Vendors that frag from their stock?

[captexas]

Slightly? You've obviouisly missed the point...

[JimD]

lol, I rest my case....

[caferacermike]

In response to Apedroza's comments about the Tek and possibly Kingfish fragging, I've received a few frags from both retailers but they were more like gifts than something I was paying for. More like something needed to be cut back or I inquired about a piece in a show tank and being gifted a small piece of it. Kinda like some of the fragging I saw at CB Pets as Richard said, if it needed pruning you might get a piece of it. I've not really seen either stores frag because someone wanted to pay less or buy less of it. I have noticed a colony here or there that may look like it was fragged BEFORE being offered for sale. I have bought "frags" from shops before that were leftovers at the bottom of the tanks when I was setting up my tank. Of course several retailers are selling frags from other hobbyists or from vendors but I still can't think of a time when I've actually witnessed someone "haggle" a local ATX retailer to cut a coral in half.

With it being said that Fin Addict and Aquarium Warehouse having both fragged corals for customers is the consensus that SA is where people buy frags instead of colonies?

[fjr_wertheimber]

So my main question is WHO actually frags their corals for their customers?

Well, I've gotten frags from Kingfish and Aquatek before, so, umm... not quite as uncommon in Austin as you think...

[apedroza]

In response to Apedroza's comments about the Tek and possibly Kingfish fragging, I've received a few frags from both retailers but they were more like gifts than something I was paying for. More like something needed to be cut back or I inquired about a piece in a show tank and being gifted a small piece of it. Kinda like some of the fragging I saw at CB Pets as Richard said, if it needed pruning you might get a piece of it. I've not really seen either stores frag because someone wanted to pay less or buy less of it. I have noticed a colony here or there that may look like it was fragged BEFORE being offered for sale. I have bought "frags" from shops before that were leftovers at the bottom of the tanks when I was setting up my tank. Of course several retailers are selling frags from other hobbyists or from vendors but I still can't think of a time when I've actually witnessed someone "haggle" a local ATX retailer to cut a coral in half.

With it being said that Fin Addict and Aquarium Warehouse having both fragged corals for customers is the consensus that SA is where people buy frags instead of colonies?

Mike you are correct. I never paid for the frags. In all instances they were either broken off pieces or gifts to pass around. Bruce is really good about sharing polyps that are kinda floating around, and rather than lose them behind an over flow he gives them away.

[FSU]

Just for clarification and I will not say anything more. I wanted a frag because atm, I just set my 75g up 2 days ago and the only thing I have available to put it in is a 14g nano.

Also, I am in San Antonio and most of my dealings before I quit the hobby for a couple years, were with Felipe and Sara pretty much all the time.

Caferacermike, I take no offense as different people have different opinions. Thank you for pointing that out though.

[crossxfire2]

Bruce frags his large purple acropora coral in display tank every to every other week. I have no idea what he does with the pieces which he cuts off, though. Does anybody know?

[jroescher]

I miss Fin Addict.

[caferacermike]

Well, I've gotten frags from Kingfish and Aquatek before, so, umm... not quite as uncommon in Austin as you think...

Did you walk in and ask them to frag a piece of something and pay for it? Or was it more of a hey bud I think this would look good in your tank, here is a little frag because you are a good customer? And was the frag from a display tank or for-sale tank, as that makes a huge difference. I've not seen shops in Austin readily frag their stock for customers not wanting to buy an entire piece. I've heard of a few times when a coral may have been over $200 and the shop cutting off a few mouths to help lower the over all price but that was only once or twice. See in SA a few shops fragged their stock willingly and whenever.

[captexas]

I think one difference with FA and AW compared to other LFS is that from the start up of their stores, the owners had a main goal focusing on "coral propagation" for the purpose of selling and trading frags. This included growing out colonies and selling frags from them while keeping the main colony in tact. Of course their plans changed slightly over time, but I think it is that plan and attitude that is why you don't see fragging of existing colonies as much elsewhere.