What has happened to The reef hobby

Jeeperz · Mar 6, 2022

Fishfreak2009 said:
Honestly, I ignore 99% of the names and just buy what I think looks nice. I don't need names to know what I like and don't like, and if I do find a named coral that I like, I find someone locally selling it for much less than online. Why pay $80 for a 1" piece of hawkins echinata acropora, when a local reefer will sell me a 4" piece for $15?

Have you seen what the private sellers are asking for stuff on this site? Just as much as wwc or more.

Fishfreak2009 · Mar 6, 2022

Jeeperz said:
Have you seen what the private sellers are asking for stuff on this site? Just as much as wwc or more.

Most of my local forums/facebook pages are like that as well. I've been chatting with some of my local reefers that just like having big display tanks of large grown out colonies, and they sell their frags cheap (since they're normally just pruning to maintain some semblance of non-chaos or coral war, or accidentally break a branch while cleaning).

Just got to find someone in the hobby because they like it, not because they want to make millions off every little thing. I'm growing what I like, and honestly once I start fragging, I'll sell frag packs cheap or probably give most away to friends and local hobbyists, or trade frags with other reefers for stuff I don't already have. I did the same when I raised poison dart frogs.

Jeeperz · Mar 6, 2022

Fishfreak2009 said:
Most of my local forums/facebook pages are like that as well. I've been chatting with some of my local reefers that just like having big display tanks of large grown out colonies, and they sell their frags cheap (since they're normally just pruning to maintain some semblance of non-chaos or coral war, or accidentally break a branch while cleaning).

Just got to find someone in the hobby because they like it, not because they want to make millions off every little thing. I'm growing what I like, and honestly once I start fragging, I'll sell frag packs cheap or probably give most away to friends and local hobbyists, or trade frags with other reefers for stuff I don't already have. I did the same when I raised poison dart frogs.

That's the way to go. I found some good deals and even freebies from locals when I was living in a big city. Now everything I get is mail order due to location so I'm out of luck there. I don't mind paying more but coral prices are stupid now. If I sold everything at current prices, I'd make money. But I'd never be able to get those prices. Simple frogspawn that used to be at most $10 a head is now 30+.

Fishfreak2009 · Mar 6, 2022

Jeeperz said:
That's the way to go. I found some good deals and even freebies from locals when I was living in a big city. Now everything I get is mail order due to location so I'm out of luck there. I don't mind paying more but coral prices are stupid now. If I sold everything at current prices, I'd make money. But I'd never be able to get those prices. Simple frogspawn that used to be at most $10 a head is now 30+.

Yup. I don't normally buy Euphyllia. I liked gold hammers, same local guy that sold me the hawkins acro sold me a 2 headed gold hammer frag for $20, and a 5 headed frag of pink tipped green frogspawn for $20. He was pruning his 300g tank.

I bought a black light torch coral for $40 on AquaSD on sale months ago. It's thriving. I bought a ton of stuff today during their live sale, but didn't buy any Euphyllia because even on sale, they were still expensive. I used the money that would have bought 2 or 3 euphyllia to buy like 8 acros. Luckily, I won the $400 ultra Euphyllia pack at the end of the live sale, so I'm excited to see what Euphyllia I'm receiving!

Jeeperz · Mar 6, 2022

Nice. We got a couple nice rfa and a few other things like bird'snest, and cheap zoa's. Just can't pay the prices they are still asking.

Fishfreak2009 · Mar 6, 2022

Jeeperz said:
Nice. We got a couple nice rfa and a few other things like bird'snest, and cheap zoa's. Just can't pay the prices they are still asking.

Completely understand. We definitely spent more than we should have, but bought a lot of cheaper frags, and spent a little more on certain things we both really liked (like the giant clams and a few of the anemones). Then again, these same $75 crocea and $75 maxima would have been $200 each at my LFS that even carries clams. Most of them don't carry Tridacnids anymore. And I've never seen a Hippopus for sale locally since 2003, let alone for only $40.

