Never buy any blue coral sight unseen

[dz6t]

Never buy any blue coral sight unseen as color vary under different lighting especially blue color.

I recently bought some blue zoos by mail from a member here. The zoos look green under 13K Metal halide. Still look green under 14K metal halide. I tried 10K metal halide, it is still green. Not a bit blue at all. I tried 20K metal halide, still green.
I put it under t-5 10K + Actinic, still can't see any blue.

Well, lesson learnt, don't buy any blue colral sight unseen.

 

[nitrofish]

that goes for any zoanthid really, I never seem to get them to look like the pictures online.

 

[Scuba_Dave]

I haven't bought zoas online in a while.
The only person I bought zoas from was Armando, and his looked exactly like his pictures

 

[Lurchin]

Where's jovsreef when you need her?

 

[sw300galma]

Liam had some really blue ones...I have a small frag..

 

[jovreef]

Dua Duh Duh!!!! I'm here to the rescue hahaha

Yes definatly never buy Zoa's sight unseen, also never buy from a macro pic, you want to see some sand or background as well to make sure the picture was not taken under actinics only or photoshoped. The absolute best thing (and ANY good zoa seller will do this anyway!) is to ask for a photo taken with flash.

We had talked about doing an article about online zoa buying and how to aviod being scammed on Zoaid.com but figured it would rub a few people the wrong way

ANYWAY... that being said ... Dong, were your zoa's Alien eyes? If so please dont think you've been scammed right away. I found out that if Alien eyes get to cold in shipping they will turn green. I did some experiments with a few frags and same thing happened, under 72 degree's for over 4 hours and they will change color, Under lower than 70 for an hour and they change color.

They will turn back, Its hard to say how long though, One of my frags has turned back blue in 2 weeks & the other is still green.

 

[JavaJones]

An article on affirmative steps one can take to minimize risk will be most welcome! I continue to salivate over certain sites...especially ones with these great close up shots... I think I came across an extended article once on lighting temps and different colors...

 

[nomah1918]

it is a good idea to never buy any livestock site unseen....i know it is not always possible...

...but you should try not to buy things over the internet, or through mail order unless it is from someone that was recommended to you by a friend...or a company you have fostered a good relationship with over time...

 

[dz6t]

Thanks Jovana, I will wait and see if the zoos turn blue.

 

[Lurchin]

Jovana,
I knew you had the answers!

 

[this is me]

Dua Duh Duh!!!! I'm here to the rescue hahaha

Yes definatly never buy Zoa's sight unseen, also never buy from a macro pic, you want to see some sand or background as well to make sure the picture was not taken under actinics only or photoshoped. The absolute best thing (and ANY good zoa seller will do this anyway!) is to ask for a photo taken with flash.

You can just photoshop the zoos part and leave the rest untouch.
I have to disagree with you there on the flash. Nothing looks real for corals with flash.

 

[jovreef]

You are correct that you can photoshop just the coral, nothing is fool proof when you have someone trying to scam you but it will show the difference alot of the time.

Also Zoa's do show true colors with flash. I'll put any of mine to the test on that one. Anyone who wants feel free to come take some flash shots if you dont believe mine! All mine have flash, check zoaid.com, The owner of the site has a program that will give you the details of each camra setting including flash. Mine all come with flash and look great.
Yes...actinics make a coral look brighter and better but a flash shot will show you how a zoa is gonna look under 10k lighting alone & your not gonna get some super actinic saturated grey coral.

Its becoming very big over on RC to ask for a picture of zoa's with flash to show true color, take a look and see for yourself.

Yes I know this does not hold true for SPS, mine all look VERY washed out or brown under flash

 

[dz6t]

OK, guys, I was not scammed, I think it just the seller has a different definition of what the color blue look like.

 

[jovreef]

That is very possible too dong! I'll hope for you though, that they just lost color in shipping.

I'm on any Zoa thread like white on rice mmmm me love da zoa.