Fair prices for common soft corals

[Sinibotia]

I'm curious what ya'll think are fair prices for common/easy/fast growing soft corals like pulsing xenia and green star polyps. Obviously there's the crazy zoa varieties that fetch quite a bit but I just mean generic stuff. Places around here want $25 or more for tiny frags of GSP which seems pretty at odds with my research on these corals where people are literally dumping frags because they can't get rid of them.

 

[Peach02]

It often depends where you are and who you are buying from. EG in Australia I've seen $25 for GSP frags and $50 for huge colonies however this is justified since there are not as many reefers in AUS compared to America and fragging is still catching up.

 

[JumboShrimp]

That’s the price at my LFS in Florida. Sometimes buy 4 get 1 free. But I agree that $15 would be a more fair price for tiny softies.

 

[Jet915]

Yeah, depends where. In southern california, i sell alot of easy soft corals for 5 - 10 bucks.

 

[WVNed]

At my closest LFS a single stalk of xenia is $70.

 

[EMeyer]

Ive sold and seen others sell them for $5-$10. These things really do grow like weeds, and in parts of the tank where more desirable stuff doesnt grow well. I only propagate them when I have excess space, and sell them when I need to free up space.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

Your best bet for beginner corals (or any corals) is to connect with hobbyists who will many times give that stuff away, as it does grow like weeds.

 

[Sinibotia]

Your best bet for beginner corals (or any corals) is to connect with hobbyists who will many times give that stuff away, as it does grow like weeds.

I'd like to but there's not much of a fishkeeping community around here. I'll probably end up having to buy the small frags.

 

[Wiskey]

I'm really lucky, in SoCal there are stores that sell tiny frags between 5 and 20 bucks of many corals that don't have names. We also have some stores that sell nothing for less than $50.

Whiskey

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Definitely get in touch with local reef club, I give this away to new reefers. Personally I don't sell frags, either I trade or give them away. This is a hobby at the end of the day, not trying to make money or subsidize any purchases. With the advent of fb subgroups everyone is running a 'shop' now. Part of the fun for me is the community of local reefers, definitely worth more to me than $20/frag.

 

[MixedFruitBasket]

Speaking of questionable prices. Saw a colony of wild caught Xenia on LA for 99.00

 

[Nick30G]

It varies widely on many factors. All the LFS now a days are getting shafted by the coral bans which dosent help

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

It varies widely on many factors. All the LFS now a days are getting shafted by the coral bans which dosent help

I sell to my LFS for store credit. My stuff gets marked up 200 to 300%. I’m not complaining because I would have probably had to pitch it

 

[flsalty]

Small frags of Xenia and GSP should be free...lol.

 

[S2G]

Small frags of Xenia and GSP should be free...lol.

I was honestly thinking the same thing. I've been looking for some decent softies for months. I just refuse to pay 25-30 for xenia or gsp as big as my pinkie nail. They grow like chaeto

 

[AdamB]

Everyone loves Xenia that isn’t familiar with reefing and corals . Personally I will never have it in my tank again. To much maintenance and sprouts developing in hard to reach places !

 

[jp_75]

i have few toadstools from australia and wonder if i get 30 a piece. they are pretty big! 2 are metallic green and one beige kinda... i guess fl is expensive for corals!
gsp and xenia should be free.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

Small frags of Xenia and GSP should be free...lol.

I don't sell them anything small. It big sheets of GSP, or softball size xenia colonies. I'm trying to unload it.

 

[Sinibotia]

Everyone loves Xenia that isn’t familiar with reefing and corals . Personally I will never have it in my tank again. To much maintenance and sprouts developing in hard to reach places !

I've just got a 10 gallon so nowhere hard to reach

 

[Dragon52]

I'd give this away if the wife didn't love the way it flows with the water movement. Not the Midas Blennie. lol I have to keep trimming it.