MaxTremors · Mar 7, 2022

Lavey29 said:
Not sure what country you are on but that's expensive gas too. We know what caused our high prices and inflation here in the U.S.

Gas prices are surging around the world. Blaming it on a politician just shows a complete lack of understanding of how gas prices, inflation, or global economics work.

Sean Clark · Mar 7, 2022

When you don't put a bell on this sort of thing... I don't know when to show up.

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 7, 2022

Ya so coral got more expensive, maybe ppl will value it more and be more hesitant to take it home and kill it
D

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 7, 2022

Get better equipment. More.
Get a bigger display or sump. Buy a bigger skimmer
A calcium reaction ir fancy doser or computer controller for your tank.
Your gonna stock it with livestock that cost more. Lol.
D

Fishfreak2009 · Mar 7, 2022

I've been keeping saltwater fish since 2003, and have watched prices climb, especially in recent years. It doesn't surprise me though, all prices have gone up quite a bit. Want to be surprised at high prices? Look at the cost of higher education. Veterinary school is costing me roughly $100,000 per year, and I owe for my 8 years of undergrad as well. It's a mountain of debt, but it's in a field I love, and as for my undergrad, I got 2 bachelors degrees and 2 minors, knowing once I finish school I won't go back. I am the type of person that has multiple interests and wanted to pursue them all, so got a B.S. Biology with a minor in urban agriculture and agroecology, and a B.A. in German Languae and Literature with a minor in cultural anthropology.

Jeeperz · Mar 7, 2022

Fishfreak2009 said:
Completely understand. We definitely spent more than we should have, but bought a lot of cheaper frags, and spent a little more on certain things we both really liked (like the giant clams and a few of the anemones). Then again, these same $75 crocea and $75 maxima would have been $200 each at my LFS that even carries clams. Most of them don't carry Tridacnids anymore. And I've never seen a Hippopus for sale locally since 2003, let alone for only $40.

And 3 years ago that was a $40 clam at the place I used to go to

Jeeperz · Mar 7, 2022

Fishfreak2009 said:
I've been keeping saltwater fish since 2003, and have watched prices climb, especially in recent years. It doesn't surprise me though, all prices have gone up quite a bit. Want to be surprised at high prices? Look at the cost of higher education. Veterinary school is costing me roughly $100,000 per year, and I owe for my 8 years of undergrad as well. It's a mountain of debt, but it's in a field I love, and as for my undergrad, I got 2 bachelors degrees and 2 minors, knowing once I finish school I won't go back. I am the type of person that has multiple interests and wanted to pursue them all, so got a B.S. Biology with a minor in urban agriculture and agroecology, and a B.A. in German Languae and Literature with a minor in cultural anthropology.

The sad part is after all that schooling you make less than a beginner doctor yet put in more years of school. I used to know a couple vets.

Fishfreak2009 · Mar 7, 2022

Jeeperz said:
And 3 years ago that was a $40 clam at the place I used to go to

Wild harvested or captive bred? I remember the wild collected $50 blue maximas at frag tables at the Lansing Michigan Frag swaps back in like 2012-2014.

Lavey29 · Mar 7, 2022

MaxTremors said:
Gas prices are surging around the world. Blaming it on a politician just shows a complete lack of understanding of how gas prices, inflation, or global economics work.

Lol, my understanding is very clear, yours however is questionable

Jeeperz · Mar 7, 2022

monkeyCmonkeyDo said:
Ya so coral got more expensive, maybe ppl will value it more and be more hesitant to take it home and kill it
D

That's why I won't buy acro or Millie's. Stylo is as far as I go with sps

Jeeperz · Mar 7, 2022

Lavey29 said:
Lol, my understanding is very clear, yours however is questionable

It's both politicians AND speculators. Mostly speculators, but also politicians.

Jeeperz · Mar 7, 2022

Fishfreak2009 said:
Wild harvested or captive bred? I remember the wild collected $50 blue maximas at frag tables at the Lansing Michigan Frag swaps back in like 2012-2014.

Probably wild, I would assume since they were larger than 3".