Curious where everyone buys their frags/corals. Nowadays with the internet, do people shop for corals more online? Or still travel to their LFS to snag corals? Maybe local reefers/garage growers? Vote and Share 
Where do you buy your corals nowadays? Poll
- Thread starter Reef_Magik89
- Start date
LFS and local reefers. Recently, it's more LFS for the livestock and CUC. For corals, usually local reefers or coral shows. I usually don't shop online due the cost and stress of shipping.
Local reefers — it’s also a great way to meet people to learn/share secrets to reef keeping! I usually bring my wife to show her that I’m not the only “weirdo”. There are many, many other crazy people out there with the same addiction! 
JojosReef
Member
Locals mostly nowadays. Mostly from locals just trimming back, not huge growout systems, unless it is something I'm dying to get like a cynarina or a scoly. I sometimes get auctions from CaliKid. My tanks are pretty full now, though, so not shopping much lately.
Local reefers.
We are spoiled here in SoCal... We have just about every coral available to us very reasonably. Whether it is at a show or buying a fellow reefer a beer, it is usually at our fingertips. In other parts of the country, reefers are forced to buy online or LFS. Sometimes I wonder, because the way that I reef, If I lived someplace else, would I reef? I know if I did, I probably would only have 1-2 tanks...
But the answer to the ? mostly fellow reefers
But the answer to the ? mostly fellow reefers
Dutch_Roots
Member
Local reefers or LFS (Ali). Sometimes though there are certain sticks and corals I want specifically which are not available locally. My favorite has been TCK online. Quality is way above others I’ve purchased from.
We are definitely spoiled in SoCal. It's hard to go to a LFS, and not see something that you want. And lots of great reefers within SoCal, and most are very generous with their time and corals.
Concur with Ali - he’s “Amazing”! We would eat at that Thai restaurant in the same strip mall, pretty good actually.
I used to buy fish at Seaside but had a few bad batches so holding tight from now on.
I used to buy fish at Seaside but had a few bad batches so holding tight from now on.
REPOWER
0
Mostly local reefers and seldom LFS (when I see something I like).
i still support the LFS. Whether it’s dry goods or live stock. There won’t be any LFS around to take my kids to much longer if we don’t. I don’t want them to lose interest in my hobby lol.
I try to buy from LFS as well (especially dry goods and live stock/CUC).
I love going to LFS and get to look through all the tanks and find something that is interesting or uncommon. At the minimum, I usually grab a pack of frozen food and bag of pellets. To me, that's half the fun is the discovery part. I got a long tentacle plate, which I don't see often, and I would not have been able to buy from another reefer or online vendor because they probably will die during shipping.
I love going to LFS and get to look through all the tanks and find something that is interesting or uncommon. At the minimum, I usually grab a pack of frozen food and bag of pellets. To me, that's half the fun is the discovery part. I got a long tentacle plate, which I don't see often, and I would not have been able to buy from another reefer or online vendor because they probably will die during shipping.
joeoliver
Member
Mostly local reefers/shows and my favorite LFS (Reef Factory). My biggest regrets have been online purchases and my biggest scores, including trades and free corals, have been through reefers I've met through socalireefs. thank you, community!!
Cool but I’ve always concerned of getting corals from a guy in an orange Speedo though…Mostly local reefers/shows and my favorite LFS (Reef Factory). My biggest regrets have been online purchases and my biggest scores, including trades and free corals, have been through reefers I've met through socalireefs. thank you, community!!
JojosReef
Member
Hey, many of my stunners come from the speedoman! This $800 Acro for a steal at only $499.99!Cool but I’ve always concerned of getting corals from a guy in an orange Speedo though…
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What$&@! What a steal! He had a summer blowout special - I paid $750 and he even threw in some sexy orange Speedo’s…
I want my money back but those Speedo’s do look pretty darn sexy though…hmm
