General rule of selling frags

[yauger]

oh and thanks for the advice on the bryopsis, I already took care of it a week later... and yes I did dose with Mag; however you don't need your levels to be that high, anywhere between 1450-1550 is just fine. bring it up slowly and the algae will turn yellow then brown. do a water change and suck out the algae and problem solved. most old heads around here know how to take care of pests, but getting them are annoying. hence why I'm posting this thread.

[Jan]

There's no magic to this. Educate, Observe, Inspect before you buy and then treat. Just a little bit of work and common sense when dealing with people. An ounce of prevention, blah, blah, blah.

 

I thought you were still dealing with the bryopsis and that's what this was all about? I'm glad you got rid of it.

 

I would hope most would know but I have been seen a lot of FS threads and LFS selling frags that have pests on them. Everyone tries to not grow nuisance algae in their tanks but getting something tag along with a frag is poor salesmanship. I'm posting this cause I'm fighting byropsis that tagged along on a frag I purchased. To make a long story short; if your frag tank has nuisance algae please fix the problem before you sell to people.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Jan

[Amuze]

so, what zoa/paly's were they? also, if the seller scrubbed them as you suggested and the bryopsis wasn't present when you purchased it, how do you know it came from that specific coral? i'm asking, because you said you don't qt, dip, etc... and you're adding multiple frags per/week from different scources at times, correct? what about fish and water from the bags accidently getting in your system since you're not qt'ing the fish either. it's possible during acclimation too.

 

my point is, i would not jump to the conclusion that the seller set out to deceive you. maybe he/she did, but in most cases that's usually just not true. it seems to happen more from a lack of knowledge or ignorance. some lfs do not care, that is true, but they are known and if you're shopping there, you should know to take the extra precaution or dont' buy if you aren't able to qt.

 

you don't want to bash on hobbyists selling so much though without holding yourself accountable too or you might find people not willing to sell to you either. it goes both ways.

 

bottom line, never assume anything and make sure you have the proper means to handle any livestock you purchase. c'mon man, you know this...

 

also, if bryopsis wasn't in your tank before and it started growing, there was probably a change in your water chemistry that caused it to start growing or the water parameters already existed. when you cleaned it out a week ago, syphoning the water may have been enough of a water change to drop the phos levels so you're not seeing it now, but you might see it come back again soon if you're getting phosphates in your water. it's one thing to import the stuff, it's another if the conditions in your tank are right for it to survive and thrive. just something else to think about.

 

and post some pics already. enough with the "too blue" this "too blue" that jibberish...

Edited May 14, 2012 by Amuze

[taiscici]

All my frags are dipped in Revive, Coral Rx or FW. I don't know of a super sensitive SPS that can't handle the first two dips if temp, PH and SG are identical to what it is used to. Usually when a paly or zoa closes up there's something else going on; pests, chemistry is off, lighting is off, etc.

 

How do you know they scrubbed the frag and sold it? Increase your magnesium and/or get a tuxedo urchin. Both work very well for bryopsis. You can even squirt the magnesium directly onto the bryopsis if there isn't a coral near it. It melts it away. You can safely increase mag to 1500 without any adverse effects. I used Kent Marine Tech M and it worked great. Do frequent water changes and skim high. It works, if what you have is bryopsis.

 

 

I would be extra careful on dipping fresh frags from a mother colony that came straight from the ocean. Those are really sensitives, and I have lost 2 beautiful palys.

[yauger]

so, what zoa/paly's were they? also, if the seller scrubbed them as you suggested and the bryopsis wasn't present when you purchased it, how do you know it came from that specific coral? i'm asking, because you said you don't qt, dip, etc... and you're adding multiple frags per/week from different scources at times, correct? what about fish and water from the bags accidently getting in your system since you're not qt'ing the fish either. it's possible during acclimation too.

