Sellers upcharge because they have those designer names. What I did starting out was sort by low to high and buy the cheapest ones I could that I still loved the color of. Build your tank based on what you can afford and like.
My local reef shop doesn't even put up names. Just groups them by price. They do a $9 frag sale every couple months and I've gotten some amazing looking corals. It obviously takes a while for them to get big but that's all part of the fun to me
*“Goldibollocks Honey Bears Nipples zoas available at the great price of only 89.99 for 3 heads!!”*
None of that nonsense at my LFS though, online sellers are a different case though.
My advice is to look for the local groups. In my area, the Facebook group is great. There is also a small-scale farmer in our area that has way better deals than online. I have much better luck with corals from locals - Shipping is always tough on them.
Local groups is your best bet .I got a local reefer turned good friend that has a coral shop in his garage .nothing in my tank is over 25-30$ .I just got a 2 head exosphere frag for 25$ .next is a borbonius anthias for 200$
Yep definitely 2nd this, lots of great local groups that will sell you corals for much less! And it’s a good way to make new friends with people that share the same hobby! Where are you based?
Those are crazy prices!
I'm based in UK and got a mixed pack with 4 zoa colonies from eBay for £40, with each colony counting 8-20 heads.
Do I know the name of my zoas? Nope. But they're stunning anyway, so who cares lol
This is what I was thinking. I'm running the risk of not seeing them in person. I've also looked at another online shop and they have the same coral for £10
Yea dont get me wrong if you see them in person and like them for the price go for it. But I have 10 zoa frags, some “designer” some not and have only spent $50 on one when I was really new to the hobby.
Zoa prices currently are crazy due to so many stunning varieties and rarities. I've seen some frags at £40 for 1 head for higher end zoas. More dull types will be better priced can be as low as £10 per frag for single colours etc.
Yeah but don't you find that the hype brings the price of the in zoa at the time but then another one pops up with a new ridiculous name that has a price that is equally ridiculous. I remember people going mental for bounce shrooms the price of those were insane for about 6 months.
In UK abyss aquatics and mailordercorals are usually ok priced. I live near mailordercorals so I just collect from him. Kraken corals seems mega expensive. Fish’n’Fins in Brechin is mega cheap but doesn’t do mail order. He’s only just reopened so hasn’t stocked coral yet.
Find a LFS. Found some pink zoas (can’t remember the name) at mine and he said he was seeing them for $20/head. He gave me a frag with 10 heads for $20 because “they grow so fast” - and he did have a huge clump to pull from. Online prices are only viable when you don’t have a LFS within hours and if you’re looking for something very specific
I recommend all you motherfuckers, get your zoas from Queen City corals. The best god damn packaging I’ve ever seen in my life. My package got delayed a day in 37 degree motherfucking weather and I only lost ONE mushroom out of 13 frags.
Oof sorry man. I was just so impressed with them. Every coral was in a little plastic cup rubberbanded, double bagged. When my package got delayed we dropped do 39 degrees here, idk what that is in European but it was fuckin COLD. I emailed them and they said hey dude if anything dies we’ll replace it. Only one thing died. I will say I refuse to pay more than 15 bucks for a zoa. Not worth it
It all depends on what zoas your looking to get. In the US its not uncommon for a GMK for to for $200+ for a single polyp, but i would be shocked to see any frag of 5 hornets go for more than $30 ( maybe blues ).
Also Zoas got hit hard by the collector bandwagon. So becareful of names
For an actual shop those prices are probably okay. Where I’m from zoans start at around 25 for the most basic ones at shops. Obviously privately it’s cheaper or you get way more heads for the price. But zoans grow really fast if your water quality is alright.so if you don’t like shopping on marketplace (which I can understand, as a beginner other reefers will bombard you with advice and it’s not always easy to see if a tank has issues you might bring to yours) those prices are okay. I would check other vendors in your area of course first to see if they have better prices or more polyps
Sellers upcharge because they have those designer names. What I did starting out was sort by low to high and buy the cheapest ones I could that I still loved the color of. Build your tank based on what you can afford and like.
My local reef shop doesn't even put up names. Just groups them by price. They do a $9 frag sale every couple months and I've gotten some amazing looking corals. It obviously takes a while for them to get big but that's all part of the fun to me
*“Goldibollocks Honey Bears Nipples zoas available at the great price of only 89.99 for 3 heads!!”* None of that nonsense at my LFS though, online sellers are a different case though.
My advice is to look for the local groups. In my area, the Facebook group is great. There is also a small-scale farmer in our area that has way better deals than online. I have much better luck with corals from locals - Shipping is always tough on them.
