Buying Corals: What to Look Out for When Buying Online

Buying corals is convenient these days: instead of driving from shop to shop, you order online and, within Germany, receive the animals the next day. But with live animals in particular, it pays to take a closer look. Origin, care before sale and shipping all help determine how well a coral settles into your aquarium. This guide shows what to look out for when buying corals online.

Retailer or private seller: what's the difference?

Many reefers pass on frags from their own tanks. This can be a good source, especially for hardy species. When buying privately, however, you should bear a few points in mind:

• Pests: Frags from private tanks usually come straight from the display tank. Unwanted hitchhikers such as flatworms, nudibranchs or Aiptasia are easily transferred with them.
• Shipping: Private sellers often ship without an insulated box or express service. In heat or frost, that is a risk.
• Rights: When buying privately, different statutory rules apply than with a commercial retailer, and there is usually no policy for losses in transit.

A specialist retailer, by contrast, keeps the animals in its own systems, checks them before sale and ships using a proven packaging concept. That is no guarantee, but it is a solid foundation.

WYSIWYG: you see what you get

WYSIWYG stands for “What you see is what you get”. It means that you receive exactly the coral shown in the photo. The opposite is stock photos, where a similar animal is delivered. With corals this makes a big difference, as colour, shape and size vary considerably even within one species.

With WYSIWYG listings, make sure the photos are realistic. Under pure blue light many corals look more vivid than in normal daylight. Good retailers state under which light the photo was taken or show several views. With our listings marked as WYSIWYG, you receive exactly the animal shown.

Quarantine: why it matters so much

Many corals are imported from aquaculture or from the ocean. Right after import the animals are stressed, and pests are often not yet visible. Quarantine at the retailer therefore has several advantages:

• The coral can recover from transport and show whether it is stable.
• Pests and diseases are noticed before the coral reaches your tank.
• The coral gets used to aquarium conditions with artificial light and stable parameters.

Ask the retailer whether and for how long corals are kept in quarantine. With us, every coral stays in our systems for at least 14 days before it goes on sale.

Origin and species protection

Stony corals are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Importing them into the EU requires the appropriate documents. Reputable retailers source their animals through legal channels and can provide information on their origin. Captive-bred corals and frags from aquariums are often particularly adaptable because they are already used to aquarium conditions.

Shipping: how corals arrive safely

Shipping is the most critical moment for corals. Look out for these points:

• Express shipping: Corals should arrive within 24 hours if possible. An overnight express service significantly shortens the time in the bag.
• Insulated packaging: A polystyrene box as insulated packaging protects against temperature fluctuations.
• Shipping days: Good retailers only ship on days when next-day delivery is possible, so that no parcel sits over the weekend.
• Availability: Make sure someone can accept the delivery.

Within Germany, we ship live corals by GO! Express Overnight for €24.90 (minimum order value €50), with free shipping from an order value of €250. Deliveries to other EU countries are sent by Premium UPS Worldwide Express for €49.95, free from €650.

What happens if something goes wrong?

Despite all care, in rare cases a coral may not survive transport. Before buying, find out how the retailer handles this. Clear rules on deadlines and photo documentation are important. You can find our procedure on the page on DOA (Dead on Arrival) claims.

Checklist for buying corals

• Does the coral suit your tank, i.e. its light, flow and water parameters?
• Do you have enough space, including for future growth and sweeper tentacles?
• Will you receive the animal shown (WYSIWYG) or is it a stock photo?
• Are the corals quarantined before sale?
• Is shipping done by express service in insulated packaging?
• Is there a clear policy for losses in transit?

Which corals are suitable for beginners?

If you are just starting out, soft corals and hardy LPS are a good choice. They are more forgiving of small fluctuations than SPS corals. Browse our soft corals and LPS corals categories. For experienced reefers with stable parameters, our SPS corals offer a wide range of colours. You can see what has just come out of quarantine and gone on sale under New corals.

Conclusion

When buying corals, price is not the only thing that counts. A realistic photo, quarantine before sale, well-thought-out shipping and clear rules for transport damage are the best conditions for your new coral to arrive in good shape and establish itself in your tank.