Chalice Corals...

zportell

zportell

Member
I have been doing a lot of reading and it seems to me Chalice Corals are the new reefers addiction. Everywhere I go, I am reading about how chalices are the greatest corals one can put in their reef tank. I understand they can get some crazy, insane, colors and because of that, they can be extremely attractive corals. However, what I don't understand is, what is causing the excitement? I am seeing frags for sale everywhere. Frags with some crazy names such as "Miami Hurricane", "Superman", "Cherry Jam", "Poor Man's Mummy Eye", etc... What I don't see are larger colonies. IMO, paying insane money for a frag the size of a cat nipple doesn't seem exciting to me.

For those of you who have chalice corals, in no way am I trying to discriminate against your excitement or reefing preferences. Please know I am just trying to understand what is so exciting about having a single "eyed" chalice.

With this post, I would love to see everyone's chalice corals.. If you have one or more and you want to include it on this thread, please include the name of the chalice, maybe inform us of how it was named (if you know), and also include the size of your chalice and how long it took to grow to that size...

Ready... Set... Go...
 
ColaAddict

ColaAddict

New member
Chalices take longer to grow than SPS, but once grown up, no other coral can get as colorful as chalices. They are priced high because of beauty and slow growth vs demand.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
trackfast

trackfast

Princess Trainer
Zac, I used to think the same way. Then I got a chalice from someone/somewhere and I started to really appreciate them. I still like zoas but chalices can grow in beautiful color combos. I can post pics later but my favorite is my Atom Bomb Chalice that I got from Mai. I also have a nice Miami Hurricane that I got from Tinman. Chalices seem to grow well in my tank.
 
tinman

tinman

Well-known member
Hmmmm

For me chalices are the most beautiful corals :)

Wether it's a single eye or a big colony, the color combinations and the way they eat is very fascinating to me.

I have about 4 chalice colonies that grew over the last year, a purple of single eyes and I will get more. Lol I even rock scaped my tank with just chalices in mind :)

Now on to the next question, why are they expensive ?? There are chalices you can find for 10 bucks for a colony to a single eye for 2000 bucks just like any other coral.


Oh, one more intresting thing about them . .. There are not certain things that make them happy :) they survive and cherish in some tanks and in some tanks they don't.

Hopefully I answered your questions :) good luck finding a good chalice friend.
 
Pufferpunk

Pufferpunk

New member
I love colonies, which is why I rarely frag most of my stuff. Now that I'm tearing down my 2 reef tanks, it's difficult to get what a chalice with 50 eyes might be worth to me, when I paid $30 for 1 eye.

Here's a blurry pic of my Miami Hurricane:

 
Steve1986

Steve1986

Active member
^ that thing is huge! I know I know , that's what she said lol. I didn't know a chalice could layer like that
 
Joe Lydon

Joe Lydon

New member
I think buying small chalice frags are part knowing that one day, you will have a beautiful masterpiece. You get to watch it grow, knowing what it will look like, one day. It takes nurturing and patience, and they're well worth it in the end. It's exclusivity. I realize looking at a thumbnail is nothing to gawk at, but whenever you see someone post a nice sized colony, you're awwstruck, because you know everything that went into achieving that size. I would say the main reason you don't see a lot of people grow them out, is because they frag them in order to recoup their investment. So, even if you paid $800 for the thumbnail, it eventually becomes free.
 
tinman

tinman

Well-known member
Joe Lydon said:
I think buying small chalice frags are part knowing that one day, you will have a beautiful masterpiece. You get to watch it grow, knowing what it will look like, one day. It takes nurturing and patience, and they're well worth it in the end. It's exclusivity. I realize looking at a thumbnail is nothing to gawk at, but whenever you see someone post a nice sized colony, you're awwstruck, because you know everything that went into achieving that size. I would say the main reason you don't see a lot of people grow them out, is because they frag them in order to recoup their investment. So, even if you paid $800 for the thumbnail, it eventually becomes free.
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i even go gawk at the thumbnail sized chalcie frags sometimes ....

they glow and draw attention even from big colonies of other colonies in the tank
 
zportell

zportell

Member
I see all of your points and they are good ones. I guess these types of corals become investments. I never really looked at my reef as an investment. More like a cash depleater because I prefer to buy larger coral colonies from the beginning..

So i guess my next question would be, How does one frag a chalice? It would seem that once you start cutting on it, you're risking you're entire investment to so many issues. Infection, Doesn't heal, skin deterioration, etc... Spending $800 on a single "eye", let it grow out to 3 or 4 "eyes" and then frag it. Turn around and sell frags for $800 or relative to the current market price and make your money back. I see the final outcome is a "free" coral that you can then grow out for years.. But the initial risk of fragging it to "recoup" your money seems huge...

