Red hornets and why they're not rare part 2

[organism]

Those are rastas, and very nice ones at that

 

They're also one of the "rare" species that come in much more often than people think. Those are some of my favs though, the color combo on them is really unique.

[Tinytank]

Those are rastas, and very nice ones at that

 

They're also one of the "rare" species that come in much more often than people think. Those are some of my favs though, the color combo on them is really unique.

 

 

Organism which picture were you referring to as Rastas?

[schgr.cube]

So what happens if these color up like ####? Just wondering, not trying to start a problem...

[juniormmm]

Organism which picture were you referring to as Rastas?

yours

[nibor]

So what happens if these color up like ####? Just wondering, not trying to start a problem...

 

Nothing.

 

We all know that trade names make no difference to the wild populations of any coral. The collectors will still have no interest because they aren't the "real Red Hornets" and don't have the lineage to give them any value to other collectors. The normal hobbiests will be happy to know that dull zoas can be coloured up under the right lighting and could be the same to them as "real Red Hornets". And the people on both sides of the argument who are totally inflamed by any of this and royally screwed up the last thread should still go out and try to find a regular sex life so that this doesn't seam so important.

 

Nice tank by the way

 

EDIT Oops, misread your post. Never mind.

[organism]

So what happens if these color up like ####? Just wondering, not trying to start a problem...

 

Then I'd be the first one to say oops, my bad. But then again I purposely picked the most browned out rock I could find for a reason

 

These come in pretty colored up too but it's rarer to see them that way, I just didn't wanna mess with those since they sell in less than 12 hours. These used to sit for months since they're really not a great looking zoanthid until they get bombed by t5's, but that was before they got a fancy name and people started paying $100 a polyp for them.

 

I could do an entire thread on the actually nice zoanthids we get in and it would blow you guys away, but I'd have to get the owner's ok before doing that one... My guess is that his answer would be "get back to work", lol.

 

The collectors will still have no interest because they aren't the "real Red Hornets" and don't have the lineage to give them any value to other collectors. The normal hobbiests will be happy to know that dull zoas can be coloured up under the right lighting and could be the same to them as "real Red Hornets".

 

Exactly, the people that care about lineage will still buy them, the ones that don't will get the same ones for cheaper but with no lineage and no photoshop. I don't mind either one, as long as each group lets the other one do its own thing.

[schgr.cube]

Yeah I am really curious as to how this will turn out as well. I was just wondering what everyone would say if they were at their peak and all points were made moot.

 

I sincerely doubt this will be the case, but it is always a possibility.

 

And organism, I don't believe you that you get in zoas that are amazing, but you could always prove me wrong with a frag pack... *ahem*

[violinist]

I'm not sure where you stand on the T5 thing, nor do you 'know' me I suppose. But I have t5's and plenty of zoas that grow like mad under them and would be willing to help with your experiment. If you want the zoas back, you pay shipping both ways. If I get to keep them, I will pay for shipping. I'm by Chicago. If I pay for shipping then overnight is fine.

[Nemo Niblets]

Reef politics! <3

[sublunary]

Hmm those browned out zoas look an awful lot like some I have.

 

 

And here I was the other day saying how much I liked their colors. I wonder what they're going to look like once I finally get my LED retro. I don't care about trade names, but if organism's theory is right, that might be one hell of a transformation. I'm really looking forward to seeing how all of these turn out!

[organism]

And organism, I don't believe you that you get in zoas that are amazing, but you could always prove me wrong with a frag pack... *ahem*

 

I work at a wholesaler, so no can do. You get an A for effort though

 

Hmm those browned out zoas look an awful lot like some I have.

 

It's really hard to tell, there's a lot of zoanthids that look very similar and either don't have the colored up skirts or don't have the bluer centers. If I saw them in person I could tell you, but who knows, maybe you'll get some LED's and they'll turn out badass!

