willl live rocks be on sale again ?

[ashidiq]

currently there is a "ban" of selling live rocks in fish fams and fish shop... will this law be here to stay ? will there still be incoming supplies of live rocks ... i believed that many reefers here are ery concerned about the future of live rocks ....

[hamannbmw]

I thought its only Fiji Rocks ? But CF is still importing.......

[junyong84]

didnt noe of tat news??? ehz...

[ashidiq]

how people like crazy for like rocks... wheneveranyone selling it is first to be sold... haha

[Golf]

Aiyah..

I think there is not all LR are banned by AVA (recent news). However, according to some LFS, AVA now requires permits on certain LR (costs about $500 per species)

Some LFS (not Fiji type ok) are selling between $12~14/kg......previously only $5~6/kg. So I think Fiji type price may increase further soon.

Luckily..got all my LR liao.."heng" !!!

[ben]

AVA dont ban all LR and Fiji Rocks. Pls find out properly before making such staements. U can misled of people to got scared and will be con.

LR and Fiji rocks are permitted only those types with macro algaes, certain allowed corals,......

LR and Fiji that are not allowed when they are like a base rock.

These condition makde the prices increased double-triple so most LFS dont want to buy them. Sooner or later prices will fall back again slightly cheaper but no more as cheap as previously. So either u can be patience to wait for price down again or else u can buy now.

seems nothing big deal as marine hobby is an expensive hobby and u will have to plan/survey anything before doing it. BTW these prices are the previous prices before the downfall of prices.

[marinebetta]

This is about the third thread spreading misinformation about a ban on live rock and corals....

Let's set the record straight:

1) There is no ban on live rock or corals by the AVA.

LFS are free to import and sell any amount of LR and corals as they want so long as they are accompanied by CITES export permits from the country of export (along with the relevant import CITES, permits etc)

2) Any kind of LR and hard coral is under CITES appendix II.

Fiji LR just refers to the country of origin - Fiji. LR can be from any country and refers to proper LR.

3) Algae rock is not under CITES and thus import does not require CITES permits

The common, cheap "LR" that you see in LFS are algae rock - ie rock with macroalgae on them. They are cheaper in the first place and without additional CITES permit costs, results in a cheaper price compared to true LR.

4) CITES permits do not cost $500 per species...

The cost of CITES permits depend on the pricing of the country of export and item. Some charge by permit, others by Kg (in the case of LR) and others by the piece or species (eg in coral).

5) Our cheapest source of LR and corals is unavailable to us easily as there is a trade embargo on CITES exports to Singapore.

This causes legal LR and corals to be more expensive as they have to come from farther afield eg Fiji and other central pacific nations, Australia etc; or come via a third country eg. transit via Malaysia. Thus freight costs go up.....retail price goes up....

Hope this clears up some of the haziness around....

[ben]

marinebetta, nice one. now hopes nobody post again this issue

[Siput]

Hi marinebetta, what is the difference between live rocks and the algae rocks apart from the price? Are algae rocks also live rocks? Sorry, a bit blur on this...

[ben]

its still live rock, only macro algae grows on it.

[marinebetta]

its still live rock, only macro algae grows on it.

Yup, it's still live....but yu get plenty of caulerpa that comes with it - the type that nothing likes to eat! and also generally much less coralline. What you see at most LFS - they already pull off the algae.....but it will regrow in time.

Great for nitrate export in a sump, but in the main tank......

[Siput]

many thanks...so good for sump but ugly for main tank...about to start work on a FOWLR next week (just got my tank yesterday), so this info couldn't have been more timely; actually thought that if I bought this kind of rock could provide source of food for the fish (eg Tangs) over time....now I know better!