Online Vendors for Buying Coral

[rrasco]

I know we had a thread like this not too long ago, but I can't find it.

What places have good prices, coral, and shipping? I know the major ones, like LA and PEA has some nice stuff at fair prices. What else is out there?

[FireWater]

Not sure about fair prices, but I have been happy with a couple if the last group orders we have done. Chris and I bought from ReefExotic.net and the latest order is from BattleCorals. Customer service is what I look for and both of these places treated us right.

I have always enjoyed dealing with PacificEast.

It also depends on what you're wanting to order. Zoanthids.com was a good experience for me as well. I'm fixing to do an order at AquaSD in the near future.

[rrasco]

I'm not really sure what I want. I'm just getting tired of going to the LFS and seeing the same old stuff. I want something a little more exotic, but not necessarily with the exotic price tag. I realize I'm going to have to pay for whatever I get, as with anything goes, but $200+ is not happening for me. Probably get a bunch of small stuff so I feel like I win with shipping.

I'm looking for more softies or LPS. Sticks don't like me. Love acans, but they don't like the DT. So I gotta figure that out first before I drop anything more on them.

Maybe some chalices, euphyllia, or other LPS.

I read bad things about AquaSD this morning looking for places to order. Just what I read though.

[allan]

I've ordered from Mr. Salties... or something like that. salty.com or close to that. I'm sure I've got the .com part down correctly.

A few names, but really they seem to be just a low cost coral place online. They may be a start up, but they've treated me right. One of the things I like about their site is that they show you two pictures, one under specific lighting and another under full white lights to show you what you're getting.

[FireWater]

The shipping part sucks, but you find a few good friends and go in together.

[rrasco]

Allan it sounds like you are talking about http://www.saltcritters.com/

I was setting up a group buy late last year for them here but didn't end up ordering cuz everyone wanted the same stuff I did. So you did end up ordering from them?

[Big_Pun]

The shipping part sucks, but you find a few good friends and go in together.
thats the best way to do it, so you can hit free shipping mark and even get a discount sometimes for group orders. as know with anything in this hobby anything that "pops" out is going to reflect that in the price. as soon as start browsing any site the things that catch my eye are always the expensive pieces. liveaquaria always has nice stuff and good livestock and customer service. hopefully Sherita will chime in i know she knows a few more good places.

[Sherita]

liveaquaria.com
planetzoa.com
Pacific Island Aquatics (mainly fishes)
Reefkoi
Hi Def Corals

Those are my go-to places for goodies. In person, I love zoanthids.com, but I've never shipped stuff from him. His reputation is great tho.

I tend to buy a lot from individuals and have them ship. For me it's turned out to be the best way to get the stuff I want without the crazy markup.

With some vendors you have to be careful, the pics do not look like the real coral. I hate the over-saturated, blown out pics that some vendors use. Seriously, do they think they are fooling anyone? I won't buy from them, just because of that.

[Big_Pun]

hey robert if you want zoas get with emily she may be gettig stuff from brandon at zoanthids.com . also i believe we are going to Next wave in dallas and he will be there with other vendors and we can bring back stuff, im sure he wouldnt mind. or you can just go !!!

[350gt]

Exotic will never be cheap.....

[Pennies2Cents]

Group buys are def way to go.. :) most times they will worki with you and have free shipping if you have enough orders..

mrcoral.com (awesome CS)
noridirect.com- Nori.. (Fast shipping & CS)
MidWestFrags.com- (awesome CS) website no longer works. :(

Im a happy camper when it comes to ordering from these guys.

[rrasco]

That's a good idea. I just might do that Chris.

Tony, exotic to me might not really be exotic, just something not so normal. Like a Dr. Mac's Ragin Watermellon Chalice. More than I would typically pay for a single piece, but it has that level of exotic-ness that makes me think about it for $69. Compared to a Kid in a Candy Store Chalice....$500! I actually would prefer a Ragin Watermellon in this case....and not on price.

http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/ProdImages/47%20Ragin%20Watermelon%20Chalice%2069.jpg
http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/ProdImages/74%20Kid%20In%20A%20Candy%20Store%20500.jpg

[allan]

Allan it sounds like you are talking about http://www.saltcritters.com/

I was setting up a group buy late last year for them here but didn't end up ordering cuz everyone wanted the same stuff I did. So you did end up ordering from them?

I did. I wanted in on that group buy, so when it didn't go over, I went ahead and ordered frag plugs to test the water. The second time I ordered a single frag... I just ordered on my own the other day and got a 40% discount due to an anniversary. Because one item wasn't in stock, I was refunded the amount spent. Unfortunately it was the one that I wanted. :) The Death Rose Zoa. But one of the multi species frags I got from him had it on the rock.

Response is rapid and the dude seems pretty cool and no nonsense. He just went head to head with some dude named Cherry from another website about overpriced frags. 110 posts within two hours. I got tired of reading it, but those two don't seem to like each other.

[ramsey]

They're more expensive but live aquaria qt's all their live stock. They even medicate fish if they need it. I think that's worth a lot unless you like ich and aiptasia.

[Pennies2Cents]

Extreme coral is having a 40% off due to one of his tanks cracking... need gone as new shipments come thru.

[rrasco]

Where do you see that Penny? Is there a coupon code?

Emergency group buy? LOL

[ramsey]

I'd be down for a couple things.


Where do you see that Penny? Is there a coupon code?

Emergency group buy? LOL

[Pennies2Cents]

email i recieved id be willing to out up emergency group buy if yall want in :-)

[bugj51]

email i recieved id be willing to out up emergency group buy if yall want in :-)

Count me in on that. They have some great looking stuff.

[Paul28]

email i recieved id be willing to out up emergency group buy if yall want in :-)


What corals are the 40% or is it all ?

[rrasco]

That's what I was trying to figure out, what's included? Although, I didn't really see anything they have that interested me, so I'm prob out on that one. Thinking about setting up a GB for PEA, gotta go look around first though.

[lt1z28]

I've ordered from LA and PEA, and Battlecorals many times with no problems whatsoever. Some time last year I ordered from Saltwterfish.com and received a browned out coral. I email them a photo showing what I recieved and they said it was in perfect health. I will never order from the again! I recently placed an order from aquasd and they sent me a clam that was different from the one that was on the picture on their site and they substituted a frag of zoas for another type because they were sold out. They gave me store credit for the clam and a refund for the zoanthids. I will never order from them either! They should have called me to let me know the zoas were unavailable and I would have gladly chosen something else.

[cbbram]

Live Aquaria all the way! Especially Diver's Den