 

my point is, i would not jump to the conclusion that the seller set out to deceive you. maybe he/she did, but in most cases that's usually just not true. it seems to happen more from a lack of knowledge or ignorance. some lfs do not care, that is true, but they are known and if you're shopping there, you should know to take the extra precaution or dont' buy if you aren't able to qt.

 

you don't want to bash on hobbyists selling so much though without holding yourself accountable too or you might find people not willing to sell to you either. it goes both ways.

 

bottom line, never assume anything and make sure you have the proper means to handle any livestock you purchase. c'mon man, you know this...

 

also, if bryopsis wasn't in your tank before and it started growing, there was probably a change in your water chemistry that caused it to start growing or the water parameters already existed. when you cleaned it out a week ago, syphoning the water may have been enough of a water change to drop the phos levels so you're not seeing it now, but you might see it come back again soon if you're getting phosphates in your water. it's one thing to import the stuff, it's another if the conditions in your tank are right for it to survive and thrive. just something else to think about.

 

and post some pics already. enough with the "too blue" this "too blue" that jibberish...

 

HA you've lost your mind homey... my phos levels are low, and I only have 2 fire fish in my tank that have been in there since January. and I'm not adding multiple frags all at once from multiple sources. oh and someone doesn't want to sell to me thats fine too, I'm not gonna cry over spilled milk. and when I do a WC it's only 4 gallons at the most (it's a nano tank!) and some algae will thrive in ANY conditions broski... ask anyone who has battled hair algae. so basically a tank 95% Z's & P's with 2 tiny fire fish that gets fed 3 times a week.

and as for the pictures bro I told ya to come on over here! posting pictures just wouldn't look as good.

[yauger]

I would be extra careful on dipping fresh frags from a mother colony that came straight from the ocean. Those are really sensitives, and I have lost 2 beautiful palys.

 

YUP I hear ya bro. I've had the same happen to me too.

[Amuze]

you never said what zoa/paly they were. if that's to keep the seller anon, i understand.

 

are you allowed to have people over? lol. my point about the water change was exactly that. it is a nano and easier to throw off levels. out here, pwc water sucks too. lots of sulfer flushes (they happen monthly) through the county supply. at times, it's enough that you can smell it when you first turn the faucets on. never had that in fairfax.

 

well, that sucks about the coral and bryopsis, but still, you have to be the one to take the precautions. can't trust anyone, whether they're being deceptive or not. you should have taken the 20 gallon set up I would have given you for free and used it to qt. too late now. it's my qt again now.

[yauger]

and BTW the reason for posting is to bring awareness to this type of issue in the hobby not to bash on a hobbyist or LFS. I don't think I asked for advice anywhere in this thread... simply stating my opinion of a general rule of selling frags to hobbyists.

[rocko918]

I do think the seller should have mentioned, hey i have Hair algae, or bryopsis or what ever they have. Maybe he would not have bought the frag then.

 

When people buy from me i tell them to dip it. dont trust anyone, just dip it and i say if you find anything let me know!

[yauger]

you never said what zoa/paly they were. if that's to keep the seller anon, i understand.

 

are you allowed to have people over? lol. my point about the water change was exactly that. it is a nano and easier to throw off levels. out here, pwc water sucks too. lots of sulfer flushes (they happen monthly) through the county supply. at times, it's enough that you can smell it when you first turn the faucets on. never had that in fairfax.

 

well, that sucks about the coral and bryopsis, but still, you have to be the one to take the precautions. can't trust anyone, whether they're being deceptive or not. you should have taken the 20 gallon set up I would have given you for free and used it to qt. too late now. it's my qt again now.

 

lol dude I told you back then I had no where to put it!!

yeah the frag I had issues with is now in the back yard feeding bugs in the woods. and it wasn't a hobbyist so no worries. I included them in this list just to be fair and cause I've seen some pictures with nasties attached to it. if I see it then I generally don't buy it.

and I knew it was from one frag because it happened after I added it and it was the only frag that had it growing on it.

anyways there is no issue anymore just wanted to bring some awareness....

