Most Overrated and Underrated "CORALS!"

[Hemmdog]

Collecting and selling rare sand is where it will be at in 2-3 years. $50 per lbs I have already started loading up now so I have enough to start selling when the time is right lol

You are a maniac. Lolol. That is so funny.

 

[jgvergo]

Can we make it a rule for this thread only non-colour enhanced / non-Photoshopped pictures allowed? lol

I agree...either disallow photoshopped pictures or the Rev has to make free sunglasses available to everyone who looks at this thread

 

[Mal11224]

I definitely think most corals are underrated even though I believe many are overpriced, but that’s another topic. Just imagine if you were looking a FOWLR all day and the most excitement you get is watching fish interact. Now imagine that FOWLR converted to a reef tank full of life with fish + corals. Corals of many types and colors, from zoas to Acros. That tank would be transformed into something so much more. People may not like many corals because they can’t grow them but in general, I think corals are underrated overall.

 

[FMF0331]

Collecting and selling rare sand is where it will be at in 2-3 years. $50 per lbs I have already started loading up now so I have enough to start selling when the time is right lol

When you're ready to sell ... I'll take 50 lbs of the rare exotic "rainbow - who haa - deluxe " sand.
Serious buyer here .

 

[Dimmy007]

Rated by whom?

To be overrated or underrated, it'd have to be rated, right? Who rates corals? Why would anyone listen to them, whoever 'they' are?

It's your aquarium. Buy what makes you happy, and a price you can afford. I'm much more worried about health of the critters I'm adding than I am about price, or even color, for that matter. I know, the 'show' quality tanks are full of breathtaking colors... but so what? There is NOTHING wrong with a tank full of more affordable, easier to keep corals.

Don't like where the industry is pushing us to be? Don't go there! It's YOUR tank, do with it as you will. Buying hundred dollar quarter inch sticks is _NOT_ something I'm willing to do. Haven't done so, and won't be doing so, thanks.

Agreed. If it makes you happy then who cares what other people think. Your the one spending money on your entire system. Not just frags and fish but all the equipment to keep it running. So do what you like and makes you happy. (And your significant other because that is important too.)

 

[KrisReef]

Ok here...

Acropora palmata!
My favorite acro needs a larger tank to grow in than I can support.

 

[theKoolAidMan]

I think there are a number that are overrated (lookin' at you Bounce Mushrooms) but that's because for a growing number of people, this hobby has done beyond building a nice looking tank, and into the realm of collecting. Once you get into collecting, whether it be stamps, coins, corals, whatever, aesthetics start to take a backseat to rarity. As a result "high end" corals are coveted as much if not more for how rare or new they are to the hobby, rather than necessarily how they look in their own right. I'm not saying all "high end" coral is ugly (*cough* bounce mushrooms *cough*), but that there are common corals that are just as vibrant or beautiful that are much less coveted because they're established in the hobby and easier to get ahold of.

Anytime you have a collection aspect to a hobby, you're going to get things that are overrated and overpriced. What makes this especially crazy with corals however, is that most don't stay rare and expensive forever. An old rare coin will almost never get less rare. On the contrary, it will usually get rarer as more of that type are lost of destroyed. The opposite is true with corals. They get more common the longer in the hobby, because unlike coins (unfortunately) they grow and propagate.

 

[dantimdad]

I know I’m not going to make any friends with this post but generally speaking....

Most overrated - acros and bounce mushrooms

Most underrated - leathers and gorgonians

Nope. You just made one!

 

[dantimdad]

BTW, I think bounce mushrooms are diseased looking.

 

[tweeter]

I know I’m not going to make any friends with this post but generally speaking....

Most overrated - acros and bounce mushrooms

Most underrated - leathers and gorgonians

I totally agree!

 

[Sallstrom]

I think Stylopora corals are underrated. IMO they often grow in beautiful shapes and colours. And are pretty hardy as well.

In general I think the shape of the colonies we have in our tanks are underrated. Sure colours is nice, but for me a 20 cm+ colony of almost any species beats a small stick with a pink tip.
So large healthy colonies are underrated IMO. Maybe not the answer you were looking for here but that was what came to mind

 

[AlexReef100]

Most Overrated: Bounce Mushrooms

Don't have a specific choice for most underrated, there are several.

 

[ZoWhat]

Acros are definitely OVERRATED

Who wants to grow out Acros for 3+ years only for them to die from STN within a week

 

[Shep]

I think most are overrated, nothing about them justifies the prices that they go for, $1000 for a 1/4 inch frag?! ;Greedy;Dead

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Acros are definitely OVERRATED

Who wants to grow out Acros for 3+ years only for them to die from STN within a week

To me it's the difficultly level. IMO keeping acros alive and growing is one of the most difficult things in reefing, and when I'm successful it's exciting! I had softies for decades and never even bothered with water changes. But acros, that takes a bit of skill.

