Are these prices serious? Who buys this stuff?

[smartwater101]

The current coral/pricing selection honestly makes me sad for the industry. 10-12 years ago was the absolute peak of coral value. The $900 trachy in the first post would've been $60-80. The $480 would've been like $110 because of the yellow/orange splotches. Neon green torches? $15/head

yeah its absurd. ReefBuilkders has a video of Reefaplooza and there were some pink/green zoas priced in the thousands! (12 minutes into the vid)


I had zoas that looked exactly like this about 7-10 years ago. I purchased a big rock of them for like 60-70$, and even that felt silly for zoas. Fastest growing coral I've ever had so I can't image they're really that rare.

A year or two ago I stopped by Vivid and saw a purple gorgonian that I liked... They wanted 900$ for it! Went a little further south to Marks Tropical and bought the exact same thing (only slightly smaller) for like 50 bucks.

I miss the time where simple things like Elkhorn Montis, Blue Slimmers, and Purple Caps were easier to find and reasonably priced. :/

 

[MnFish1]

10 years ago you could also buy huge colonies for $40 and sometimes even less. Even if the ban is lifted those days aren’t coming back.

If the ban is not lifted and new sources of export like Solomon Islands and Malaysia don’t open up and meet supply the prices originally posted in this thread will become the norm.

WWC is name brand so a lot of stuff there will always be more that is what this thread was originally about.

Aquaculture is also always going to be more. Everyone talks about how great aquaculture is and I’m not saying it’s not I would love to have a coral farm myself one day but it too is more resource dependant and costly then importing then even last years Indo pricing.

The bread and butter corals that used to come from Indo and a lesser extent Fiji now have to come from Australia, as already mentioned freight is always going to be more from there. Additionally they are a rich country where no one is going diving with compressors for pennies an hour. Over the years Indo corals got more expensive likely a combination of stores realizing they can charge more but also the suppliers realizing how much more they are being resold for.

The fact that the band just happened and there was no notice also really hurts. Even me as a hobbyist would have bought a ton more coral if I had known this was it. Same goes for places that sold pieces they could have since farmed.

Things are never going back and I suspect pricing will continue to rise, by how much depends almost entirely on supply. If they open up mariculture which can be done much cheaper then aquaculture there is likely more hope for some stabilization.

Well the Indonesia ban is lifted. So there's that.

I was buying coral 10 years ago - and at LFS - I didn't seem that many "Huge colonies" for 40 or even 100$. Given the fact that since 1989 something that cost $40 now costs $90 - and in 1999 something that cost 40 now costs nearly 70 - (and this is the AVERAGE). You're right its probably not coming back -

EDITED - Ban is not lifted - but I read a document saying its close - Now every link says' server not available' lol;. dont know why.

 

[Livinlocal]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I have read, the ban has only been lifted on Rock exportation. Have they lifted the ban on live Coral?

Well the Indonesia ban is lifted. So there's that.

I was buying coral 10 years ago - and at LFS - I didn't seem that many "Huge colonies" for 40 or even 100$. Given the fact that since 1989 something that cost $40 now costs $90 - and in 1999 something that cost 40 now costs nearly 70 - (and this is the AVERAGE). You're right its probably not coming back -

 

[MnFish1]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I have read, the ban has only been lifted on Rock exportation. Have they lifted the ban on live Coral?

The word was (someone posted a press release someone on here) - that it was repealed. I didnt see anything about rock - but - I also cant find the link now...

EDITED - Ban is not lifted - but I read a document saying its close - Now every link says' server not available' lol;. dont know why.

 

[andrewkw]

Well the Indonesia ban is lifted. So there's that.

I was buying coral 10 years ago - and at LFS - I didn't seem that many "Huge colonies" for 40 or even 100$. Given the fact that since 1989 something that cost $40 now costs $90 - and in 1999 something that cost 40 now costs nearly 70 - (and this is the AVERAGE). You're right its probably not coming back -

Where are you seeing the ban has been lifted? I was just at several shops on the weekend and no one mentioned anything. I just checked reefbuilders as well for an article. Please post a link.

In the 2005-2010 range or so it was very common in the Toronto area for shipments to be all corals $40 and then whatever didn't sell right away or was on special would be 3/$100. Obviously a few choice pieces were picked out first but the first few years I was in the hobby there really wasn't much of a price difference between most corals. Line ups were huge and all the good stuff was gone 10-20 minutes after being on sale. I recall huge wild acro colonies being quite cheap too, I don't know how they did it because freight even back then was still a lot.

Really when Australia first opened up is when coral pricing really started to go up. A lot was due to cost, but then places realized we were willing to pay 100s of dollars for these corals we had never seen before, so the select Indo corals could also be sold for more. I remember the absolute shock at the very first legal Micro Lord colonies being $800. I was thinking more like 100-200 but you know what I still came home with one. Even if I did pay partially with an IOU.