Thoughts?

Also, For those of you that keep them, are you using LED, T5, Metal Halide lighting?
 
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tinman

tinman

Well-known member
Doesn't exactly seeing it as an investment zac

You are not getting the point.

If a frag costs 800 an eye just imagine how much it would for that colony .. Atleast 3 to 4 grand ?? I wouldn't dare to pay that much for a colony, would you ??

And again most of the times selling the frags is not to recoup the investment but it is to justify the investment you are about to make on say another $800 dollar frag.

Ppl who see reefing as an investment cannot enjoy their hobby. But I think you have to be sane and justify what you are buying with out going bankrupt. A bankrupt reefer can't enjoy the hobby as well.


It's an addiction like any other coral and once you start not fragging it and just getting them all at $800 a piece how much are you finally putting in to the tank from your account.

For me personally I'd prefer to buy a single eye of a awesome colored chalice for 800 dollars than some color less chalice colony for 50 bucks, not because it's a good investment but because I know someday it would grow into colony with awesome colors.




zportell said:
I see all of your points and they are good ones. I guess these types of corals become investments. I never really looked at my reef as an investment. More like a cash depleater because I prefer to buy larger coral colonies from the beginning..

So i guess my next question would be, How does one frag a chalice? It would seem that once you start cutting on it, you're risking you're entire investment to so many issues. Infection, Doesn't heal, skin deterioration, etc... Spending $800 on a single "eye", let it grow out to 3 or 4 "eyes" and then frag it. Turn around and sell frags for $800 or relative to the current market price and make your money back. I see the final outcome is a "free" coral that you can then grow out for years.. But the initial risk of fragging it to "recoup" your money seems huge...

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
 
Joe Lydon

Joe Lydon

New member
zportell said:
I see all of your points and they are good ones. I guess these types of corals become investments. I never really looked at my reef as an investment. More like a cash depleater because I prefer to buy larger coral colonies from the beginning..
Click to expand...
This is true, some recoup their investment and put that money back in the bank, and then there are those who either re-use that cash to purchase more corals, or simply trade for other exclusive pieces to expand their collection. Most hobbies will net a return on investment, but the majority of people use it to further their hobby.

zportell said:
More like a cash depleater because I prefer to buy larger coral colonies from the beginning..
Click to expand...
It's tough to buy LE pieces as colonies. If you're a "collector", frags are nearly the only way to go.
 
T

TangPolice

Banned
zportell said:
I see all of your points and they are good ones. I guess these types of corals become investments. I never really looked at my reef as an investment. More like a cash depleater because I prefer to buy larger coral colonies from the beginning..

So i guess my next question would be, How does one frag a chalice? It would seem that once you start cutting on it, you're risking you're entire investment to so many issues. Infection, Doesn't heal, skin deterioration, etc... Spending $800 on a single "eye", let it grow out to 3 or 4 "eyes" and then frag it. Turn around and sell frags for $800 or relative to the current market price and make your money back. I see the final outcome is a "free" coral that you can then grow out for years.. But the initial risk of fragging it to "recoup" your money seems huge...

Thoughts?

Also, For those of you that keep them, are you using LED, T5, Metal Halide lighting?
Click to expand...
sounds like you got it ZAC , better order out your Lambo now :)
I'll call you this eve

Bob
 
tinman

tinman

Well-known member
and to add to my above points ..

chalices are worst coral investments ever if you are trying to get money out of the tank ..

they grow insanely slow compared to other corals and it takes some skill and tools to frag them.


tinman said:
Doesn't exactly seeing it as an investment zac

You are not getting the point.

If a frag costs 800 an eye just imagine how much it would for that colony .. Atleast 3 to 4 grand ?? I wouldn't dare to pay that much for a colony, would you ??

And again most of the times selling the frags is not to recoup the investment but it is to justify the investment you are about to make on say another $800 dollar frag.

Ppl who see reefing as an investment cannot enjoy their hobby. But I think you have to be sane and justify what you are buying with out going bankrupt. A bankrupt reefer can't enjoy the hobby as well.


It's an addiction like any other coral and once you start not fragging it and just getting them all at $800 a piece how much are you finally putting in to the tank from your account.

For me personally I'd prefer to buy a single eye of a awesome colored chalice for 800 dollars than some color less chalice colony for 50 bucks, not because it's a good investment but because I know someday it would grow into colony with awesome colors.
Click to expand...
 
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