High End Markets (California and Florida) Can you find Deals at Frag Swaps or No - Online your Price

[DaveMorris]

It was mentioned above, but I'll say it again...I think it has to do with the number of reefers in these areas. I would argue that Southern California has the highest density of reefers in the country. Florida is probably very close to the same kind of numbers and I think it is simply supply and demand. People here in SoCal know that there are tons of potential customers here locally. That drives up the cost since more people in one area will want the same coral.

Personally I never get enamored by the named corals. Certain individuals started that years back, charge tons for the corals primarily by creating some new "LE" this or that. I don't buy into it. If I see a coral that I like I buy it. I don't even keep track of the name of corals in my tank.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Here is one to prove my point.

After visiting a California Web Site I saw that Rastas were 55.00 a Polyp!

Meanwhile a guy in Michigan has a Rock with over 100 Rasta Polyps on it.

Originally he wanted 300.00 for the Whole Rock (Less than 3.00 a Polyp).

But it sat and sat and sat because nobody in Michigan would pay 3.00 a Polyp even though people in California pay 55.00 a Polyp.

Now he has it listed for 150.00 for the Whole Rock of Over 100 Rastas and guess what it is still for Sale (Less than 1.50 a Polyp).

Is there any Logic in this?

The Guy in California should buy it for 150.00 and sell it for over 5,500 for major profit.

I have the Link just in case you guys do not believe me.

 

[Clayalaleona]

No one is going to buy rastas at $55 pp not no a days lol. I live in Miami and yes the prices are crazy but if you get to know the vendors or trade you end up saving a lot of money especially on shipping. I cant stand knowing what shipping actually costs a medium/large company and still have them charge $50 in shipping... Also we get some pretty awesome looking stuff down here and things are a whole lot easier to find. Joshporksandwich lives pretty close(I need to visit the guy some day lol), Reef chicks, south side corals, reef gardener and a couple other vendors are less than 20 minutes away... I dont spend more than $50 when I go out to get some fire

 

[RichieT]

Here is one to prove my point.

After visiting a California Web Site I saw that Rastas were 55.00 a Polyp!

Meanwhile a guy in Michigan has a Rock with over 100 Rasta Polyps on it.

Originally he wanted 300.00 for the Whole Rock (Less than 3.00 a Polyp).

But it sat and sat and sat because nobody in Michigan would pay 3.00 a Polyp even though people in California pay 55.00 a Polyp.

Now he has it listed for 150.00 for the Whole Rock of Over 100 Rastas and guess what it is still for Sale (Less than 1.50 a Polyp).

Is there any Logic in this?

The Guy in California should buy it for 150.00 and sell it for over 5,500 for major profit.

I have the Link just in case you guys do not believe me.

Your logic is flawed. You are assuming that because you see a price on a website that people are paying that price. I live in San Francisco and I assure you that i can get Rastas for between $5-10 pp. You also can't compare single polyp prices to colony prices that you breakdown into individual prices. It's not selling because people refuse to spend 1.50 pp. it s not selling because people don't want to drop 150 on a frag.

 

[Tjohnson8057]

I live in orlando and I online and LFS's are night and day. And I can see stuff being cheap in mi last place I wanna be is Detroit lol

 

[BODI]

I am amazed that (anyone in their right mind from anywhere in the world) would be willing to drop North of 1K on a single baby mushroom, yet some do... I suppose it takes all kinds of people to make a world though :tongue:

My tank is full of $50 or less frags lol, they are still beautiful to look at IMO

 

[Reef_a_holiks]

90% of my collection has been bought from reefers here in FL and I have never payed more than 40pp on anything. the other 10% was from wwc, reefkoi, legendary corals, planet zoa, addicting corals, two guy corals or zoanthind.com. I drive all over south FL and visit a lot of peoples homes and it's payed off!!!

If you mean local reefers as the people who sale and trade from home, I dont know how you never paid more than 40pp. Ive been to a couple here in florida as well, and yes the prices and deals are better than buying it online or from a store, but they are still on the pricy side. i paid 20pp for a rasta from a reef hobbyist here in florida. As a matter of fact , ive been to your home josh. Also places like wwc, legendary corals, and especially zoanthids.com is so incredibly expensive and than on top of that you have to pay for shipping, its just crazy. Ive seen your collection, i find it hard to believe you got all those corals from places like zoanthids.com and local reefers, in order to get all those corals from those kind of places you would have to waste thousands of dollars. and if im wrong please tell me how you do it, because i want in to . I would love to have a collection like yours at a fraction of the cost.

I havent bought any corals in a while , because im still trying to figure this out. the prices latley have just been crazy.

 

[that Reef Guy]

If you mean local reefers as the people who sale and trade from home, I dont know how you never paid more than 40pp. Ive been to a couple here in florida as well, and yes the prices and deals are better than buying it online or from a store, but they are still on the pricy side. i paid 20pp for a rasta from a reef hobbyist here in florida. As a matter of fact , ive been to your home josh. Also places like wwc, legendary corals, and especially zoanthids.com is so incredibly expensive and than on top of that you have to pay for shipping, its just crazy. Ive seen your collection, i find it hard to believe you got all those corals from places like zoanthids.com and local reefers, in order to get all those corals from those kind of places you would have to waste thousands of dollars. and if im wrong please tell me how you do it, because i want in to . I would love to have a collection like yours at a fraction of the cost.

I havent bought any corals in a while , because im still trying to figure this out. the prices latley have just been crazy.

