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

[jt17]

WWC in Orlando now has a $10 per frag tank and a tank full of 3 for $10 frags. Yes, $3.33 per frag. Beat that Michigan
Orlando has 13 LFS, all of which have a discount tank full of corals and this time of year the competition is tight. As more growers expand their aquaculture production pricing will continue to decline on the not so rare stuff. The new high end stuff will continue to get more expensive as increased pressure from environmental groups try and stop wild collected corals from entering the market place.
This conversation comes up often and is usually sparked by the desire to have what we can't afford. The bottom line is, it's all supply and demand and if you can market your corals well then you can influence the demand.

 

[that Reef Guy]

WWC in Orlando now has a $10 per frag tank and a tank full of 3 for $10 frags. Yes, $3.33 per frag. Beat that Michigan
Orlando has 13 LFS, all of which have a discount tank full of corals and this time of year the competition is tight. As more growers expand their aquaculture production pricing will continue to decline on the not so rare stuff. The new high end stuff will continue to get more expensive as increased pressure from environmental groups try and stop wild collected corals from entering the market place.
This conversation comes up often and is usually sparked by the desire to have what we can't afford. The bottom line is, it's all supply and demand and if you can market your corals well then you can influence the demand.

Sure but what exactly is in the 10.00 Frag Tank?

Xenia, Green Star Polyp, and Pink Briarium?

Just because it is cheap does not mean it is good.

Most likely only stuff Noobs would buy but maybe I am wrong.

Please tell us what they have in there I am very curious.

 

[playin gmz]

You are wrong, just picked up two beautiful 10 dollar chalices from Lou (WWC)at SCRC no xenia or green star polyps in their tank. What exactly is wrong with noob corals anyway? To each their own bud. Fla Rocks!

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

I would rather "pay more" in florida, than live through one of MI cold months.

 

[joshporksandwich]

This turned into an all out war lolol. If you know where to look you can find deals anywhere you just need to look. I've purchased rastas for $2pp utters for $5pp bloodshots $10pp and many other deals in florida but there's always people that sell more expensive. Some of my nicest morphs come from local LFS that I've purchased a rock with 100 polyps for $40. besides down here there's like 30 stores in a 30 mile radius. There's a street down here with 10 stores in a 3 mile radius lol

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I wonder if the cost of living has anything to do with it. Both of those states have higher costs of living than most parts of the country. This means that the price of coral would be higher because overhead for the shop selling it would be higher. Just my .02. :no idea:

 

[RichieT]

I wonder if the cost of living has anything to do with it. Both of those states have higher costs of living than most parts of the country. This means that the price of coral would be higher because overhead for the shop selling it would be higher. Just my .02. :no idea:

Florida and Michigan seem to be fairly similar in terms of cost of doing business.
Top States 2013: Overall Rankings

I still maintain that you can't compare online prices to the prices at LFS, it's a ridiculous comparison that means nothing. Even Sexy Mike will tell you that he hasn't updated his prices on his website for a few years. If you go by that site then red hornets are still $195pp.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Florida and Michigan seem to be fairly similar in terms of cost of doing business.
Top States 2013: Overall Rankings

I still maintain that you can't compare online prices to the prices at LFS, it's a ridiculous comparison that means nothing. Even Sexy Mike will tell you that he hasn't updated his prices on his website for a few years. If you go by that site then red hornets are still $195pp.

I definitely agree about the idea of comparing online prices and lfs prices. I am VERY surprised that Florida and Michigan are in the same ballpark where the cost of doing business is concerned. Is it possible that costs average out in Florida due to the panhandle? I'm sure doing business in Orlando or West Palm Beach is a good bit more expensive than anywhere in Michigan...but that's just based on what I know real estate prices to be.

 

[JFrar]

im in florida i only go to a LFS i trust... if he has a good coral i've been into i buy it...but for reasonable prices...the most rediculous thing i've boughten so far was a single "rhasta" zoa for $20. it now has 2 heads and a third forming(bought 1 1/2 months ago).... I refuse to pay for anything that seems redic. I just bought a nice acro about 1 1/2 inch with 3 branches for $20 and its nice looking, green polyps and the body is getting blue. Rainbow monti - $25... Nice super purple mili - $35, Few chalices i dont know the name of but 1 is tri-colored and they've all been $25-35 and look awesome. i cap my buying of corals around $50 which usually i never get that high, generally $20-35 and they are nice decent size pieces. I dont like the ordinary. I think it depends on the Micro-community in the city like areas, and by the way im on the space coast(NASA) and we have a decent population it isnt small town here... I think what im paying here is same price generally anywhere in the country..

