What is "rare" and how many people in the world have to have a coral for it no longer to be rare? I'm interested on people's thoughts. Are red hornets rare? Blue hornets? Many have them, but are they rare still?
Coral Rarity
- Thread starter butts182
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fsn77
Dad of 2 future hobbyists
I wouldn't consider red hornets or blue hornets rare. There's plenty of both available, if someone is willing to pay the price for them. IMO, truly rare corals generally do not have such hyped up / commercialized names and cannot be found for sale by more than just a very few hobbyists (if at all). That said, rare doesn't always equate to that coral being valuable. We've all come to learn that value is set by the market, with any coral only being worth as much as hobbyists will pay for it. Even in my short time within the hobby, I've seen a handful of what I have come to consider to be rare corals, but not a single one of them was priced anything like the hornets.
I'm not sure what even defines a coral as really being rare to the hobby overall. Specific coloration that's seldom seen, sheer size for an individual specimen, out of the ordinary growth pattern, etc.?
I picked up an incredible wall hammer from a long time hobbyist last year. This particular coral has been in captivity for 18+ years. He kept 1/3 of it and traded the other 2/3 of it to me. It took a 30g Brute can just to move my part of it. Its coloration is not all that unusual or impressive, but its size is. Is it rare? I don't know... But I sure think it's cool.
I'm not sure what even defines a coral as really being rare to the hobby overall. Specific coloration that's seldom seen, sheer size for an individual specimen, out of the ordinary growth pattern, etc.?
I picked up an incredible wall hammer from a long time hobbyist last year. This particular coral has been in captivity for 18+ years. He kept 1/3 of it and traded the other 2/3 of it to me. It took a 30g Brute can just to move my part of it. Its coloration is not all that unusual or impressive, but its size is. Is it rare? I don't know... But I sure think it's cool.
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kellyjn
Active Member
To me..... Rare coral = a coral only one person has, and it can be proven there are no more in the ocean or in anyone's (exporter/supplier/hobbiest) tank. A rare coral is the only one of it's kind and it does not reproduce at all. A rare coral should be on the endangered species list if it is indeed that "rare".
Anything that grows more of itself can't be considered rare IMO.
Rare = marketing scheme
Anything that grows more of itself can't be considered rare IMO.
Rare = marketing scheme
Ian
Valuable Member
Nice equation Jessica :xd:
I think it needs to be considered "hobby or industry rare" purple,blue, red hornets are not "rare" but if you look at a coral like Australomussa that is a true rarity in the hobby. There are only so many allowed for collection through CITES so they have a limited availability within the hobby as of this date so they have very few numbers of circulation. Rare to me does don't equate to it's over all existence in the oceans but to hobby or industry. To much in this hobby is market scheme and gets "rare" attached to it for sales and in return hobbyist sales to recoup initial cost.
So rare in the oceans and rare in the hobby/industry is 2 differant things.
So rare in the oceans and rare in the hobby/industry is 2 differant things.
Troylee
all about the diy!!!!!
pretty much what i was thinking.....i have a ton of high end stuff but only consider one rare... thats the piece Ian hooked me up with... the grafted monti.... i know it was a first time ever seen piece and he only let a handfull go, so for now its rare but in a year it prolly won't be due to the fact of people setting it up prop.....