20.00 a Polyp is still Crazy.

And you got it from someone at their house where stuff is the Cheapest?

Most Expensive to Cheapest (Online, LFS, Frag Swap, Reefers House).

I went to a guys house last week and this is what I got.

Red Hornets - 25 Polyps - 20.00 (0.80 a Polyp)
Rastas - 9 Polyps - 15.00 (1.67 a Polyp)
Fruit Loops - 26 Polyps on Three Frag Plugs - 40.00 (1.54 a Polyp)
Miami Vice - 38 Polyps - 20.00 (0.53 a Polyp)
My Clementines - 15 Polyps - 30.00 (2.00 a Polyp)
L.A. Lakers - 11 Polyps - 10.00 (0.91 a Polyp)

And I did not even try to Haggle with him.

I paid his asking Prices.

What would you guys have paid for that stuff in Florida?

20 Times what I paid for the very same thing?

Are there no Casual Reefers at all there? There are a ton of people like this person that I visit here in Michigan.

Is everyone just in it for the Money?

I feel bad for people in Florida.

 

[Reef_a_holiks]

20.00 a Polyp is still Crazy.

And you got it from someone at their house where stuff is the Cheapest?

Most Expensive to Cheapest (Online, LFS, Frag Swap, Reefers House).

I went to a guys house last week and this is what I got.

Red Hornets - 25 Polyps - 20.00 (0.80 a Polyp)
Rastas - 9 Polyps - 15.00 (1.67 a Polyp)
Fruit Loops - 26 Polyps on Three Frag Plugs - 40.00 (1.54 a Polyp)
Miami Vice - 38 Polyps - 20.00 (0.53 a Polyp)
My Clementines - 15 Polyps - 30.00 (2.00 a Polyp)

And I did not even try to Haggle with him.

I paid his asking Prices.

What would you guys have paid for that stuff in Florida?

20 Times what I paid for the very same thing?

Are there no Casual Reefers at all there? There are a ton of people like this person that I visit here in Michigan.

Is everyone just in it for the Money?

Man i wish people and prices were like that down here. i understand they are trying to make money on it , that fine. i know they have bills to pay and all that , but dont rip me.

 

[Eienna]

Cali sucks you dry to live or have a business here. That's partly why the prices are so steep. LFSes and such are just trying to stay afloat out here.

 

[$pikes_{air]

post that link for the rastas

 

[cimmorine]

I pay $10 a polyp for la and fruit loops to just have them melt on me.

 

[Beradd]

I have lived and kept reefs in both Michigan and Florida. Michigan has more selection of reef stuff than Florida by my experiences . I personally am in a black hole as far as named coral goes and have little choice than to have coral shipped in from across the country. In Michigan I had thousands of gallons at an hours drive with tropicorium, fish doc, pruiss animal house, fish doctor , of just the ones I can remember from about 10 years ago... here in the panhandle of florida my best coral LFS is literally a 15' by 10 closet attached to a high end mechanic shop... or... the corperate conglomerate Pet land... I would almost kill for the choices and selection of cool LFS's you have in Michigan ...not to mention the garage farmers up there... My theory on the reasoning it is like this is ...if your covered in snow 5-6 months of the year you NEED cool stuff in house. not to mention the simulated sunlight to fight off the seasonal depression of not seeing the sun much. so keep rubbin it in that you have it good.. ...but speaking of frag swaps ....Josh, any word on the Jacksonville frag swap date or place and if you are going? ive been waiting almost a year to drive 4 hours for that?

 

[that Reef Guy]

Man i wish people and prices were like that down here. i understand they are trying to make money on it , that fine. i know they have bills to pay and all that , but dont rip me.

What are the Cheapest that you have seen these Corals in Florida and California?

 

[that Reef Guy]

post that link for the rastas

OK



For the Non Believers.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I pay $10 a polyp for la and fruit loops to just have them melt on me.

I pay less than a dollar a polyp and they grow like weeds.

Sorry to hear that.

 

[cutterx23]

Your logic is flawed. You are assuming that because you see a price on a website that people are paying that price. I live in San Francisco and I assure you that i can get Rastas for between $5-10 pp. You also can't compare single polyp prices to colony prices that you breakdown into individual prices. It's not selling because people refuse to spend 1.50 pp. it s not selling because people don't want to drop 150 on a frag.

Thank you for finally being the one to say it... And I mean really what are we talking about? AOG's for $400? Did that frag ever sell? Just because a price is marked as it is doesn't mean it ever sells for that price. If you can find Hallucinations and Stratosphere's and so on for pennies on the dollar, then I get what you're saying, and hell I'll be the first one on a plane out there to buy it ALL. But I don't think that's what you're talking about. Ya you can find sunny D's and rastas and so on for $50-$75pp online, eBay, etc. but doesn't mean you or anybody else has to buy it unless they are inclined to. It is what it is, IMO just be happy you feel like you're catching a steal out in MI.

 

[$pikes_{air]

thats pretty awesome, doesn't mention anything about shipping though. tsk tsk

 

[cutterx23]

thats pretty awesome, doesn't mention anything about shipping though. tsk tsk

Probably doesn't ship... They keep the deals in MI apparently haha

 

[cutterx23]

We've got a guy here in SoCal that gives Rastas away for free, so does that mean the value of them is nothing? No. As is said in all these price threads, the value is determined by the buyer not seller. Let the guy that spends $50 for a rasta and is happy about it be happy. You can spend pennies and be happy. Florida and Cali don't need you to feel sorry for us, trust me