Yeah it's costing me over 100 pound for 3 zoas. I just want some nice corals haha 😄
Local groups is your best bet .I got a local reefer turned good friend that has a coral shop in his garage .nothing in my tank is over 25-30$ .I just got a 2 head exosphere frag for 25$ .next is a borbonius anthias for 200$
Yep definitely 2nd this, lots of great local groups that will sell you corals for much less! And it’s a good way to make new friends with people that share the same hobby! Where are you based?
I am in the Pacific NW, US.
Those are crazy prices! I'm based in UK and got a mixed pack with 4 zoa colonies from eBay for £40, with each colony counting 8-20 heads. Do I know the name of my zoas? Nope. But they're stunning anyway, so who cares lol
As someone whose new to this game I never even thought of buying frags from eBay. Are they in good nick?
Can be. Reef2reef also has livestock selling and plenty of people ship. The major retailers (wwc) charge absolutely insane prices for everything.
Those are some pricy Zoas I’d suggest looking at local markets or going on OfferUp
Zoanthids regularly go on sale for $10 a frag.
yea dont fuel these inflated prices by buying them. How a single polyp of a “problem coral” can cost so much cracks me up
This is what I was thinking. I'm running the risk of not seeing them in person. I've also looked at another online shop and they have the same coral for £10
Yea dont get me wrong if you see them in person and like them for the price go for it. But I have 10 zoa frags, some “designer” some not and have only spent $50 on one when I was really new to the hobby.
Zoa prices currently are crazy due to so many stunning varieties and rarities. I've seen some frags at £40 for 1 head for higher end zoas. More dull types will be better priced can be as low as £10 per frag for single colours etc.
Zoas are so much cheaper than 10 years ago. A single krak was £200, now they are £18-30. You don't know how good you have it!
Yeah but don't you find that the hype brings the price of the in zoa at the time but then another one pops up with a new ridiculous name that has a price that is equally ridiculous. I remember people going mental for bounce shrooms the price of those were insane for about 6 months.
It was worse 8 years ago. Wouldn't ever buy online from a store which uses the made up names. I buy off other reefers or for swaps.
So high prices
depends on the zoa. these aren’t terrible prices for the US idk about europe tho
These are terrible prices for US too.
Drop me a message, I sell all these in the UK and post.
There are better sellers across platforms, you really gotta search around alot online to find good prices.
In UK abyss aquatics and mailordercorals are usually ok priced. I live near mailordercorals so I just collect from him. Kraken corals seems mega expensive. Fish’n’Fins in Brechin is mega cheap but doesn’t do mail order. He’s only just reopened so hasn’t stocked coral yet.
That's on my list to go to. I'm in the North West so it's not a million miles away. I'll check out mail order corals. Thanks 😊
Find a LFS. Found some pink zoas (can’t remember the name) at mine and he said he was seeing them for $20/head. He gave me a frag with 10 heads for $20 because “they grow so fast” - and he did have a huge clump to pull from. Online prices are only viable when you don’t have a LFS within hours and if you’re looking for something very specific
Have a look on www.mailordercorals.com, much cheaper and good quality.
Look up jpcorals. He's a man with most types of zoa's on sale for a better price
I recommend all you motherfuckers, get your zoas from Queen City corals. The best god damn packaging I’ve ever seen in my life. My package got delayed a day in 37 degree motherfucking weather and I only lost ONE mushroom out of 13 frags.
But it's the USA.. I'm in UK :(
Oof sorry man. I was just so impressed with them. Every coral was in a little plastic cup rubberbanded, double bagged. When my package got delayed we dropped do 39 degrees here, idk what that is in European but it was fuckin COLD. I emailed them and they said hey dude if anything dies we’ll replace it. Only one thing died. I will say I refuse to pay more than 15 bucks for a zoa. Not worth it
It all depends on what zoas your looking to get. In the US its not uncommon for a GMK for to for $200+ for a single polyp, but i would be shocked to see any frag of 5 hornets go for more than $30 ( maybe blues ). Also Zoas got hit hard by the collector bandwagon. So becareful of names
Go to a local reef shop, don't bother shopping online
Sounds like weed strains lol
Damn. I haven't even paid for any of my zoas yet they've just been hitch hikers on other frags lol
For an actual shop those prices are probably okay. Where I’m from zoans start at around 25 for the most basic ones at shops. Obviously privately it’s cheaper or you get way more heads for the price. But zoans grow really fast if your water quality is alright.so if you don’t like shopping on marketplace (which I can understand, as a beginner other reefers will bombard you with advice and it’s not always easy to see if a tank has issues you might bring to yours) those prices are okay. I would check other vendors in your area of course first to see if they have better prices or more polyps