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My Gumtree Experience


Cryptocorynus

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About a year ago I became infatuated with the Nymphea family, and since then have been on the lookout for new varieties I don't already have. Anyway, the story started a few weeks ago when I came across someone on Gumtree selling a tri-colour lotus, and as you can imagine I jumped at the chance as I hadn't ever grown it before. However, when the lotus arrived, it was a great deal smaller than the one I had bought (I had paid for the most mature plant he was selling and barely got a seedling), and in addition it was very badly damaged (and as some of you probably know, when a small lotus loses its leaves there is a great chance that if it has a very small bulb it won't re-shoot). Surveying the damages I decided that there would be no harm in potting it up, but soon after putting the lotus in my tank its remaining leaves seemed to melt away from the damages, and within no time it had only one small leaf left, and within an hour it lost that last leaf and I reluctantly decided to ask for a replacement lotus as I was very sure that it would not re-shoot given my experience with lotuses in the past. Needless to say the seller was not very nice, even resorting to name-calling and other abusive behaviour. As I had spent $35 on the lotus and postage I didn't particularly want to be left out of pocket that much (especially after his behaviour), so I opened a PayPal dispute and put all the information I had into my message to PayPal, certain I would win and this situation would soon be a thing of the past. Over the next week I waited while my $35 laid in the balance and the pot in my tank that contained the minuscule bulb seemed to be doing nothing. Yesterday morning I found that I had lost the dispute and I went to check up on my most recent flop of a purchase and weep that I had yet again fallen victim to PayPals pitiful claim resolution, but I instead found this...

tfvfYyC.jpg

Karma!

 

 

Edited by Cryptocorynus
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I am sorry about your Gumtree and PayPal experience. Personally I prefer to buy livestock and plants through recommendations/forums. If from forums, I will check the seller's previous posts and post counts to judge how trustworthy he/she is.

I am a huge fan of lotus too and have collected about 6 different varieties, although not all of them are growing healthily. I am still learning how to care for them well. My tri-colour lotus cost $10 and was bought from a member of another forum. His previous posts on the forum showed him selling them fairly regularly and seems trustworthy.

I have had a tri-colour lotus melt completely and went dormant, and to sprung back to life after I did a rescape more than a year later, and it is now one of my strongest and healthiest growing plant.

Hang in there. I am sure this little guy would grow up nicely for you! :)

What lotus do you have? I have bought a number of different lotus from Aquagreen. Check them out when you get a chance. I am not affiliated to them in anyway. Sorry mods please remove if I am not allowed to name a non-sponsor.

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Thanks for the kind words @jc12! Yep, I bought a ton from Dave, too. As for what I have, I now have Malay reds, average reds, red/greens, greens, and pinks (plus my tri-colours now). I'm thinking of getting a Nymphea belem from AGP soon, though. What do you have? 

That's the one downfall of Gumtree, isn't it? There's no review system like eBay. 

And I did say "tri-colours"! I was generously sold a huge tri-colour by a member of another forum at a heavily discounted price. I only just unpackaged and potted it up about an hour ago but it already looks great. I just need to untangle a few of the leaves. 

 

IeahKt7.jpg

Edited by Cryptocorynus
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As you said karma! 

Dont trust gumtree mate its one of the worlds largest platforms for fraudsters :)

 

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46 minutes ago, Cryptocorynus said:

Thanks for the kind words @jc12! Yep, I bought a ton from Dave, too. As for what I have, I now have Malay reds, average reds, red/greens, greens, and pinks (plus my tri-colours now). I'm thinking of getting a Nymphea belem from AGP soon, though. What do you have? 

That's the one downfall of Gumtree, isn't it? There's no review system like eBay. 

And I did say "tri-colours"! I was generously sold a huge tri-colour by a member of another forum at a heavily discounted price. I only just unpackaged and potted it up about an hour ago but it already looks great. I just need to untangle a few of the leaves. 

 

IeahKt7.jpg

Very nice. Did you get it from AL forum or QLDAF? Is that crypt balansae in the background?

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1 hour ago, OzShrimp said:

Dont trust gumtree mate its one of the worlds largest platforms for fraudsters :)

 

I've had quite a bit of luck there, actually, but recently I've met a few unsavoury types, I admit. It's all a matter of luck, I guess. I don't want to go into too much detail about it, but I've recently been looking into Ech. "Deep Purple" since Jeffrey Belbin lost his a while ago and found someone on Gumtree selling what he called "purple swords". To put a long story short I inquired as to whether they were actually "Deep Purple" as to have him say to me, "All I know as a million years ago they were purchased at pisces as purple swords. How deep I wouldn't know!" and later "I never said they are deep purple as I mentioned pisces deep purple leaf structure doesn't look anything like my purple ones". However, after I told him about why I was inquiring (as they are now extremely rare) he then within hours created another ad advertising them as "Deep Purple". When I asked him on his new ad why now he knew they were "Deep Purple" he said, "I was always sure ... and I know where I purchased the from". These are the sorts of people you get in this hobby. - people willing to mislabel plants for monetary gain without any thought of what doing so might cause down the line (especially among rare plant collectors). It makes me sick!

