Are frags rip offs

[watchguy123]

I see lots of beautiful frags with multi-colors online, frag swaps, and at LFS. But what about the mother colony. Do these pretty frags grow up to look blah or do all those magic colors fill the entire Colony. We all post our latest acquisition and there are some amazing hot multicolored frags floating around but how often do they end up looking like mature multicolored colony. And I'm not talking about recently imported maricultured colonies chopped up. I guess the question is does the frag really represent what the colony will grow into

In my experience, either an established name keeps colors ( generations of tank grown) or when the mother colony is there do I believe my frag will grow out colorful. Are others seeing success with great colored frags of unknown origin

 

[lowbudget]

sometimes. sometimes no. sometimes better most times no

 

[SchnitzelReef]

This is why I plan on buying named pieces. I want to know what the frag will look like. Perfect example is Vivids rainbow acro. I have no problem forking out some dough for that piece, simply because I know EXACTLY what it can look like. (Assuming parameters are all in check). I feel ya on all the pricey frags..there should be pics of mother colonies if people are asking high prices. Well IMO


Hot Dogs are GOOD!

 

[Clifford]

You also got to see the mother colony of the Vivid and it looks amazing.

 

[Adrock]

well what you also need to take into consideration is the system is going to and where it came from corals can morph and change due the attributes of the system they are in so keep that in mind ask questions at the store you are buying from so that you may replicate the water parameters as to ease acclimation and maintain quality of coral and or fish I post my test results every two days on the side of my frag tanks so that customers have a idea of how im maintaining the system

 

[Six2seven]

most times people sell frags by names but are really just Mari culture pieces that look like lineage pieces. Then as they grow out, its not what you expected it to be. That's why you see 20 different strawberry shortcakes and none look alike.

 

[Logan killer]

Yes, and for that reason. Buy for the eye, not the name.

 

[watchguy123]

Yes, and for that reason. Buy for the eye, not the name.

That is indeed the point. I do buy for the eye and not the name. The rub lies in that frags sometimes look way better than the colony ever will because all the color is only in the growing tip. I am just saying it is easy to be fooled by frags. The colony you end up with may just not be as pretty as a 1 inch frag of it. Unless of course it is a named multi-generational colony. Then its little frags will indeed grow up to look just like mama.

I guess my point also is that I always want to see the mother colony as well as the frag. And I appreciate that tank parameters play a huge role in sps colors.

 

[GoReef165]

Lot's of people with sticks and nubs and not to many take the time to grow things out. Impatient noobs. Not that I'm a pro but IMO there's nothing better than seeing a mature grown out tank. I have a miss mash of many corals...most nothing to brag about as far as LE names but what I do is let stuff grow and fill in. The thing is that's what caused most of us reefers to get excited about this hobby...we most likely either saw pictures of or actual beautiful colorful thriving tanks. But, lots get into this for trading sticks, nubs and boogers.

BTW Mark it was nice meeting you in person today.

 

[rayray]

<Do these pretty frags grow up to look blah or do all those magic colors fill the entire Colony><I guess the question is does the frag really represent what the colony will grow into>
Are others seeing success with great colored frags of unknown origin

If you didnt have the TOTM people would pounce on you for even hinting that LE frags are a ripoff. Why not put a premium on something? Did you see the frag get cut from the mother colony? Do you have proof how long the mother colony lived & where it came from?

IME its just like Sahn said, few look like the original or better, most dont, but of those many take on a new & beautiful look. I pride myself on a low mortality rate- if it thrives in my tank it looks good to me.

 

[Reef Pets]

I have seen a million coral over the past 11 years of being in business, especially sps. Coral change color due to lighting, nutrients, chemistry, feeding and so on. I have many named pieces with lineage and some no longer look even close to what the original colony does to the point that if I were to sell it stating it was X named people would not believe it. I have had some colonies that stay the same fore a year and then all of a sudden change color. Unfortunately there is no way that I know of to keep a frag looking like a colony especially changing from one ecosystem to another.
Just my experience with it. And zoas, they are a completely different story. Some polyps will morph in the same colony while others do not..

 

[BluRocket3]

I feel this thread is mainly geared towards sps frags? Correct?

 

[lowbudget]

I feel this thread is mainly geared towards sps frags? Correct?

Yeah. A polyp you know you get identical. Lps. Similar maybe different growth pattern. Chalice. Same thing again maybe different pattern. Mushroom depending on which one

 

[lowbudget]

Agree. I had this Florida acro from Greg C. Green color. People had a hard time keeping in a reef tank for a long time. But. It turn out to be like a 7 up soda can color. Awesome. Had it over 7 years. But I lost it in my crash. ... =(.

If you didnt have the TOTM people would pounce on you for even hinting that LE frags are a ripoff. Why not put a premium on something? Did you see the frag get cut from the mother colony? Do you have proof how long the mother colony lived & where it came from?

IME its just like Sahn said, few look like the original or better, most dont, but of those many take on a new & beautiful look. I pride myself on a low mortality rate- if it thrives in my tank it looks good to me.

Add to that I had a mariculture frag lokani. Turn out to be nicer then the 20k and 30k. I don't know if Aaron still have it

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Agree. I had this Florida acro from Greg C. Green color. People had a hard time keeping in a reef tank for a long time. But. It turn out to be like a 7 up soda can color. Awesome. Had it over 7 years. But I lost it in my crash. ... =(.

Add to that I had a mariculture frag lokani. Turn out to be nicer then the 20k and 30k. I don't know if Aaron still have it

Ur the best SPS keeper in the hobby. Only u can keep acros colored up.


Hot Dogs are GOOD!

 

[lowbudget]

Ur the best SPS keeper in the hobby. Only u can keep acros colored up.


Hot Dogs are GOOD!

You know it. Blue man crew

 

[watchguy123]

I am neither against or for limited editions. I am trying to share that I get tempted by pretty frags but often the frags are not indicative of what the colony will be. I understand as well that tank parameters effect coloring. But sometimes a macro photo or even a good inspection in person of a frag ends up misleading. I have recently seen lots of frags ( more so) online look so...tempting. But I have found that the frag in a vacuum is a poor predictor of colony coloration. I have no philosophical position pro or con on limited editions.

 

[lowbudget]

Reason why I limit myself to locals and I know that limits me to other coral if I don't see it I don't buy it

 

[MadMax]

I find it ludicrous that:
1) anyone would expect a living animal to replicate to any degree of predictability, and
2) that anyone would assign their name to a living animal's "lineage"... as if it were manufactured!
3) that Sahn didn't get a booth this year (**** slacker!) : )'

 

[lowbudget]

I find it ludicrous that:
1) anyone would expect a living animal to replicate to any degree of predictability, and
2) that anyone would assign their name to a living animal's "lineage"... as if it were manufactured!
3) that Sahn didn't get a booth this year (**** slacker!) : )'

Lol. I have no live stock. MAX is one of the shows is where I pick up my frags. You see it to believe it. I think we do it's under s2k though I promise next year we put it under lowbudget again