Since I love acros, I'll answer the question from that perspective. There are some overrated and some underrated. I would say in general, most of the "new" corals like the previously mentioned Walt Disney are overrated. I like my Walt Disney, but I have other more common corals which I feel are much nicer to look at. Most of the older corals, such as PC Rainbow, PC Superman, ASD Rainbow Milli, Bali Green Slimer are underrated. They are absolutely beautiful corals which can be purchased for far less than some of the newer, less beautiful acros.

To me, it's all about what the acros look like (under realistic lighting). I'm happy to pay more for a more beautiful acro, with or without a fancy name.

 

[theKoolAidMan]

BTW, I think bounce mushrooms are diseased looking.

They look like Those tumors Tasmanian Devils get.

 

[Xandernfs]

I said Yes and No.

I feel that many are overrated and many are underrated. Many 'designer' corals such as acros are overrated. I also feel that photoshop and temperature of light has A TON to do with the desired color. Some of the acros that I've seen are $500+ for a 3/4" frag. I also feel that some mushrooms such as bounce and jawbreakers are crazy expensive. Acans can be overrated and deceiving as well. Much of acans depend on, again, the temperature of light that the photo is taken.

Many underrate corals such as monti caps since they don't have that pop under blues. I, myself, really like monti caps since they are fast growers and a shelving coral. I'm not a leather fan but I do feel there are a lot of cool looking leathers out there that don't get much recognition.

 

[Dburr1014]

To me it's the difficultly level. IMO keeping acros alive and growing is one of the most difficult things in reefing, and when I'm successful it's exciting! I had softies for decades and never even bothered with water changes. But acros, that takes a bit of skill.

Since I love acros, I'll answer the question from that perspective. There are some overrated and some underrated. I would say in general, most of the "new" corals like the previously mentioned Walt Disney are overrated. I like my Walt Disney, but I have other more common corals which I feel are much nicer to look at. Most of the older corals, such as PC Rainbow, PC Superman, ASD Rainbow Milli, Bali Green Slimer are underrated. They are absolutely beautiful corals which can be purchased for far less than some of the newer, less beautiful acros.

To me, it's all about what the acros look like (under realistic lighting). I'm happy to pay more for a more beautiful acro, with or without a fancy name.

I have to agree. I had a tank years ago with softies and got the stick bug. I had some personal things happen and had to break down the tank. This time around, I told my wife, I want a small tank and all softies. Well, she wanted a bigger tank, and I slowly got the stick bug again. As my tank matured, I slowly started to collect more acros and gotten rid of my leathers. It's exciting when things grow and your tank is mature and stable. Friends and family come over and are amazed at my tank these days.

I agree though, over-rated are the latest fad. Bounce, zoa (on the down slope now) and some of the new sps they got coming out.

Under-rated are the corals that are now considered easy to keep. The ones twenty years ago people had trouble keeping.
I have a green slimer I picked up a year ago my wife said it looked like a... Well,... A man's part. [emoji4][emoji848] Now she says 'wow that looks nice' .

 

[littlebigreef]

As a zoa guy I feel like I've seen the epicenter of this debate. You wouldn't think that being colorful and fast growing is a handicap but it is. These zoas are the ones that lose their value the quickest. Why? Most people are interested in how quickly they can flip frags of their GMK rather than growing out a colony. As some have pointed out already more and more people are farming stuff and viewing their collection as an investment and valuing individual coral strains in terms of ROI. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but it has had an unusual effect upon zoa prices. New strains become available and people charge hundreds pp, the value comes down faster than ever because more people than ever are picking up frags and subsequently fragging them out at the first opportunity. Once again, not necessarily a bad thing. But then I see people claiming to have dominion over strains and lineage and claiming authority on what is or isn't a certain type of zoa (cough cough Grand Master Krak). Its laughably ridiculous. Any zoa you're paying $800 to $1200pp is overrated... especially when its -nearly- (I repeat) -nearly- identical to an already named strain. Meanwhile you have other zoas that truly are difficult to keep: strats, a*kraks, flaming mohicans, tree house of horrors etc that do require great skill (and luck). Those are not overrated in that their beauty, difficulty, slow growth and rareness actually makes them worth the hefty price tag. The person that grew them deserves to be rewarded for being a good steward.

So with zoas in particular I'd say some are incredibly overrated to the point it mimics the Dutch Tulip Mania (if anyone is interested I have hundreds of Nirvanas I can sell you for the low price of $100pp lol).

Its easy for people to say this or that is overrated if the coral in question is not in their area of interest. Its far more interesting for a SPS guy to say Homewreckers or Walt Disney's are crap.

Finally, yes, Bounces (in all their swollen vesicle glory) are overrated. That's why I traded a few zoas for mine lol.

 

[CC13]

You are a maniac. Lolol. That is so funny.

LOLLLLL You know it.

Wait until I start fragging it. $100 per ounce.