 

[JFrar]

I wonder if the cost of living has anything to do with it. Both of those states have higher costs of living than most parts of the country. This means that the price of coral would be higher because overhead for the shop selling it would be higher. Just my .02. :no idea:

Most of florida is really not high cost of living, ya beachside is little more expensive.... now miami(and around mostly north)/the keys are definately high cost of living, and cities like orlando/tampa etc might be little higher...but mostly not... I'm in a decent neighborhood 1300 sq ft house $850 a month. once again im on the space coast(NASA) area.... i used to live beachside a 1 minute walk to beach and paid $800 a month, but the house was little beat up.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Most of florida is really not high cost of living, ya beachside is little more expensive.... now miami(and around mostly north)/the keys are definately high cost of living, and cities like orlando/tampa etc might be little higher...but mostly not... I'm in a decent neighborhood 1300 sq ft house $850 a month. once again im on the space coast(NASA) area.... i used to live beachside a 1 minute walk to beach and paid $800 a month, but the house was little beat up.

Awesome! Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[cutterx23]

Most of florida is really not high cost of living, ya beachside is little more expensive.... now miami(and around mostly north)/the keys are definately high cost of living, and cities like orlando/tampa etc might be little higher...but mostly not... I'm in a decent neighborhood 1300 sq ft house $850 a month. once again im on the space coast(NASA) area.... i used to live beachside a 1 minute walk to beach and paid $800 a month, but the house was little beat up.

Well that beats the heck out of SoCal hahaha

 

[Sn4k33Y3z]

The wholesalers have caught on. I've talked to a couple of local shops and they said the wholesale prices have skyrocketed for the nice stuff. One said a rainbow chalice colony that he could have bought from a wholesaler a year or so ago for $1000 is now $3 to $4000 from the same wholesaler. They have seen what the retailers are doing price wise and they have raised their prices to get a piece of the pie.

Honestly, we as hobbyists are the ones to blame IMO. Think about it, we've allowed the "name game" and hype drive up prices on all these beautiful gems. People post pictures and comments showing what they've got and what they've paid for these said corals. So in the pure sense of things, we as a community I think have done it to ourselves. It's like going to a big name grocery store using their "member card" to save a few dollars for gas. People are so caught up on saving the money in gas that they can't see their hand in-front of their face to realize, they are just ENABLING the retailer to dictate their prices. They use that scanned information to track what's being bought. This gives them leverage to up the price on milk, bread etc. of said brand. Same thing is happening to us here! As much as we like to share photo's and information publically, it ultimately hurts when it comes to cost. Cause people want to talk about it. That's why said retailer is like "Look at this one of a kind rainbow *blah*"- then everyone looks and says WOW and then questions and hype follow it. Your playing the game they've wanted you to play all along... P.S I have a cornbred bowser for sale if anyone is interested LOL. That was last years hype. Think I can get the same price for it now then what I paid when it was hyped up?

 

[that Reef Guy]

You are wrong, just picked up two beautiful 10 dollar chalices from Lou (WWC)at SCRC no xenia or green star polyps in their tank. What exactly is wrong with noob corals anyway? To each their own bud. Fla Rocks!

Well what did you get?

 

[CUNAReefer]

 

[Diesel]

LOL........ nice way to break it up.
This can come only from you, but yeah I agree!

 

[CUNAReefer]

LOL........ nice way to break it up.
This can come only from you, but yeah I agree!

At the end of the day... Its just a hobby. Enjoy it and try to have fun

 

[650-IS350]

Don't like the price DON'T buy, let the first sucka pay that outrageous price. I'm not one to buy into the crazy hype and name game that's associated with high prices in this hobby. There is price gouging in this hobby, I won't back off from that statement as it can be seen everywhere. Too each to his own. Its not going away plain and simple learn to live with that fact. That's the main reason why I haven't bought coral for a while now. Fact is there are some corals out there that look way better than some of these high priced named coral that are blasted with LEDs or tank looking all blue in pictures.
[h=1]There's a sucker born every minute[/h] "

 

[Eienna]

Well that beats the heck out of SoCal hahaha

No kidding x.x
Though San Diego is on the higher side of things...hence why I'm currently in Menifee and not there...

 

[FL_Reefer]

I just buy what I like, O and I have some radioactive dragon eyes for sale for $100pp, lol I have gotten some deals from LFS and some swaps here in FL where I was like.. that was a great deal and at other times I've seen some things that I've had to look twice at the price. If I'm willing to pay than it's worth it to me.