[organism]

mmk, so here's a little update. I was messing around with the photo editing software that's on my ubuntu thingy, and with just a tiny bit of saturation this is what came out. Much darker centers and...

 

alternating skirts

 

 

The reason these types of zoanthids get alternating skirts is because they tuck every other skirt underneath the polyp under bluer light, which is why in the first comparison pic of the true red hornets that I posted the skirts don't alternate, and in the later one they do. Like red hornets, alternating skirts are really not that rare either, it's more a factor of lighting and genetics.

 

In case you're keeping track, that's

 

red hornets aren't rare = 1

 

red hornets are rare = 0

 

And this is with no additional coloring up and under awful lighting. Let's see these under some t5's

[jjjo]

Im only going to say a few words. sorry if this sounds harsh

 

I've owned both blue hornets, and purple hornets... and THEY ARE STUPID.

 

I'm not even going to waste time imagining how lame red ones are.

 

Go collect some ultra palys instead.

[v850aq]

if we can keep it free of personal attacks this time that would be awesome

 

...

 

and let me commend you for letting your need to rip people off push you into living in denial.

 

 

ill admit, i LOL'd at the irony

 

 

Anyways, dont get me wrong, i agree with you in saying red hornets arent that rare. I dont necessarily agree with the market price for them either, I dislike the concept of designer corals as much as the next person who doesnt have $300 to drop on a single polyp, and i would certainly never dream of paying that much for a coral that spreads like wildfire... but thats not to say that Im going to get mad at someone for selling them at such high prices if there are people willing to buy them...especially if theyre aquacultured and not wild (simply for the environmental factor). Rareness doesnt always factor into price, look at diamonds: theyre one of the more common gems on this planet, and they can even be synthetically produced, yet people will still pay an arm and a leg for them. Its cause Debeers or some such company owns the vast majority of the available stock and they let them out at a slow trickle. Red hornets, or whatever the new "in coral" is, are no different. Their price will remain high as long as someone finds them rare or pretty enough to pay for them, or until the market is flooded (as it was with acans, and as it will be with chalice, and eventually hornets).

[Daleo]

neanderthalman LOL

[organism]

I dislike the concept of designer corals as much as the next person who doesnt have $300 to drop on a single polyp, and i would certainly never dream of paying that much for a coral that spreads like wildfire... but thats not to say that Im going to get mad at someone for selling them at such high prices if there are people willing to buy them...

 

I totally agree with that, but what I can't get behind is misrepresenting rarity to make a quick buck. The vendors for these know the emperor's got no clothes, I've even gotten pm's telling me that they'll make sure to ban me on any other forum that I post this thread on. Why would vendors that know red hornets are rare need to threaten people? I imagine rare zoanthids would be so hard to replicate that it's not even worth the energy to threaten people over it.

 

This isn't about supply and demand, it's about spray painting a volvo, putting a mercedes sticker on it and selling it for $90k. I don't care if you pay $90k for a volvo, especially if you like knowing that it came from that dealership, that's awesome, I just want you to be aware that you're actually buying a cheap volvo.

[Euphyllia]

I was at my LFS today picking up a $50 6" RBTA with a purple foot and purple tips, and I asked if they ever got purple hornets in stock. They said the do get them in every one in a while, so I asked how much. He said "8 or 9 per frag". I replied "HUNDRED?!" And he look at me like I was crazy. He was like "dollars...". I was amazed, but I don't get around to that place often since it is in the city. I think the idea of designer corals is stupid, but I really like the looks of the PH and I think that looks are what matters, not the name on the inside.

[v850aq]

I don't care if you pay $90k for a volvo, especially if you like knowing that it came from that dealership, that's awesome, I just want you to be aware that you're actually buying a cheap volvo.

