Wanted: Bright / Colorful Zoo Frag

[Altohombre]

even if it is 1 polyp, I would love to add a couple to my tank. I haven't seen anything good in LFS's. Help a newly obsessed tank owner out. =)

[Bifferwine]

Try www.zomania.com, I've ordered from them before!

[fatman]

You can probably get seven zoo frags from GARF for $100. Actually seven of probably at least 100 different frags or more for $100. http://www.garf.org

[Altohombre]

yeah, but they will most likely be brown and boring. What is the point. I would rather spend a lot on something neon green or bright purple or vibrant pink, than get a bunch of stuff that from a distance looks like algae.

[fatman]

Originally Posted by Altohombre

yeah, but they will most likely be brown and boring. What is the point. I would rather spend a lot on something neon green or bright purple or vibrant pink, than get a bunch of stuff that from a distance looks like algae.

I do not believe you know what you are talking about. It is true they are known for using less intense lighting than lot of people, but that is only on their small office tanks, and those tanks (Sally's tanks) are only to prove that it can be done. It shows potentail reefers that it isn't necessary to have the best of everything to be successful. Their main tanks use halides, and their corals are every bit the same corals you would buy anywhere else. Go to there site and look at their pics. The corals are not brown and boring. They have as many, or possibly more exotic hard to find corals as anyone else. And they charge the same price for a exotic coral as for an easy to grow newbie coral. The only difference is if you join their organiztion they sell to their members first all coral frags that are limited in number. Yes, I am a member and have been one since 1995. They are a non profit organization (actually a research foundation), they have few employees, and most of their fragging and tank maintenance is done by employees graduate students doing research work.

[Bifferwine]

I think what Alto is saying is that if he buys one of those "mixed frag bags" where they give you X amount of corals for X dollars, you never know exactly what you are going to get. Alto is looking for specific colors.

I have ordered several mixed frag bags from several different sites it the past. I can say, that every time except for once, I was totally disappointed. Every zoa frag bag that I have ever gotten has been filled with brown zoas. And MAYBE, just MAYBE one frag of orange or red zoas. Still nothing special.

The only frag bag I have ever been 100% satisfied with was a ricordea frag bag I got from www.gatewayaquatics.com. They have a package where you can get 10 for $100, 22 for $200, or 34 for $300 (or something like that). I ordered the $100 package, and EVERY SINGLE ricordea polyp in the bag was a different color combination. No duplicates. Not 9 green ricordeas and one blue one. 10 totally different ricordeas.

I have ordered mixed zoa, LPS, SPS and ricordea bags from www.reefermadness.us also. Out of the 30 pieces of SPS I got, only a few of them were not brown acros. Out of the 10 "ricordeas" they sent, only ONE was actually a true ricordea florida or yuma. The other NINE were frilly mushrooms or rhodactis mushrooms or just regular old mushrooms, but they advertised the package as a pure ricordea bag. And charged $10 a polyp, of course.

So I totally see what Alto is saying. He is looking for specific colors, and in that case your best bet is to only buy specific frags that you have seen pictures of.

[reeffreak]

Go with a WYSIWYG(what you see is what you get)like the Diver's Den at Live Aquaria and other places so you get exactly what you want.I personally will never buy a frag pack out of fear of what Biff has gone through.

[Bifferwine]

Yep, $500 worth of brown zoas and acros. Yuck.

[fatman]

I have ordered hundreds of corals from GARF over the years, both for mysef and others. I have always been able to talk to Sally or Leroy about just what is available, and when corals more to my choosing would be available. They have even sent photos over the phone and placed photos on line and sent photos by email. I doubt I was getting any more special treatment than anyone who pays the annual fee of $25 to be considered a supporter. Do I believe they also sell some nonspectacular "brownish" corals. Sure, I have corals I have fragged that do not put out spectacular colors under certain conditions wher other frags from the same mother colony put out wonderful colors sitting within inches of the drab coral. I have also seen beutifully colored corals go drab, and vice versa.