What happened?????

[Madreefer]

Haven't ranted in a while

This isn't a hobby anymore!!! It's disgusting what people want for frags they call corals. Or fish. People should be ashamed of themselves!!!

[Scythanith]

I will still sell ya a frag for $25. But it won't be a frag of JF Home Wrecker!

I think it is very easy to get caught up with the collector mentality. Have to have some XYZ brand of coral and get mad when its $225/frag. If you have a good LFS, hopefully they have beauty corals for more reasonable $45-75/frag. I'm lucky to have an amazing shop in my hometown.

Fish is a different topic. Hawaiian fish are hard to come by, hence rising prices. Captive breeding programs cost money to get started, research, etc. That is reflected in the price of some CB fish costing more than their wild caught counterparts. But the benefits are too numerous to mention here.

Just my 2 cents

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Scythanith

I will still sell ya a frag for $25. But it won't be a frag of JF Home Wrecker!

I think it is very easy to get caught up with the collector mentality. Have to have some XYZ brand of coral and get mad when its $225/frag. If you have a good LFS, hopefully they have beauty corals for more reasonable $45-75/frag. I'm lucky to have an amazing shop in my hometown.

Fish is a different topic. Hawaiian fish are hard to come by, hence rising prices. Captive breeding programs cost money to get started, research, etc. That is reflected in the price of some CB fish costing more than their wild caught counterparts. But the benefits are too numerous to mention here.

Just my 2 cents

So far the people that have posted are just as wrapped up in the signature game as the ones you complain about.

There are plenty of cheap corals out there if you don't want to play the high end game.

Fishytime I still have that awesome prostrata you sold me a while back and would be happy to give a piece back.

I enjoy the high end side of the coral hobby. High end acros are my thing. However I could just as easily fill my tank for under $500 if I wanted to as well. Just because you don't want to pay hundred for frags doesn't mean others are not. I remember a time when $100 frags were expensive and people complained, now they are common. We should be complaining about size of frags. What we used to buy as frags in the past are now considered colonies. Frags are being cut into frags today and sold tomorrow.

Hawaii closed the doors on collection for the time being, this is why you see those prices skyrocketing on Hawaiian fish. Happened in the past before. Covid saw the prices of fish doubled in 2020, none of that had to do with greed and had everything to do with getting fish collected and on a plane.

However I do agree this has turned from a hobby into a business venture. Myself and a coupleclose friends give coral back and forth, but gone are the days of trades, its all about the almighty dollar.

[Scythanith]

Originally Posted by Ryan

So far the people that have posted are just as wrapped up in the signature game as the ones you complain about.

There are plenty of cheap corals out there if you don't want to play the high end game.

Fishytime I still have that awesome prostrata you sold me a while back and would be happy to give a piece back.

I enjoy the high end side of the coral hobby. High end acros are my thing. However I could just as easily fill my tank for under $500 if I wanted to as well. Just because you don't want to pay hundred for frags doesn't mean others are not. I remember a time when $100 frags were expensive and people complained, now they are common. We should be complaining about size of frags. What we used to buy as frags in the past are now considered colonies. Frags are being cut into frags today and sold tomorrow.

Hawaii closed the doors on collection for the time being, this is why you see those prices skyrocketing on Hawaiian fish. Happened in the past before. Covid saw the prices of fish doubled in 2020, none of that had to do with greed and had everything to do with getting fish collected and on a plane.

However I do agree this has turned from a hobby into a business venture. Myself and a coupleclose friends give coral back and forth, but gone are the days of trades, its all about the almighty dollar.

Sorry Ryan, not sure what group you are putting me in there I have zero problems with people trading or people selling for $1k a frag. If someone doesn’t like it, don’t buy it. And since tone isn’t transmitted through the internet yet, I am smiling happily as I type this

I trade with people that have stuff worth trading for. Snobby, sure is!

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by Madreefer

Haven't ranted in a while

This isn't a hobby anymore!!! It's disgusting what people want for frags they call corals. Or fish. People should be ashamed of themselves!!!

Agreed

[FishyFishy!]

It's absolutely ridiculous out there. And I hate when people buy into the hype and instead of pricing things accordingly, they think their stuff is worth fish store prices. It Jack's the "used" prices up too. I hate that this hobby has become a market instead of a community.

[kapow!]

Amen!

[hillegom]

I have put my livestock buying on hold for now

[gregzz4]

Asking $400 for a Yellow Tang is ludicrous
Clearly someone asking this price is not going to garner any future friends

I had a YT of 4.5" and gave it away for free due to a red mark on it's side

[Magia]

This is the reason I have a 200 gallon with no coral yet