CORAL TRADING GUIDE

How to trade coral online without guessing.

A good coral trade is not just two photos and a shipping label. Both reefers should know what is being exchanged, what is only a source claim, how each coral will travel, and what happens if a package is delayed or arrives in poor condition. This guide turns that into a repeatable process.

1. Describe the actual coral

Use a current photo of the exact piece whenever possible. State the broad coral type, approximate size or head count, healing time, whether the photo is WYSIWYG, and any relevant pest, dip or damage notes. A photograph cannot prove species, lineage, health or legal origin, so separate what you personally observed from what a previous keeper told you.

2. Compare the entire trade

Price labels alone do not make two corals equivalent. Compare size, healing, source documentation, current condition, shipping difficulty and whether either participant must add money. A FRAG free trade is coral for coral only: no cash, store credit, deposit, gift card, service or side payment.

3. Put the agreement in writing

• The exact coral or frag each person is sending.
• Current photos and the date they were taken.
• Ship date, carrier, service level and tracking expectations.
• Who pays each shipping charge.
• Temperature-pack decisions and destination weather limits.
• The live-arrival window, evidence required and remedy, if any.

Do not rely on a disappearing message thread. Save the final terms and do not accept last-minute substitutions without reviewing them again.

4. Check provenance and eligibility

Do not offer protected, unlawfully collected or export-restricted coral. Keep receipts, aquaculture records and prior source notes when they exist. Unknown-source coral should be labeled honestly. Wild-collected coral needs private provenance review before it can be considered for a public FRAG listing.

5. Pack for the route, not the calendar

Use a watertight inner container, enough clean water for the specimen, secondary containment, insulation and a sturdy outer box. Secure hard skeletons so they cannot puncture a bag. Check the entire route's weather and carrier service alerts before sealing the package. Avoid shipping before weekends or holidays unless both participants knowingly accept the added risk.

Heat and cold packs can cause damage when chosen by habit instead of the forecast. Keep them physically separated from coral bags and use only when the route conditions justify them.

6. Protect private information

Public listings should not expose email addresses, phone numbers, exact ZIP codes, street addresses or payment handles. FRAG keeps those details private during review and only facilitates an introduction after both parties indicate interest.

7. Document arrival immediately

Photograph the unopened box, shipping label, insulation, bags and coral promptly if anything is wrong. Follow the agreed live-arrival window. Acclimation choices belong to the receiving reefer, but the shipping condition should be documented before the coral is moved or discarded.

8. Stop when the facts change

Pause the trade if the coral, source story, ship date, destination, payment request or participant identity changes. Pressure to move outside the agreed process is a warning, not urgency you need to accommodate.

Ready to post a coral-for-coral trade?

FRAG reviews submissions before publication, keeps contact information private and charges no platform fee for qualifying coral-for-coral peer trades.

Looking for a specific piece instead? Post a wanted-coral request.

Frequently asked questions