon and ruby wine that comes together like no other. Unquestionably the most beautiful Palythoa on the market today."

 

that makes me sick .there RED wow amzing.