Have coral colonies gotten smaller in size in display tanks since the 1990's and 2000's

[BerukasReef]

All pictures I see today from my perspective are rather small colonies and everyone is a reseller to some extent.

Is this perception correct or just a bias from looking at forums? For example someone might show off a Walt Disney 3 or 4" tall as show worthy fully grown, where in past you may have gotten a frag that big of something less expensive.

Growth rates are always subjective so I will leave that alone.

 

[Josh]

Absolutely! The price of corals has gotten quite extreme and as a result people frag things very quickly rather than letting them grow. I think it decreases their risk of losing a colony all at once but it is still annoying to see tanks that are just frags.

 

[Markbluereef]

I have never seen a grown colony of Walt Disney on insta or YouTube

 

[reefman]

frags then are colonies now. names are make up of the silliest stuff.

 

[emtbmike]

The problem is the majority of people that have a frag tank think they are a pet store. They try to charge the same price as the stores for the same size or smaller coral. This hobby became a business for too many people. What is worse is when they sell the same coral for a while. Then when it stops selling they make up a new name for it and sell it for the same or more money. They delete their sales post and comments to try to hide any evidence of them doing so. Now don't get me wrong. I have met a handful of people on here that treat this as a hobby. But they are out numbered.

 

[Jzdad]

I thinks it’s more of a business when some get a frag then they frag a frag and sell to recoup money, now there are so many names and hard to get corals and it makes the hobby challenging ( high prices as well as supply and demand , scammers , flakes ) you don’t see too many tanks with full grown colonies where there were Tanks of the Month with a summary of how they got there like back in the days .I’m an old school reefer and miss when you met someone that loves the hobby as much as you do and you swap frags not thinking of the money or coral ( and heaven forbid your tank crashes you got buddies that help you get back on your feet without a major hit after losing your whole aquarium) and you got another reefing buddy . my how things have changed. Sorry if I offended anybody

 

[Timbo]

Oh man, MR staff did you hear that? Tank of the month???? Let’s bring it back!!

 

[duke62]

Yeah no one has grown out corals anymore SMH. I think you’re looking in the wrong spots lol

 

[ssdawood]

All pictures I see today from my perspective are rather small colonies and everyone is a reseller to some extent.

Is this perception correct or just a bias from looking at forums? For example someone might show off a Walt Disney 3 or 4" tall as show worthy fully grown, where in past you may have gotten a frag that big of something less expensive.

Growth rates are always subjective so I will leave that alone.

Let's see the other side.
Since your pointing fingers at others for having smaller colonies let's see your tank with larger ones.

Now if you do have larger colonies, you would not care about other people tanks with smaller colonies. You will show it to everyone and will be talk of town.

The way I see it corals have changed. Back in the day you were growing green slimer, bird nest etc.
There was hardly any hard sps in any tanks. Knowledge and education didn't exist.
Today we have smaller colonies but more color and we can grow harder species in our tanks.
Show me something similar in color to Walt Disney from 2000 in colony form from a personal tank ?
Even LPS, even Shrooms. Did bounce existed in 2000 ?


As for reselling, that exists in every thing nowadays.
People sell branded clothes, electronics , furniture etc.
Some of them are only 10 percent below cost.

I don't see it as bad. Even if the reefer marked it 10 percent below store I am happy. If I am not then there is always someone else I can buy from.

I don't see people selling as bad. As for smaller colonies what they do is their things.I do understand to buy corals every month costs upwards of 2000 dollars sometimes. That money has to come from somewhere. Anyone buying high end coral knows the pressure of coral dying, spouse lol etc.

Now I could be proven wrong in every thing that I said. It's OK, atleast I will be more knowledgeable.

 

[Jzdad]

Yeah no one has grown out corals anymore SMH. I think you’re looking in the wrong spots lol
View attachment 312698

Wow ! Beautiful tank !! What reefing is all about!!!!

 

[BerukasReef]

I understand the people doing this will invert the question. If you enjoy social reselling on forums it is technically OK. Some trendy Tenuis grow very slow and other do not I get that. Some are simply wild caught and sold for 200 with little chance of success.

This humorous topic came about when Sanjay was speaking at Aquashella Dallas. I have a previous tank photo showing old school corals grown out but lost it due to storms... . I am currently at equivalent of 100 cc per day each of two part and am in trench growing these out with a tank thread. I am at 4" colonies now and hope to keep going without electricity interruptions and stupid human mistakes.

 

[BerukasReef]

I thinks it’s more of a business when some get a frag then they frag a frag and sell to recoup money, now there are so many names and hard to get corals and it makes the hobby challenging ( high prices as well as supply and demand , scammers , flakes ) you don’t see too many tanks with full grown colonies where there were Tanks of the Month with a summary of how they got there like back in the days .I’m an old school reefer and miss when you met someone that loves the hobby as much as you do and you swap frags not thinking of the money or coral ( and heaven forbid your tank crashes you got buddies that help you get back on your feet without a major hit after losing your whole aquarium) and you got another reefing buddy . my how things have changed. Sorry if I offended anybody

Not offended and if you were how did you make it this far? I am two years out from goal I think.

 

[BerukasReef]

I have never seen a grown colony of Walt Disney on insta or YouTube

I only found one example ! Walt Disney is just an example as I think Jackson Tenuis is much nicer.

 

[duke62]

Looks great and lots of work. May we ask the age of system and how long that took? I do see your peer group as getting smaller for this type of success.

I have plenty of peers that have grown out tanks. If you are looking for full blown tanks on one forum then maybe that’s why you are not finding grown out tanks. Also you may be looking at a hand full of expensive sellers. I know on Instagram there are plenty of grown out systems and plenty selling at decent prices. I am never in this forum anymore just popped on today and this is the first thread I saw. You have to open your searches a bit more

 

[NYCReefer7]

Not offended and if you were how did you make it this far? I am two years out from goal I think.

though I haven't been reefing that long I do have an old school mentality. That is why I have stopped buying from "hobbyist". What I have noticed is that they will buy say a single Indo gold torch, for $250.00, grow it out, and say frag it 4 heads off it and then sell each head for $250.00.

To me when you do that then you're trying to be a business. I'm not saying that they should sell the heads for nothing because sure it takes time and such but when you sell for the same as a lfs then to me you're no longer a hobbyist but rather you're a business. And that's great if you are but I'm not buying from you.

Not only that but some guy recently listed an acantho for $4000 but when it didn't move he dropped the price to $1500. Which to me means that he bought it for at most $1500 and tried to see if he could flip it for a quick profit, personally I find that behavior crappy and again why I am over buying from "hobbyist/private sellers".

 

[Jzdad]

Not offended and if you were how did you make it this far? I am two years out from goal I think.

No, what I mean is that some people take things the wrong way or out of context and I’m not into controversy just learning and seeing reefers accomplishments! Nothing offends me if a person sells I’m by no means knocking them. To each it’s own ! Tank threads use to be the thing for inspiration. One goal reached by many different ways to make us strive for that ultimate goal !!! An awesome tank !!! I didn’t start this thread , I just added my .02 cents about liking to see full blown tanks. I love this hobby even with the ups and down, it only makes you better or learn how to get around it !!! That all I was referring too

 

[Jamesmost]

Some ppl do have grown out tanks...but still sell fresh cut nubs that die!!!!