Who is a good supplier for dead/bleached decorative coral?

[D]

Don't bash me for this but most of my maintanence clients want dead bleached coral.Cant sell them on liverock! have to give the customer what they want;so I need to find a good wholesale supplier ASAP.

Thanks

Darin

 

[JennM]

:::::Stepping away from the flamethrower::::::::::

How about some replicas? Walt Smith makes some nice ones, I've seen them at trade shows. Naturesimagineonline.com . These are man-made, easy to clean replicas, and they aren't nasty dead bleached coral heads.

This should suit your customers' needs, they don't break like dead coral heads do, and they are more reef-friendly.

Jenn

 

[liquid]

I'd have to second what JennM said. Go with the replicas. You (and the reef) will be better off overall.

Shane

 

[dizzy]

Don't bash me for this but most of my maintanence clients want dead bleached coral.Cant sell them on liverock! have to give the customer what they want;so I need to find a good wholesale supplier ASAP.

Thanks

Darin

Darin,
Your use of good wholesaler who sells dead bleached corals is a textbook example of an oxymoron. :evil: You might try Signature Coral as an alternative, as well as the ones Jenn mentioned.

 

[Anonymous]

For what you want, Tideline (in L.A.) is the best/largest/oldest. You'll pay about the same for the dead/bleached stuff as you will for the replicas Walt sells.

 

[investigator1]

I have heard some parts of the ocean have a great supply of bleached corals!

 

[naesco]

Yes go with the imitation stuff.
It looks great.
Selling dead coral is like selling ivory on this forum

 

[D]

Thank you Sea maiden. Know where i can get some ivory?

 

[Anonymous]

Nope! :lol:

 

[D]

Do you have a phone number by chance? Can't find them anywhere.

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AqBizSubWebI ... elfaqs.htm

 

[D]

Thank you.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't bash me for this but most of my maintanence clients want dead bleached coral.Cant sell them on liverock! have to give the customer what they want;so I need to find a good wholesale supplier ASAP.

Thanks

Darin

I'd find new clients. You don't HAVE to give the customer what they want - not at the expense of real animals. I'm sorry that idea is flawed. I understand you have business to run however if you aren't willing to affect change by refusing to participate in killing live coral you have the wrong attitude my friend and the major problem with this industry.

Check out Walt's fakes they are quite well done.

 

[D]

Find new clients; get a life! Those clients put a roof over my head and provide for my family. Just placed a large order by the way. :twisted:

 

[JennM]

Find new clients; get a life! Those clients put a roof over my head and provide for my family. Just placed a large order by the way. :twisted:

Inquiring minds want to know... did you order replicas, or did you order dead coral?

I completely understand that some people don't want the look of live rock. I also understand that some like the look of the dead coral - because that is what they are used to. That is why I suggested the replicas - it's a way to appease the customer, give them what they want (customer service is what it's all about... right?) but not contribute to the killing of large tabling acros, helios, tubiporas......

For what it's worth, the replicas are WAY easier to clean....

So - replicas or dead ones? Did we make a difference?

Jenn

 

[liquid]

And the replicas that I've seen have been darned hard to distinguish from the real thing. If you went w/ the real thing this time around, I would strongly suggest you at least order a couple of the replicas and see what your customers think.

Shane

 

[jorcutt]

If the customer insists on killing corals rather than getting replicas, just make the replicas much cheaper. When I worked retail/maintenance, even though my boss insisted upon bringing in big orders of dead coral, I'd just hike the price up on the dead stuff about twice what they could buy replicas for...makes the replicas mighty appealing.

 

[naesco]

Find new clients; get a life! Those clients put a roof over my head and provide for my family. Just placed a large order by the way. :twisted:

D you represent the worst of the the LFS.
Businesses like yours give the whole hobby and in particular industry a balck eye :twisted:

 

[dizzy]

Naesco,
What makes you so sure he's a lfs? Sounds more like a hose sucking algae scrapper to me.

 

[Anonymous]

Well he can speak for himself but yes I took it that he was a maintenance company. Regardless - yes sir those clients may pay the bills - however it is possible to make a living in this industry and still be ethical and conservation minded. Why don't you spend some time educateding your customers about the harm their choices are causing.