CB Beast Mode Acro

[dailydriven911]

I'll just wait a couple years when prices are affordable. This happens with most every coral. There are some exceptions of course. I for one will never pay for any of these fragged WC acros no matter how nice they are. Most wild acros are easily stressed and that's not a risk I'd take with a 1" frag for $200-$300+. I'll stick with aquacultured. Although I do love the name "Beast Mode" being a huge Hawks fan lol.

 

[mic209]

I don't get it. Why is this a problem? If everyone were charging more than what you consider to be a fair price, then THAT would be a problem. However, since there are vendors which sell corals at premium prices AND vendors that don't, why is it an issue that people spend their money where they choose to? I've always liked that this hobby allows for people to share it from the very budget conscious all the way to the extreme collectors. Some people like to collect corals from specific vendors and specific lineage while others couldn't care less about what a coral is called or who sells it. Some people like to grow things out from small frags, while others like to stock their tank with colonies. Is it really a problem that everyone can enjoy the hobby in their own way?

I wasn't implying it's a problem, I was just trying to explain IMO why some vendors charge what they do for corals. And I don't have a problem with these over priced corals, I actually give praise to the vendors for their hustle. But you won't catch me paying a grand for a snippet of an acro that is fresh out of the ocean which will more than likely never look nothing like that picture which the buyer will claim it's just stressed from shipping. Which I think is a total BS line.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I wasn't implying it's a problem, I was just trying to explain IMO why some vendors charge what they do for corals. And I don't have a problem with these over priced corals, I actually give praise to the vendors for their hustle. But you won't catch me paying a grand for a snippet of an acro that is fresh out of the ocean which will more than likely never look nothing like that picture which the buyer will claim it's just stressed from shipping. Which I think is a total BS line.

Ok. I get ya. I agree with you on the issue of misrepresentation. I do think that the "Photochop" accusation gets overused (it seems like anytime a nice coral photo gets posted on Facebook, somebody has to accuse the poster of embellishing the photo), but unfortunately there are instances where it does happen, and that is extremely unethical.

I'm also less than impressed with sellers that chop up wild or maricultured pieces as soon as they get them knowing that there's more than likely no way that they'll hold their color in captivity. I think that is also unethical... I don't have a problem with people charging high prices, but I do think the buyer should at least receive the piece he's paying a premium for.

So...I don't have a problem with high priced corals, but I do take issue with those who misrepresent their merchandise. I do think most of the dishonest ones get found out pretty quick though.

As for dropping a grand on corals...I don't have the cash flow to pay 1k for any coral. LOL Must be nice for those who do!

 

[Nowell]

More power to the retailer for the ability to get those prices. Some hobbiests must have the finest and most rare corals to satisfy their desires. Hopefully they are going for a certain aesthetic and not trying to placate insecurities. The retailer of high end corals could care less as long as the money is green and the customer satisfied. Also, there is a limited "shelf life" for coral exclusivity before the coral is widely distributed. A retailer must recoup their investment. At frag swaps I'm also willing to pay a premium for buying from pest-free Jason Fox or Cherry Corals vs. a pimply teenager with the next AEFW. Cornbred Corals seems top notch as well.

 

[LILBUDDHA]

We must see a photo shopped colony to determine the value.

Touche' ...that's a good one ..
The sad thing about you said is it's mostly true ..
I am still trying to gauge a budget for some nice aco's and I am finding it hard to part with 250 a frag . 3 years ago the most I paid for a frag was 125.00 n that was Tierra de Fuego from the oculus aquatics farm not some frag a vendor chopped up.
Geez getting wet again is gonna be costly ..lol
I also noticed recently a lot of vendors seem to be testing the waters with higher pricing on some acro's that don't seem to be all that .
On a side note from a earlier post . I have seen AEFW from online retailers too. One I can say is well known so u can't just say buying from a known vendor thinking it's gonna give you any safer bets of being pest free. I also wouldn't mind some maricultured SPS but the risk of getting exposed to AEFW is even greater.

 

[miyags]

Some pepole are STUPID RICH!!!!!!

 

[conchreef]

Some pepole are STUPID RICH!!!!!!

Daddy always says money doesn't spend itself

 

[acropora4u]

CB has the most awesome looking corals on the website!

 

[Marcus E. Mommer]

I feel like this thread was interesting in the start, but then got off topic. While the discussion on if premium coral retailers can charge what they charge for their livestock is an important discussion, this might not be quite the place for it. It doesn't make since that a general interest thread into a specific acro turned into people bashing retailers and retail prices, especially when there are no confirmations of any owners. Its kind of disappointing to me, who is generally interested on any results of the cb beast mode acro to have to scroll through so many posts about what they would consider absurd prices just cause i want to know if someone actually answered the original question. Sorry to have put my two sense in and contributed to the problem I commented about. I also relies this is a old thread.