[Jan]

I post advice for the same reason; "awareness" for whoever reads and doesn't know. There are some people who need the guidance and want to learn what to do and how to do it right and there are others who do it the way they see fit, and it's right for them. Advice is like many things in life, take what you can use from it, and throw the rest away.

 

and BTW the reason for posting is to bring awareness to this type of issue in the hobby not to bash on a hobbyist or LFS. I don't think I asked for advice anywhere in this thread... simply stating my opinion of a general rule of selling frags to hobbyists.

[Der ABT]

General rule...not sure about that...General good manners yes...general rule would be to treat it as it has a pest of some form.

 

i know i have a few spots of bry from a local...i didnt do my usual cut off the plug....for me thats my bad and i dont feel anyone wronged me...its not tough luck its life... Also i have aiptasia...i know where it is in the tank and if its not on the frag im selling i see no reason to Say i have 3 aiptasia left in my tank, and i think i may have more in 10 days...if its not on the frag or i just mounted the frag i am very confident i wont spread them...if its an encrusted frag that may have an aiptasia in it i will go with that warning...

 

 

Seems like your looking for an assurance or a warning printed on the frag....Contains nothing but corals....no algea, pests, copepods, brittle stars, feather dusters etc....

as others i expect everything and treat it as an infected POS...even if it looks fantastic

i just think the general rule and putting all responsibility on the seller is too strong....which is why your getting the responses you are.

 

i see your point about selling a covered frag...if you want fresh cut there is no problem...most people for some reason prefer healed frags...ive never had a problem with fresh cut..

 

you also dont need to set up an entire QT system.

Use a piece of tupperware or a bag and float the thing, do constant water changes and its a virtual QT for as long as you have time or patience...ive dont this many time since my current qt has my nudibranchs...i float for however long it takes to make me comfy

[hlem]

if you had some kind of issue long ago and your tank doesnt show any sign of it now, do you still have disclose it when people are buying your stuff?

"oh.. btw... i got aptasia 2 years ago..."

Edited May 14, 2012 by hlem

[Jan]

Yea, I'm never buying from you Hlem. You may still have them cooties. JK.

 

Hey I have planaria in my pico, but I wont sell or give away anything from there until I treat each item. That's a whole production for me. I take it out of pico and dip, treat with FW exit for a day in a QT, dip again, FW exit until it's all gone from the coral. Then I tell people to do the same and isolate, etc. I also don't use anything in my pico in my DT. I do this to avoid cross contamination. PITA!!!!

 

 

if you had some kind of issue long ago and your tank doesnt show any sign of it now, do you still have disclose it when people are buying your stuff?

"oh.. btw... i got aptasia 2 years ago..."

[yauger]

Oh dear lord y'all are hilarious, okay I'll modify my original comment. If you're currently battling pests or just recovered from one within a month please be kind and let the customer know. if not then you're a jerk.

[zygote2k]

If you've had any of the pests that I've listed within any of their normal life cycles, then you are still susceptible.

You have to assume that all frags, no matter who/what the source is, are contaminated with pests. It is 100% your responsibility to treat or quarantine anything that goes into your tank.

FWIW, anyone who pays $80 per zoanthid polyp should QT them before introduction to the main tank just to protect their "investment".

[Sharkey18]

Sorry, but if you are having a major bryopsis battle from a microscopic piece of algae that came in on a frag then you have a nutrient problem and a quarantine problem.

 

Battles with hitch hikers and pests is just part of the hobby.

 

BTW, I also had a major bryopsis battle a few years ago. High Mg and constant physical removal were the solutions. Good luck.

 

Laura

[treesprite]

Is there any reason in the world that you can't ask the seller if there are any pests in the seller's tank? I'm sure if you ask, the seller will answer. But any "no" answer should be taken with a couple grains of salt, becuase people don't always know about pests, and when it comes to algae, if the person's system is such that algae won't spring up, that person could have a whole tank of bryopsis ready to strike and never know it.