 

I drive a cheap volvo

 

Lol, great analogy... my point isnt that Im ok with people being swindled into buying a cheap volvo with a Mercedes price tag, far from it. Im just saying that the people who do that are generally ok with it to begin with, and will probably end up putting retarded spinners on it too I have no doubt that if you placed this thread on other forums, regardless of the ban threats (which is hilarious ), the hornet zoanthids would continue to have the same level of popularity they do now. Not to say your point wouldnt be valid... its just that people are dumb

[FriendlyStranger]

I've even gotten pm's telling me that they'll make sure to ban me on any other forum that I post this thread on.

 

I can't believe some people are getting so hostile over nature. But I guess since money (and big egos) are involved it kinda makes sense.

 

Nice thread btw! Can't wait to see those zoas in a few weeks!

[Urchinhead]

Hey brother. I am hopeful that I am on your list of trusted and known.

 

I have the ATI Powermodule 6 bulb T5's and would be happy to help out if you need it but with the caveat that I am still having that mysterious SPS and Softie growth/coloring up well with LPS failing problem.[1]

 

Alternately I have a couple of 24" 4 bulb TEK's with a good light spectrum you are welcome to borrow as well as a 24" frag system if you want...

 

UH

 

[1] All of my SPS save for one mili colony are coloring up like nobody's business as well as growing like they are on steriods as are my zoa's and paly's. This is completely counter intuitive to me in that I would think SPS good color growth would mean poor zoa/paly growth and vice versa. The only X factor is that I got a snot load of CaSO4-2(H2O) particles (gypsum aka drywall dust) dumped into my tank by accident. So I am thinking about selling Urchinhead's super secret ninja G brand SPS and softie Coral color and growth formula. Only $60 a 50 mg bottle!

[organism]

lol, you're also on my list of people that I'm hopeful to get supplies I borrowed back to them, like that mag 5 I borrowed for three weeks like 9 months ago. But for sure, if you want a frag (and your pump back) that would be awesome since you've got ocd tank skills Just keep me posted on when you'd like to meet up.

 

No worries on the lights or the frag system but thanks very much for the offer, we've actually got two 48" 8 bulb tek 5 fixtures coming in soon for the farm I'm putting together in the back warehouse. I figure we might as well color up zoanthids under t5's and sell them for stores to retail at like $10-20 a frag. Starting with these.

 

Don't forget to patent your drywall mix before mark weiss picks it up

[Urchinhead]

HAHAHHAHA! Yeah! I better jump on that! Quick! Or it will be Marc Weiss Next Generation All Natural All Organic Coral Color Grow G Formula brought to you by Marc Weiss companies! Guaranteed to have no less than 60% pure organic Gypsum dust by volume!

 

Cheers mate. Don't worry about the returns. Its not big deal.

 

I need to make a donut run from Uncle Joe's for you, your girl, and my other addicts er ah I mean customers! No! Wait! I mean friends! anyway so as to keep you guys addicted. But... Ugh. Not until week after next at the earliest. This week and the next is dedicated to finishing the detailed architectural plans on the house addition and remodel. What a mess.

 

Yeah

[organism]

No worries, just keep me posted and thanks again for the offer! Also I'm on a gluten free diet now since apparently that was giving me a ton of issues like, for instance, feeling exhausted for literally the last decade and massive knee pain that's stopped me from training for the last 6 months, so donuts = no es bueno for me

 

On the other hand I'm awake for the first time in a decade, so hooray on that one

[Billdemart]

Im only going to say a few words. sorry if this sounds harsh

 

I've owned both blue hornets, and purple hornets... and THEY ARE STUPID.

 

I'm not even going to waste time imagining how lame red ones are.

 

Go collect some ultra palys instead.

 

How can Zoas be stupid? That makes zero sense.

 

QUOTE (organism @ Apr 7 2010, 10:05 PM)

I've even gotten pm's telling me that they'll make sure to ban me on any other forum that I post this thread on.

 

What??? Who? Which forums?

[johnnymu]

How can Zoas be stupid? That makes zero sense.

 

Cause Ultra palys are smarter duh!!