But as far as answering the original question; I have purchased a frag of the acro from Cb this week and will be receiving in within the week on my next day off. I will post both actinic pictures and daylight of the frag when it comes as well as after a couple of time intervals. I apologize ahead of time for the pics as I am a horrible photographer, but will do my best. Hopefully we can get a better sense of this lineage long term.

 

[blackgrouper79]

I feel like this thread was interesting in the start, but then got off topic. While the discussion on if premium coral retailers can charge what they charge for their livestock is an important discussion, this might not be quite the place for it. It doesn't make since that a general interest thread into a specific acro turned into people bashing retailers and retail prices, especially when there are no confirmations of any owners. Its kind of disappointing to me, who is generally interested on any results of the cb beast mode acro to have to scroll through so many posts about what they would consider absurd prices just cause i want to know if someone actually answered the original question. Sorry to have put my two sense in and contributed to the problem I commented about. I also relies this is a old thread.

But as far as answering the original question; I have purchased a frag of the acro from Cb this week and will be receiving in within the week on my next day off. I will post both actinic pictures and daylight of the frag when it comes as well as after a couple of time intervals. I apologize ahead of time for the pics as I am a horrible photographer, but will do my best. Hopefully we can get a better sense of this lineage long term.

did you buy it direct? they don't go for more than $140-$180ish on ebay. I see what you're saying about where this thread went. I do want to comment on the off topic part. It seems like these vendors make a web sight and throw out crazy prices for the frags they have "their name on" for sale then do a ebay auction and people think they are getting an amazing deal because they got it for so cheap on ebay. I really wonder if thats the motive. Signature web sight and signature names and crazy prices to drive the pieces that will actually sell and will only sell on ebay for way cheaper than the web sights asking price but way more than other vendors that don't give their corals COOL names. I'd like to see what your frag looks like I hope it's the funk!
Another thing we should all do is set up a thread and do our own drawings on who is aloud to bid on what frag on ebay this week---that will keep prices under control and stop bidding wars that only hurt OUR wallets. If we communicated as a community like we do when we have a tank issue we should do the same thing when it comes to ebay---help each other out…..

 

[las]

Following

 

[Marcus E. Mommer]

Alright, sorry for the 4 day delay. to answer you question, i got the frag through ebay, but from cb himself as the seller. Im not a good photographer so i got shots in at 2ok and then just did a short vid and flipped through a couple of spectrums. Not gonna lie, looks like a stressed brown acro right now. We shall see how it changes over time. Sorry for the sound on the video.

 

[Marcus E. Mommer]

Having some tech difficulties, will get video of different specs up when it starts cooperating with me

 

[KingTriton]

Following

 

[blackgrouper79]

Alright, sorry for the 4 day delay. to answer you question, i got the frag through ebay, but from cb himself as the seller. Im not a good photographer so i got shots in at 2ok and then just did a short vid and flipped through a couple of spectrums. Not gonna lie, looks like a stressed brown acro right now. We shall see how it changes over time. Sorry for the sound on the video.

Have you contacted CB about your frag not having the expected color? I've won a few things on ebay from CB and the colors of the frags I received were spot on. I will say their customer service is incredible and I'd think they'd work with you to make any issues right.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I have it also and did not pay the crazy price I understand where you guys are coming from about the high prices but there's always ways around it.

 

[Marcus E. Mommer]

Have you contacted CB about your frag not having the expected color? I've won a few things on ebay from CB and the colors of the frags I received were spot on. I will say their customer service is incredible and I'd think they'd work with you to make any issues right.

Their customer service is excellent, but no, I have no sent any emails regarding the color. Mostly because I know that it takes time for some of these corals to color up.

 

[Marcus E. Mommer]

This is the image of the frag I saw before purchasing so it defiantly can get the colors. Thats why im not too worried.

 

[blackgrouper79]

This is the image of the frag I saw before purchasing so it defiantly can get the colors. Thats why im not too worried.

That really is a nice frag btw! It does look like there is a whole lot of blue lighting in the pic judging by the color of the frag plug.

 

[blackgrouper79]

Ok so I saw "Beast Mode" with my own 2 eyes today and not just a frag. It was a small-medium colony under MH. A couple frags had been made and were on the frag rack right next to the colony. It was not in any way blue if anything it was a weird purple/brown color with no outstanding features (I wasn't thinking and didn't take pics--sorry!). I honestly did not recognize it at all I mean there was no resemblance to any pics I've ever come across. After seeing this coral up close, big and small I can say that I will not be bidding on it on ebay (or any other auctions) so don't worry about a last second snipe from me! This is solely my .02 but I honestly wouldn't have paid the store more than $50 for a fresh cut frag and the only reason I would pay that much for a piece of it would be to capitalize on the craze/stir that this piece has created. Not that I would be planning on putting my kid through college but rather that it's a guaranteed sale due to the craze/buzz surrounding this particular stick. I'm not bashing one of the better/best vendors in the bizz but to each their own and I'll be passing on "Beast Mode". Sorry to say it but IMO I do feel a bit deceived by the online pics that I've seen.