ORA Frags
- Thread starter crab0000
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Dont carry many ORA frags anymore. We got several maricultured acros in the other day. Got twelve in one shipment and by the next day we had sold 9 of them. We are still looking for a decent frag supplier. I will let you know when we decide on who we are going with.
Matt
Matt
Do you not think ORA is a good supplier? Have you had problems with them?
There is a fish store in Charlotte that I stop by whenever I visit my sister up there, they sell ORA frags and it's like coral heaven. Reds, blues, pinks, purples, yellows. Of course browns & greens too, but who doens't already have 20 of those. The prices are 30-40% more than wild colonies, but it's worth it because you know the coral won't be dead in 3 days like wild caught colonies (typically). And you know you're not contributing to the destruction of the world's reefs.
I don't understand why ORA frags aren't available in this huge metro area. The first fish store to start selling a full selection of ORA corals will receive 10% of my paycheck every 2 weeks!
-Dustin
Old thread, but several stores here do sell ORA. Keen Reef, Pets Unlimited, and I'm sure others.
Actually Keen carries a huge selection usually.
Oh, and Marine Fish's acros may not be ora, but they are cultured, and many are very nice. Just not from a company with marketing like ORA. They actually may be even better if they are cultured in synthetic salt since ORA actually cultures in natural seawater, which none of us use.
Actually Keen carries a huge selection usually.
Oh, and Marine Fish's acros may not be ora, but they are cultured, and many are very nice. Just not from a company with marketing like ORA. They actually may be even better if they are cultured in synthetic salt since ORA actually cultures in natural seawater, which none of us use.
For the record, ORA doesn't sell frags, only colonies. That's what I'm looking for, as I personally think life is too short for frags.
I'm not looking for a LFS that buys the colony from ORA then breaks it up for greater profit. I understand that's what a business is for, but I would like the opportunity to buy the full colony in a WYSIWYG fashion. I don't trust mail order for $200 colonies, I would only spend that kinda money on that kinda risk for an in-person selection
I'm not looking for a LFS that buys the colony from ORA then breaks it up for greater profit. I understand that's what a business is for, but I would like the opportunity to buy the full colony in a WYSIWYG fashion. I don't trust mail order for $200 colonies, I would only spend that kinda money on that kinda risk for an in-person selection
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You are completely wrong. ORA NEVER sells colonies. Only frags. Where did you get this info? In fact, ORA frags come on the little black inhected molded plug that only they use, so you can be sure no LFS are chopping them.
No, I'm not, It depends on your definition of "frag." To me, a frag is a tiny branch cut off an existing colony, sometimes mounted to a plug but often times not. A true frag is fresh cut.
ORA takes an original mother colony and cuts fresh frags off of it. They then mount these to a plug and let it grow until the plug is at least fully encrusted and growth is observed. What you end up with is a growing coral that often exceeds 3-6" with many, many brances developing. It's not a 1/2"-1" piece of near nothing that I would call a "frag."
From the ORA website:
"ORA coral frags (fragments) are well encrusted to the base on which they are grown. They are never sold until they are fully matured as individual coral colonies."
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OK, we are arguing semantics. To me a "farg" is a fragment. Encrusted, or not. ORA is using marketing tricks if they claim they sell colonies. They do not IMHO. I have yet to see any ORA frags that are greater than 2" (give or take). if you call this a colony, so be it. Tomato, tomahto.
But, I think it is very poor form to accuse LFS of chopping ORA frags and reselling them. Who does this, for you to make that claim. Go to any of the stores that sell ORA now, and they will all look the same. 1.5" to 2" pieces encrusted on their little plugs. None of them near $200.
I guess I just dont understand where you are getting your claim from. ORA does nothing different in fragging than any other propogator. But somehow, their frags become wonder colonies? Dont get me wrong, I love ORA for their committment to captive propogation, but I also hate them sometimes for their profiterring. But, I dont want to get into tthat too much. I guess we will just have to agree to disagree.
I didn't name any stores specifically, I'm not bashing anyone. Why are you guys so quick to jump on the "so-and-so is bashing" bandwagon? I won't say names because it happens in every store, but when you see a bright white plug with a 1" frag and clear freshly applied superglue at the base, you know it has been recently cut. It's fine that stores do this, especially since frags have a much much higher profit margin than colonies, but I think the freshly cut/mounted frags should be in a "not for sale" tank until they have been observed for a while (couple of weeks, maybe months). I don't mind buying frags, so long as they have obviously been "fragged" for a while and observed to be healthy & growing.
The simple fact that all of their frags are encrusted is enough for me to pay the extra 30%. I have bought everything SPS, from 20-frag packs to $150 colonies back when Cap Bay had them available. The frags that typically did the best were the ones that had been a "frag" for a while before I bought it....whatever your definition of "frag" is.
Again, I'm not trying to be rude or bash anyone...just saying there is a difference between a freshly cut "frag" and a growing, encrusted, 2-3 month old "frag."
I'll say my ORA frag is not 3" to 6". So RedEDGE you are indeed wrong, it has many growth tips but it's barely an inch tall.
And I just want to ask this nicely to not promote other sponsors on another stores sponsors forum. This is not just cause it's on my work places forum, but because I have done this numerous times in the past.
And I just want to ask this nicely to not promote other sponsors on another stores sponsors forum. This is not just cause it's on my work places forum, but because I have done this numerous times in the past.
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Again, I think we will have to agree to disagree. You automatically assume that seeing frags glued to a white plug means the store chopped and glued for profit. What happens when a "colony" breaks in shipment? Is the store supposed to throw it out? What happens when a "colony" starts receding or STNing? Is the store supposed to throw out the healthy parts too? If you choose to only buy frags that have encrusted, that is fine, good for you! That is a great principle. But it doesnt mean that unencrusted ones are doomed and destined for death, or that any nefarious activities are going on. You may feel your comments on that topic are noble, but I feel they are imporperly accusing stores of actions without merit.
I reread your quote from the ORA site:
Their fragments are colonies????:doh: I dont get it.
Anyway, I am not trying to be critical or agressive with this, but I dont understand why someone would make the claims that you have.
I reread your quote from the ORA site:
Their fragments are colonies????:doh: I dont get it.
Anyway, I am not trying to be critical or agressive with this, but I dont understand why someone would make the claims that you have.
And I want to ask nicely which competing sponsor I was promoting? ORA is not in Atlanta, they are not an ARC sponsor, and they do not sell to hobbyists. They only sell to stores.
You guys need to chill out with all the defensiveness (or should I say offensiveness) around here.
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Agreed. Ill move it now.
Keen Reef has a bunch of ORA "colonies" if you will. I saw them yesterday and they are all encrusted on the plugs and beautiful! I picked up a mini- 3/4" red planet with 3 new heads growing out already. But he's got larger Pearlberry, Bellinis, Tricolor Validas, Red Planet, the new Bird of Paradise Birdsnest, etc.
And he's having a sale of buy 1, get second for 30%. Check them out for sure!
And he's having a sale of buy 1, get second for 30%. Check them out for sure!
