Dragon Soul Torch Quality

[Reefing102]

So this is a new one for me. A few weeks ago I bought a C grade maricultured dragon soul torch from one of my LFS. I honestly never knew there were technically different grades of named torches (I know wholesalers will label grade a sps, etc or even c grade torch but not hobby named ones)

Anyway, I think a c grade is a little low for this one. Thoughts? My picture quality is terrible. Iphone 15 pro max with orphek lenses under blue LED. No other edits.

 

[saltytanked]

Lol a graded torch… there isn’t such a thing. Just marketing hype

 

[Rjukan]

Lol a graded torch… there isn’t such a thing. Just marketing hype

If it was marketing hype, then why go with a c grade? Lol.. why not hype it up to b or even a?

 

[ReefStable Verified Sponsor]

The wholesaler likely just sells what they call Grade A, B, C, etc. It's just a pricing "bucket".

They'll sell you a "Grade C" torch for a certain price. It just happened to look like a "Dragon Soul" (also just a naming thing for the color).

So the long-story-short is that it's just a Maricultured Dragon Soul that they bought as a "Grade C Torch".

Now, what I would be more concerned about is why the retailer would label it that way. That feels like they may not know what they're doing as much. Or they "graded" it themselves and they're saying it's not healthy. Either way, I would just use caution.

 

[VintageReefer]

Lol torch collector here. There is no such thing in the retail market. Wholesalers and importers will sometimes give a grade based on size or color or price bucket but that’s meant for the LFS ship list / inventory list for when they are validating their order

Most LFS, and this is crazy to me, is not as informed about coral naming as we are.

They give generic names a lot of the time because the pieces are wild imported and don’t have any lineage or history.

“Green gonipora”
“Zoanthid rock”

They get most the names from the wholesale shipping list. If it’s clearly recognizable as something named they will attach the common name like Rasta zoanthids or Indo gold torch. Sounds like they attached a extra bit of info that was meant for them only

Regardless it looks like a great torch. How many heads is that?

 

[saltytanked]

If it was marketing hype, then why go with a c grade? Lol.. why not hype it up to b or even a?

To make you buy an a or b, aka spend more
Money

 

[Reefing102]

Thanks for all the replies!

The wholesaler likely just sells what they call Grade A, B, C, etc. It's just a pricing "bucket".

They'll sell you a "Grade C" torch for a certain price. It just happened to look like a "Dragon Soul" (also just a naming thing for the color).

So the long-story-short is that it's just a Maricultured Dragon Soul that they bought as a "Grade C Torch".

Now, what I would be more concerned about is why the retailer would label it that way. That feels like they may not know what they're doing as much. Or they "graded" it themselves and they're saying it's not healthy. Either way, I would just use caution.

This LFS generally is not into the name game. They're aware it exists but hes more of the label it what the wholesaler says. Some things he buys named from locals and he will sell at the named price but most is cheaper than online.

Lol torch collector here. There is no such thing in the retail market. Wholesalers and importers will sometimes give a grade based on size or color or price bucket but that’s meant for the LFS ship list / inventory list for when they are validating their order

Most LFS, and this is crazy to me, is not as informed about coral naming as we are.

They give generic names a lot of the time because the pieces are wild imported and don’t have any lineage or history.

“Green gonipora”
“Zoanthid rock”

They get most the names from the wholesale shipping list. If it’s clearly recognizable as something named they will attach the common name like Rasta zoanthids or Indo gold torch. Sounds like they attached a extra bit of info that was meant for them only

Regardless it looks like a great torch. How many heads is that?

This was sold as 7.5 heads as the 7th head is splitting. I haven’t counted but I think it’s up to a full 8 now. Haven’t really counted recently.

 

[VintageReefer]

This was sold as 7.5 heads as the 7th head is splitting. I haven’t counted but I think it’s up to a full 8 now. Haven’t really counted recently.

My guess was 7 heads but it’s uncommon for LFS to sell a piece so big! An excellent find, I hope they didn’t charge 150 per head lol

 

[Reefing102]

My guess was 7 heads but it’s uncommon for LFS to sell a piece so big! An excellent find, I hope they didn’t charge 150 per head lol

Haha definitely not. $250 for the entire colony.

They had a second one that was 6 heads but it also had a couple heads that had recently died, so I went with the healthier looking one.

 

[VintageReefer]

Haha definitely not. $250 for the entire colony.

They had a second one that was 6 heads but it also had a couple heads that had recently died, so I went with the healthier looking one.

That’s a steal! My LFS charges 200-250 for 2 heads

 

[Reefing102]

Just a quick update, it’s been struck by brown jelly disease. I lost one head and the rest looked fine but then today I found another head in the middle of BJD. I took it out. Snipped the bad heads and did a 15 minute Lugols dip. Hopefully that will resolve it.

 

[Reefing102]

Day one after iodine treatment, all remaining heads appear fine and no more BJD. Hoping that’s the end of it but I’ll let it for a bit longer.

 

[Reefing102]

So 5 days in, no more brown jelly so far. Everyone is extending great. I’ll update in another week or two, but hoping it’s the end.

 

[VintageReefer]

How’d this colony end up?

 

[Reefing102]

So far so good. The remaining heads are still doing great. I’ll need to grab an updated pic. It appears to have gotten better coloration but it could just be that I don’t look at it from a top down perspective that often.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

The grading thing is just silliness.
I've seen samevwith chalice.