Are we been ripped off

[Nano_Man]

Are we in the hobby been ripped off on frag prices . Size-quality

 

[j.falk]

If you don't like the price, don't buy them. Seems simple enough.

 

[Nano_Man]

If you don't like the price, don't buy them. Seems simple enough.

Have you never payed over the odds for a certain coral in your tank . Me been totally truthful yes i have .

 

[Nano_Man]

I feel the same, however I tend to look at this from the traders perspective. Corals that have been "grown" in the LFS need light to grow. Light = electricity. Electricity = £££££'s.
And then there's the other expenses such as the cost of buying the frag from a wholesaler.
Here in the UK each payment incudes VAT at 20%, then there's the traders liability for Corporate or personal taxation on profit. That's apart from wages for staff, the pension and PAYE of staff.
So a £50 frag might just make a profit of a tenner after everything is taken into account. I don't call that ripping off by any means.

I hear you and the info you say and I agree my LFS is very responsible. Looking at the vote no one has voted on LFS . Everyone in business needs to make profit to survive I get it . But for people starting out in the hobby or have small amount of money to play with you probably could get more for your money. This only my opinion. Thanks for your input lynnzer

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I know LFS has to make a profit, I just shop around the LFS’s and buy the lowest price.

what really bothers me are those home frag sellers that sell for the same price as LFS.

 

[doubleshot00]

If you don't like the price, don't buy them. Seems simple enough.

Try buying frags online. Ive been duped several times. Even from reputable dealers.

No more buying frags online for me.

Ive never felt ripped off at a lfs as if I think its to expensive I don’t buy. Now do lfs sell frags at stupid high prices sometimes yes.

My gripe with several lfs is some prices are not marked and i fell they make up a price in there head and see if you will buy.

 

[MarsReefer]

You can get much better prices and sizes in person as compared to online. My LFS frags are easily 5x the size of what is sold online, and they are cheaper.

however if you are looking for a specific piece sometimes online is your only option. You are paying for the selection and variety.

never buy online if you are just looking for filler pieces in your tank.

 

[Waters]

People will charge what others are willing to pay.....they are in the business to make money unfortunately.

 

[ss30]

Have you never payed over the odds for a certain coral in your tank . Me been totally truthful yes i have .

That was your choice though, you didn't have to buy it if you thought you were being ripped off.

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Nope, I can’t see how that’s possible.
It’s simple: don’t like the price, don’t buy it. There are tons of cheap frags to be had.
If you want the latest and greatest you are always going to have to pay up.

 

[ninjamyst]

I love my $1000 tiger torch. Worth every penny.

JK. I buy $5 zoas

 

[Nano_Man]

That was your choice though, you didn't have to buy it if you thought you were being ripped off.

That’s right you go and buy a frag off one e.. and come back to me this only opinion let’s see what the vote of the members think. You don’t need to worry about my opinions but maybe others in the poll

 

[j.falk]

Try buying frags online. Ive been duped several times. Even from reputable dealers.

No more buying frags online for me.

Ive never felt ripped off at a lfs as if I think its to expensive I don’t buy. Now do lfs sell frags at stupid high prices sometimes yes.

My gripe with several lfs is some prices are not marked and i fell they make up a price in there head and see if you will buy.

Liveaquaria burnt me once upon a time. The coral frag that arrived looked nothing like what was shown in the example photos. When I contacted them about it they said it was the correct item but, since I was unhappy with it, they would give me half of the value in store credit. You know what I did? I STOPPED BUYING ANYTHING FROM THEM. Problem solved.

 

[Budman93]

It does seem like it but it's the law of supply and demand to be honest. These sellers list at the highest price to still get sales. Presumably prices are as high as they are because they are still getting buyers. If you want the best deal around it will still be with your local reef community.

 

[Sump Crab]

I clicked “yes” but it’s complicated.

Are corals completely and ridiculously overpriced? Yes, definitely.

Have these prices been driven up by hobbyists willing to pay these prices? Yes, definitely.

What bothers me most is the misrepresentation of corals using photo shop and color enhancement.

 

[j.falk]

Have you never payed over the odds for a certain coral in your tank . Me been totally truthful yes i have .

Nope. I don't buy into the online hype or doctored up photos of online vendors. I've found the best way to acquire corals is through local reefers who are looking to make space in their aquariums. They'll sell frags for cheap or give them away.

 

[Bucs20fan]

I used to buy alot of frags from my LFS but im more picky now, and I should have just bought from other hobbyists honestly. Just about every frag ive bought from markeplace here was well priced and was a nice looking frag. Lfs get alot of fillers and trash corals.

 

[Bucs20fan]

I clicked “yes” but it’s complicated.

Are corals completely and ridiculously overpriced? Yes, definitely.

Have these prices been driven up by hobbyists willing to pay these prices? Yes, definitely.

What bothers me most is the misrepresentation of corals using photo shop and color enhancement.

I agree, especially with your last point, just take one look at extreme corals website...sheesh.

 

[Typhon]

Goes back to basic economics. If there are no one buying corals at that price, they will come down. Just stay away from Fad corals and try to get frags from locate reefers.

I have been in hobby long enough to know that Fad coral prices eventually come down. Look at "Acans", they used to be hundreds of dollars for frags/small colonies. Now look at the prices.

 

[flashsmith]

I think people in this hobby suffer from fear of missing out and make alot of impulse purchases. Yes I'm guilty but it took me about a year to figure that out. Now that my systems are full and I rarely buy any livestock anymore except for some occasional clean up crew and maintenance supplies. I don't like the practice of "hobbyists" selling though. I have so much growth that I'm more than happy to just give it away. I'm at the point where I've decided if my reefs ever crash I'll just go fish only and never buy another frag again.