MCC and grading Picassos - please read

[Mr Cob]

In effort to pass on quality stock and to better inform our customers of what they are purchasing; here's how we will handle our stock:

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All clowns are WYSIWYG in the following grades:

Platinum ($200)
Grade A Premium ($150)
Grade A ($100)
Grade B Premium ($75)
Grade B ($50)
The prices for the fish in each grade will start at the base price listed above and go down utilizing the following check point system:

Slight Breeding Anomalies - (we deduct 10% for each noticeable imperfection on eyes, gills, jaw, spine or fins. We will not list a fish that has exaggerated imperfections or that has more than 2 imperfections, all of our breeders do their part in culling.)
Coloration - (we deduct 10% for poor coloration such as washed out colors)
Pattern - (we deduct 10% for underdeveloped patterns within a grade)
Health - (we will not release a fish that has poor health)
Acclimating kits and sample food provided with purchase.

Clowns will be "named" for reference purposes....and because we can't help ourselves :)

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If you have questions about grading, suggestions or anything relating to this subject please post. As always WYSIWYG pics and video will be your best form of deciding what works best for you and your setup.

I have done my best to put as much information out on these clowns as possible through videos, multiple images and additional notes on the site to make you feel comfortable about your purchase. I have implemented the grading scale mentioned above and have adjusted prices accordingly, resulting in further savings to you.

Thanks!

The Clutch (http://www.mrcobscorals.com/magento/index.php/captive-bred-fish.html) - ok, part of the clutch, more will be listed as I feel they are ready.


http://www.mrcobscorals.com/magento/media/catalog/product/cache/3/small_image/159x160/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/f/i/fire_and_ice_picasso_01.jpg

[justahobby]

What is the difference between grades? I'm sure I could pick out an Platinum vs. B, but premium versus non is clear as mud.

Honestly I wouldn't care so much about washed out colors since it has been my experience that colors become more vibrant once in an established home. And I kinda prefer the lighter colored clowns. I know flared gills might happen, but as far as I know it is purely aesthetics and means nothing as far as health. What other kind of imperfection are we talking about?

[Mr Cob]

good questions Justin and info about your preferences.

Grades for picassos are judged by how much white the clown has. Obviously platinums are easy, they should have just about a 100% white body minus the fins and head and may have a few spots in the body (like some of ours do which we deduct 10% for as an under-developed pattern). A grade A clown will have both white stripes connected and a Grade B will not have white stripes connected but contain a lot of white.

Platinum and Grade A below: notice the connecting stripes of the grade A....if the colors were a little more intense and both sides had that much white it would be a premium.
http://www.mrcobscorals.com/magento/media/catalog/product/cache/3/small_image/159x160/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/f/i/fire_and_ice_picasso_01.jpg

Another Grade A: (see how the white continues all the way on this one...even across to the third stripe, could have been a premium if the other side had the same, but the other side only has two stripes connected)
http://www.mrcobscorals.com/magento/media/catalog/product/cache/3/small_image/159x160/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/l/i/lil_tex_daisy_picasso_gradea_04.jpg

Grade B: (bottom) notice how the stripes do not connect and on the top is a misbar/semi-picasso
http://www.mrcobscorals.com/magento/media/catalog/product/cache/3/small_image/159x160/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/i/bigpoppa_lilkim_picasso_a.jpg

Another trait of picassos is the white "hook" or splash of white under the eyes.

You are right in that most of these fish, which are juveniles, will develop more intense colors and continue to improve their patterns as they grow and are fed well but we have to grade them as they are in their current state. A lot of the Grade A's and B's I think will eventually develop into premiums if they aren't already.

At first we had only listed Platinums, Grade A and Grade B but there were obvious Grade A's that were better than the rest so we decided to do the same as Lorraine and determine those by using "premium".

[Mr Cob]

All of the imperfections we are referring to in grading the quality of the "grade" have nothing to do with health and are strictly related to aesthetics. An unhealthy fish will not make the cut and the imperfections that we do find are super minimal, hardly worth mentioning.

[justahobby]

I call dibs if you get one with a Nemo fin deformity! What happens to the >2 imperfection fish?

[Mr Cob]

well, haven't had any with more than 2 imperfections yet. Lorraine does a good job of not passing those on. If we did get one I'd probably keep it or Jack or Harish to go in our personal tanks as a pet to love :)

[justahobby]

I knew you and Jack would eventually have a "love child" :wink_smile:

[Mr Cob]

lol, yeah, Jack would probably get it, he sings in the shower too.

[justahobby]

So that's why he remodeled his bathroom... Needed room for his in-shower broadway shows lol

[ShAgMaN]

I knew you and Jack would eventually have a "love child" :wink_smile:

LOL, nice.

Thanks for clearing this up Cobby, I'm edge..u..ma..cated in the rating system. Now if I wasn't so darn cheap! Nah, I gotta get the casa ready to sell and buy a nice camera first. Peace bra.