Buying coral online is normal now, and done right it’s often safer than buying from a busy shop tank. The trick is knowing what a good seller does differently. Use this checklist before you buy from anyone, us included.
1. Choose aquacultured over wild-collected
Aquacultured (tank-grown) corals have already lived their whole lives under aquarium lighting and water conditions. That usually means they settle faster, carry less risk of hitchhikers from the ocean, and don’t take coral from wild reefs.
Check: does the seller say clearly whether each coral is aquacultured or wild? A good seller can tell you where their stock came from.
2. Know whether you’re buying WYSIWYG or a representative photo
- WYSIWYG (“what you see is what you get”) means the photo shows the exact coral you’ll receive.
- Representative photos show a typical example. Your frag will be the same coral, but colour, shape and size will vary naturally.
Both are fine, as long as the seller says which is which. If a listing doesn’t say, ask before you buy.
3. Look for real health and pest checks
Pests are the biggest risk when adding new corals. A good seller should inspect and treat corals before they ship. Ask whether they check for common pests such as acropora-eating flatworms, montipora-eating nudibranchs, red bugs and zoanthid pests.
Also look for frags that are fully healed onto their plug or base before sale. A freshly cut frag is more likely to struggle in transit.
Good practice either way: dip and inspect every new coral yourself before it goes in your tank, even from a trusted seller.
4. Check how and when they ship
Live coral delivery depends on timing as much as packing. Look for:
- Dispatch early in the week, on a next-day tracked service, so parcels never sit in a depot over a weekend.
- Insulated packaging, with heat or cold packs when needed.
- A weather policy. A seller who’ll hold your order in a heatwave or a cold snap is putting your coral first.
- Clear delivery areas. Some parts of the UK can’t reliably get next-day delivery. A good seller tells you up front.
5. Read the live arrival guarantee properly
Most reputable sellers offer a live arrival guarantee, but the terms vary a lot. Before you buy, check:
- What it gives you: a replacement, a refund or store credit.
- How long you have to claim, and how (email, phone, form).
- What photos they need, and whether the coral must stay sealed in its bag or pot until the claim is approved.
- What counts as dead, and what’s just shipping stress.
If you can’t find the guarantee, or it’s vague, treat that as a warning sign.
6. Check the seller is a real business
A trustworthy online coral store shows a registered company name, a physical address, and a working email and phone number. Search for independent reviews and posts on UK reefing forums and social media.
7. Get your tank ready before you order
Many “bad” orders are really tank problems. Before you buy:
- Make sure your tank is fully cycled and parameters are stable.
- Pick corals that suit your lighting, flow and experience level.
- Plan to be in on delivery day, and to unpack and acclimate straight away.
Red flags
- No clear photos, or no way to tell WYSIWYG from representative photos
- No mention of pest inspection or dipping
- Shipping on Thursdays or Fridays, or no tracked next-day service
- No live arrival guarantee, or one with unclear terms
- Prices that look far too cheap for the coral
- No company details or contact address
How ReefGro does it
- Most of our corals are aquacultured in our Ipswich system. Any that aren’t are clearly marked on the listing and kept in a separate system, away from our aquaculture stock.
- Listings marked WYSIWYG show the exact coral; other frags use representative photos.
- Every coral is fully healed and health and pest inspected before dispatch.
- We ship every Monday, next-day tracked, for Tuesday delivery in mainland Great Britain.
- Corals are bagged or potted and packed in insulated boxes, and we’ll hold orders in extreme weather.
- Every coral is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
- Delivery: £25 on orders under £200, free on orders of £200 or more.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to buy corals online? Yes, if the seller ships quickly in insulated packaging, inspects for pests and offers a clear live arrival guarantee. Corals often travel better than people expect.
Is it better to buy aquacultured or wild corals? For most reefers, aquacultured. They’re already used to aquarium conditions and are less likely to bring in ocean pests.
What does WYSIWYG mean for corals? It means the photo shows the exact coral you’ll receive, rather than a typical example.
What should I do when my corals arrive? Open the box straight away, check each coral, then dip and acclimate before adding them to your tank.
Where can I buy corals online in the UK? ReefGro ships aquacultured corals to mainland Great Britain every Monday. Shop our corals →