Coral Frags and what makes them *LE*

[Jason McK]

We have all heard the term LE before. Many people use the term to promote frag sales or describe a special piece they have in their tanks.
But what is the term really mean. Who makes the distinction and should it be a term held in high regard.

I for one have no problem asking high prices for pieces I consider "high end" or displaying above average colouration but I do not believe I have, in all seriousness, called something LE.

Is LE bunk or just another way to classify a priced piece?

[christyf5]

I think its just another way to generate hype. Granted those pieces that are labelled LE are usually pretty fantastic looking I don't know about the whole "limited edition" label anyways as after awhile, many people have them through sales/trades and they're not so limited IMO.

[tang daddy]

Jason as soon as people hear LE they think rare and hard to get, not alot of the bloodline is floating around atleast in my mind. For me I don't really care about the name but more how appealing the coral is and really how it makes me feel everytime I see it. As we progress with sps keeping and the more we collect, we try to get more and more unique pieces. Typically LE pieces demand a bigger $$ value or does it? if everyone had the same LE piece I think prices would drive down making a once rare piece not too rare anymore. Heck I bet a few of us spsers have what we like to think as our own LE pieces. LE,SE is all in the eye of the beholder.

[niloc16]

i've always thought of LE as being pieces that are extremely slow growing or rarely seen meaning that when they are fragged it is usually 1 maybe 2 frags a year. Also i think wild colonies that become amazing looking are LE because little to no one will have the pieces. thats what i've been taught anyway

[Joe Reefer]

"Limited Edition" and "Show Piece" are things I don't understand. Why not make some goofy name for it, kinda like how zoos are named.

[Snappy]

Jason,
Corals that start as "LE" are labled as such because they are a rare piece that is only fragged on a limited basis and often have a waiting list to get one at least initially. Once more people have it and start fragging the pieces themselves making it more available and more common it should loose the "LE" lable.

Lando,
There are some crazy names for sps out there particularily in the States.
Here but a few examples off the top of my head:
Cali tort
purple monster
strawberry lemonade
bubble gum acro
super man monti
poker star monti
Hulk acro
Idaho grape
etc.

[Jason McK]

Yes I understand what the concept of LE is. My intent was to start a thread dealing with the legitamacy of the term, not just the defenition. Plus there are LE SPS, LPS, and Soft coral. It's not just SPS anymore

J

[michika]

I think it can be a legitimate term, when dealing with a slow growing piece, but it shouldn't trigger high prices. When I had slow growers I would classify them as LE, but would specify that it was because of their slow growth, I charged the same regardless, $10-20 per frag of about 1"-2".

[Jason McK]

Ok so as an example I have a Green milli. no one that I know has a green milli like mine it's really green. Do I have the right to say it's a LE green Milli. 50 people would likely say "I have a Green milli" what makes yours LE.

I guess I've sort of answer my own question. LE is in the eye of the buyer.


J

[untamed]

"LE" means nothing to me as a buyer. In fact, if someone names it like that I might shy away because It feels like I'm being conned. If I like it, I'll pay more for it. This is true regardless what fancy name it has or whether it has LE in front or not.

I have one or two corals that seem to be exceptionally slow growers. If I have a frag of those, I would ask for a higher price because my investment in producing it was so much more. However...if that frag isn't particularly beautiful, I doubt I would achieve that price.