Hello everyone. Just wanted to get your thoughts. I'm new to the hobby and was looking on ebay, and found that you can get coral for unbelievable prices. Most the vendors on ebay will allow to do bid on corals for up to about 1-2 weeks. If you plan to buy coral from the same vendor, they will only charge you one shipping cost. Which is a great deal. Most of these vendors seem legit, and all have the ebay "top seller list" attached to their name. I've never bought coral when it is shipped in the mail, so my question is, do I have anything to worry about when I get coral in the mail? Everything on ebay is overnight shipping, but every vendor seems to be on the west coast. Is that too far to ship coral, here to the east coast? All the vendors also seem to have Alive on arrival guarantees (with strict guidelines on how to prove this). Thanks. Would appreciate some feedback.
Buying live coral from EBAY. Good or bad idea?
- Thread starter AJimmy419
- Start date
over night is over night, i would just surf the FS section here to look for corals u want, cause u can actually see them in person before u buy them, witch is good for 2 reason, 1 u see the condition its in before purchase (like whether its healthy) as well as the condition of the tank its coming from, and 2 u meet cool ppl who u can learn from. just my 2 cents
- Location
- Staten Island
Be Careful, some of the corals listed on Ebay are so small you need a microscope to see them! Better off supporting the MR vendors.
ryangrieder
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Northern Jersey
If you've been living/shopping in Greenwich, then I understand the "unbelievable prices" statement. IMO, you can find more corals on this site (especially with the upcoming swap), that are probably better and less expensive than Ebay.
- Location
- Midtown East, Manhattan
You can get some great deals here in the marketplace and from other members. I've given some stuff away and got lots of stuff for free but if you really have your heart set on getting something off ebay, I'd wait til the end of summer, just so that nothing will be sitting in the sun or in the back of a hot truck. Insulation can only do so much. Also, go for the wysiwig auctions and use the white egg crate basket in the pics to get an idea of the coral size.
- Location
- FREEPORT,LONG ISLAND
oct 10, great deals
- Location
- North Jersey
Ive been lucky off ebay before, but only from buying from respected sellers, reefkoi and fishnfrags. I bid on one acan colony that looked like 10 heads or so, ended up being about 50! The colony was the size of a mini basketball! But as it always is on ebaym, buyer beware.
- Location
- Yonkers, NY
BAD - we have ManhattanReefs for that!
There are Market Place and DBTC forums.
Post a WTB message here first - support MR and then if no one replys with an offer go somewhere else.
There are Market Place and DBTC forums.
Post a WTB message here first - support MR and then if no one replys with an offer go somewhere else.
that's actually how i met reefkoi and he's got great deals on his site...its good to email the seller and try to establish a relationship with them first and maybe see if they have a real site off ebay...cool way to get nice frag packs.
- Location
- Far Rockaway
You have to know who to buy from I just bought like 7 sps frags 1inch for $40 and shipping was $45 and the corals i bought would range from $35 to $65 a frag so it was a still for me and this is the 3rd time i bought from him.
sharkbait69
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Monmouth County NJ
rare coral/mr coral has garbage. half the stuff is DOA or dies in the tank.
Do a search on him he has a bad an well deserved rap.
I buy just all my frags and fish online. Even with shipping its still cheaper. I will shop at most website that have free shipping. Most of brick and mortor stores that do have nice coral try and charge an arm and a leg for it or try and justify the cost with a name. At least on the web i can see a whole wide range of coral that most stores don't have. As for ebay, if they don't have a website or store, then its a basement seller. At least thats how i feel.
Last edited:
- Location
- Queens
Agree 100%
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
I just want to be clear for the OP, that it is not the shipping of coral over night from Ca. or wherever that is necessarily a bad idea--this goes on all the time. The issue is finding a seller that is reputable, has good stock and knows how to ship properly. Some do, some don't and even the good ones have issues from time to time.
As a newer hobbyist you are much better off buying from places ( shops or local vendors) where you can see the livestock, ask questions and learn from the seller, and learn how to evaluate things up close, in person. Saving a few $$$ on frags is really a pretty shortsighted way to approach learning about the hobby IMO.
As a newer hobbyist you are much better off buying from places ( shops or local vendors) where you can see the livestock, ask questions and learn from the seller, and learn how to evaluate things up close, in person. Saving a few $$$ on frags is really a pretty shortsighted way to approach learning about the hobby IMO.
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