High End?

[Reef Pets]

Im starting to see the term High End used a lot when it comes to coral and fish..

What makes a coral or fish "high end"?

Is this a sales tactic? Is this based on price, such as when you can count the polyps on an acro frag for a thousand dollars?

I see these crazy pictures taken under glowing blue light or colored filters which would make anything glow and it's suddenly called high end? Is this what it has come to and I just need to keep up with the changes?

Anyone care to share their opinion on the term and what it means for vendors and hobbyist?

 

[AcroNem]

There are no "high end" corals until they're made so by vendors and people willing to pay through the nose for them. It's just a gimmicky sales tactic really. They're no different in terms of care and they're the same species as others with different coloration but some hobbyists must think they come from another planet.

They might have some cool colors (if they're true colors and not just oversaturated under pure actinic), but all it really means is dollar signs.

 

[Tahoe61]

High end to me means corals like WD, Homewrecker, Bounce, Scolys, Orange Crush, the very expensive and sought after corals of the time. I would never pay those prices, but I do covet them.

 

[ctran]

I have seen the same Coral being called different names and had different price tags. I personally need to do a lot of research before spending money on one.

 

[erk]

High end to me means corals like WD, Homewrecker, Bounce, Scolys, Orange Crush, the very expensive and sought after corals of the time. I would never pay those prices, but I do covet them.

Yeah, but these are just differing color/physiological morphs of coral species we all currently keep. Color and even shape can change based on all sorts of known and unknown conditions. So the naming is just sales games. But I treat coral like art; it's worth what people are willing to pay.

 

[Reef Pets]

Thanks for the response and I do agree with all. I do see what people mean when they have names that have become well known. But some of these are just insane pictures and that has been proven, a WD thread that was current here on R2R is a fine example. Before LEDs hit the market hard vendors were called out for insanely saturated pictures. Now it has become the norm, maybe because most people have LEDs and can replicate that color by cranking up the blues.
I purchased some LED's just a couple weeks back. Placed them over one of my tanks and BOOOOM everything glowed like the pictures I see on facebook and the interweb. I just don't know if I can bring myself to all blue pictures. But I suppose suppose you either keep up with the change or get stuck in the past..

So the coral that are mainly taken under all blues or with filters topping the list of whats considered High End? If so, I have of butt load of high end coral and didn't even know it. Guess I'll have to give it a try..

 

[happyhourhero]

I always thought it was just what part of my tank they were supposed to go in.

 

[Reef Pets]

I always thought it was just what part of my tank they were supposed to go in.

Put'em at the top and blast'em with light = High End
LOL agreed!

 

[TritonsGarden]

If I bought some of those corals, my wife would kick my butt in the air and it would be "high end".

 

[pirate2876]

I think it's just a marketing technique for anything overpriced.

 

[happyhourhero]

Put'em at the top and blast'em with light = High End
LOL agreed!

I have always thought most of yours were based on what I have seen anyway. I have not had the pleasure of ordering but hope to one day.

 

[Reef Pets]

I have always thought most of yours were based on what I have seen anyway. I have not had the pleasure of ordering but hope to one day.

Let me know when you're ready. I'll cut some "high end" frags for ya.

 

[tautog83]

It's all hype .. personally the wd is overrated I've seen it in person and I compare it to something like the aquasd Millie, or hell even a nice sunset Millie and I'd rather have the Millie's any day. There's so many things that makes a coral one of your favorites and I think people get away from that and get sucked into being "cool". It also comes from vendors too(not you) . Like I said on a previous thread some use their name to sell easy corals and readily available stuff for a higher price . Put your name in front of it , call it toxic or nuclear and ive seen green slimers sell for $65 an inch!! It's just sad , especially to people who don't know better .something with 2 branches is considered chunky now . At one point ORa frags for 60 or 70bucks seemed like a lot but now it's like a super deal to get something 2 inches and encrusted for that price

 

[pirate2876]

Pretty soon we are going to be paying per polyp on SPS...

 

[Reef Pets]

Pretty soon we are going to be paying per polyp on SPS...

I think I've seen it happen a couple times, sadly!

 

[erk]

I think 16000 to 20000 K lighting is appropriate for picture taking. For me, my lighting goes from 20000 K to 16000 K at midday. Only time it is super blue is the dawn/dusk/moonlit time and I can't see much detail on the coral during those times. I just want to know what the coral is going to look like during peak viewing time.

 

[pirate2876]

I also find it interesting that people can resell frags for the same amount they paid from a LFS or business. No overhead, no taxes, no employees and, yet the price stays the same...

 

[Donovan Joannes]

You can almost "high ended" any corals especially sticks with light spectrum. The sun has been able to do this in the wild. Tweaking your nutrients (food and chemical addition) will alter the coloration as well. Good luck!

 

[pirate2876]

You can almost "high ended" any corals especially sticks with light spectrum. The sun has been able to do this in the wild. Tweaking your nutrients (food and chemical addition) will alter the coloration as well. Good luck!

Well that's the catch. If the coral arrives and is not the same, which happens a lot when shipping, you can just say it needs time to acclimate or, it's your lights or, parameters, etc. Basically anything. And I am guilty of accepting all these reasons myself. I just hate myself for doing it sometimes.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Well that's the catch. If the coral arrives and is not the same, which happens a lot when shipping, you can just say it needs time to acclimate or, it's your lights or, parameters, etc. Basically anything. And I am guilty of accepting all these reasons myself. I just hate myself for doing it sometimes.

Very true. It is hard to emulate success in reefing as every tank is different. Patient is virtue, so far none of my stick remains true to original color when first introduced. They always turned green or brown before showing some colors once it takes off.