 

[tautog83]

ya i see nothing about a ban being lifted ..

 

[MnFish1]

Where are you seeing the ban has been lifted? I was just at several shops on the weekend and no one mentioned anything. I just checked reefbuilders as well for an article. Please post a link.

In the 2005-2010 range or so it was very common in the Toronto area for shipments to be all corals $40 and then whatever didn't sell right away or was on special would be 3/$100. Obviously a few choice pieces were picked out first but the first few years I was in the hobby there really wasn't much of a price difference between most corals. Line ups were huge and all the good stuff was gone 10-20 minutes after being on sale. I recall huge wild acro colonies being quite cheap too, I don't know how they did it because freight even back then was still a lot.

Really when Australia first opened up is when coral pricing really started to go up. A lot was due to cost, but then places realized we were willing to pay 100s of dollars for these corals we had never seen before, so the select Indo corals could also be sold for more. I remember the absolute shock at the very first legal Micro Lord colonies being $800. I was thinking more like 100-200 but you know what I still came home with one. Even if I did pay partially with an IOU.

Not sure if the Ban is lifted - but I read a document saying its close - Now every link says' server not available' lol;. dont know why.

 

[sde1500]

Yea definitely not lifted. That announcement would have been trumpted everywhere.

 

[cain720]

I bought a purple torch from Petco for $30 a month ago that looks exactly like that $500 "WWC Aussie Pink Tipped Torch Colony".


This brings me to something I've been wondering:

What's the difference in your basic $30 Garf Bonsai, $120 WWC Blueberry Fields, and $180 JF Night Stalker?

 

[smartwater101]

What's the difference in your basic $30 Garf Bonsai, $120 WWC Blueberry Fields, and $180 JF Night Stalker?

Greed and Photoshop

 

[Livinlocal]

There was talk of it possibly changing once they voted in a new leader, but the election already happened, and the same leader is going to stay in his position.

Sadly, that means it's most likely not going to get lifted anytime soon

 

[Livinlocal]

Pardon my ignorance, but I say leader because I'm not sure if they call him a president in their country?

 

[lion king]

I watched 4 lfs close in the last year around here, 2 came and went in a year's time. These people are all gougers, they will all be gone or rename themselves in a year's time, after they have screwed over enough people. I hate to break it to you, a torch is a torch, and zoas are zoas, they are not from Mars.

 

[alfani]

4-5 years ago, I remember going to a swap show and got a frag pink lemonade that is north of 3-4 inch multi-branch for like $70, now I'm seeing a 1 inch frag with multiple tiny bumps and call it "mini colony" and selling it for $80.

price is what people willing to paid, until when there is enough people to place their foot down on price

 

[Bpainter3]

Something is not right here. I would fire that client. When we talk about 'reef husbandry' this is the exact opposite of what people 'should' be doing? Or am I wrong.

I have spoken to him many times about buying stuff he has unlimited funds

 

[MnFish1]

I have spoken to him many times about buying stuff he has unlimited funds

MY point was - if you're the professional (though I see why its hard to say no to a sale) - He does Not have unlimited room for coral. I mean - lets say he said - I want a harem of cl0wn triggers - would you buy him one? I mean so what if only one survived - right? Its the same principle. You have a business - he has unlimited funds - so I see how it is - it doesnt make it anywhere close to 'right'.

 

[pirate2876]

I have spoken to him many times about buying stuff he has unlimited funds

Tell him I will sell him everything in my tank for $60K cash.

 

[FlyPenFly]

Corals should be expensive. Maybe people will take better care of them.

 

[Bleigh]

On sale just for @kgk

A rare piece! Its called "SmartWater's Angel Face Pink Lemongrass SuperSoaker KoolAid Happy Go Fun Time"

Regular Price $6,000.00
Sale Price: $42,003.50

Act Now!

This literally made me lol!

 

[Jon Fishman]

I bought a purple torch from Petco for $30 a month ago that looks exactly like that $500 "WWC Aussie Pink Tipped Torch Colony".


This brings me to something I've been wondering:

What's the difference in your basic $30 Garf Bonsai, $120 WWC Blueberry Fields, and $180 JF Night Stalker?

Let me take a stab at it..... $90, and $60/$150 depending on what you're comparing..... whew.... Math minor finally came in handy!

I want an Apex doser (o.k..... so it's DOS and DDR or whatever) and holy cow..... seems like "basic" technology for a LOT of money..... so I think what we are also seeing is people cashing in on the fact that everyone who enters the reef hobby is told upfront "Oh it's SO expensive" and despite a few people who will say "oh it doesn't cost that much" the majority of people will say, "Take your budget and double/triple it" It's kinda like owning a jeep, and deciding you want to take it off the pavement one day..... Either way, people KNOW they will have to spend a lot, so MOST who enter the hobby do so with more disposable/discretionary funds and retailers etc. are eager to get their cut of that.