Edited by Cryptocorynus
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Gumtree should only be used for face to face transactions, I just wouldn't trust the seller.

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10 minutes ago, jc12 said:

Very nice. Did you get it from AL forum or QLDAF? Is that crypt balansae in the background?

I got the huge tri-colour from someone called emboli on AL. And you have a keen eye - it is, yes!

 

4 minutes ago, KeenShrimp said:

I am so sorry @Cryptocorynus. I have also had terrible experiences on Gumtree. Hopefully that little guy is a trooper for you!1f600.png

Thanks @KeenShrimp! I can only hope, but I'm sure he'll pull through with flying colours! 

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@Cryptocorynus, I like your choice of plants...I love crypt balansae too. I also like crypt parva, echinodorus sp. and aponogeton crispus. Simple plants but IMO beautiful and not too demanding. I am keen to set up another plants only tank and have my first go at CO2 and try crinums and MLPs.

For lotus, I currently have green tiger, green/red tiger, malay red tiger. red tiger, tri-colour and cardwell. Don't ask me for their scientific names. LOL.

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12 minutes ago, NoGi said:

Gumtree should only be used for face to face transactions, I just wouldn't trust the seller.

I've used Gumtree a lot for face-to-face deals and never had one issue. Like you say, it's only when the other person is a name on a screen that people start truly weighing up stabbing you in the back and making some easy money. It's that whole element of anonymity people have online and the thought that somehow seeing as though you will never see someone or talk to them in person that they are somehow less human than you. That's when guilt seems to go out the window. 

8 minutes ago, jc12 said:

@Cryptocorynus, I like your choice of plants...I love crypt balansae too. I also like crypt parva, echinodorus sp. and aponogeton crispus. Simple plants but IMO beautiful and not too demanding. I am keen to set up another plants only tank and have my first go at CO2 and try crinums and MLPs.

For lotus, I currently have green tiger, green/red tiger, malay red tiger. red tiger, tri-colour and cardwell. Don't ask me for their scientific names. LOL.

I'm actually chasing down some red balansae from someone down in the ACT, although I'm not sure if the deal will go through. You don't have any, do you? I'm also really interested in the cardwell lotus you are talking about. Where did you get it and what's it like to grow? Demanding or not? By the way, I've just recently bought two small MLPs (they've been in my CO2 tank about a week) so I'll keep you posted about those. I have crinums, though, and I find them a sinch, so you shouldn't have any trouble there. 

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50 minutes ago, Cryptocorynus said:

I got the huge tri-colour from someone called emboli on AL. And you have a keen eye - it is, yes!

 

Thanks @KeenShrimp! I can only hope, but I'm sure he'll pull through with flying colours! 

Dan is a very trust worthy person have dealt with him a few times and been to his work place. I tried actually getting him to join up here to no avail :( 

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2 minutes ago, OzShrimp said:

Dan is a very trust worthy person have dealt with him a few times and been to his work place. I tried actually getting him to join up here to no avail :( 

Yep, I'll definitely be recommending people to him. Very professional, very friendly.

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1 hour ago, jc12 said:

@Cryptocorynus, I like your choice of plants...I love crypt balansae too. I also like crypt parva, echinodorus sp. and aponogeton crispus. Simple plants but IMO beautiful and not too demanding. I am keen to set up another plants only tank and have my first go at CO2 and try crinums and MLPs.

For lotus, I currently have green tiger, green/red tiger, malay red tiger. red tiger, tri-colour and cardwell. Don't ask me for their scientific names. LOL.

Crinum seem to do well without CO2 so don't let that stop you now. My favourite is Crinum calistratum. Still regretting selling my last one a couple of years back. 

Edited by fishmosy
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17 hours ago, Cryptocorynus said:

I'm actually chasing down some red balansae from someone down in the ACT, although I'm not sure if the deal will go through. You don't have any, do you? I'm also really interested in the cardwell lotus you are talking about. Where did you get it and what's it like to grow? Demanding or not? By the way, I've just recently bought two small MLPs (they've been in my CO2 tank about a week) so I'll keep you posted about those. I have crinums, though, and I find them a sinch, so you shouldn't have any trouble there. 

Sorry I have not heard of red balansae and needless to say I don't have it either. Hope you'll get it and post a picture up. :)

I bought my cardwell lotus from Dave (Aquagreen). It is listed on his catalogue as Nymphaea Nouchali. Mine is not growing well as it has not recovered since my bout of BGA some months ago. I might loose it so would be looking at getting some again when I am ready.

I am currently looking for a suitable used rack to grow out some fry. I plan to set up a plants only tank on the rack with bloody mary shrimps, and will hopefully find some crinum calamistratum and MLP at that time. Yes, post up some pictures of your MLPs!!! :)

15 hours ago, fishmosy said:

Crinum seem to do well without CO2 so don't let that stop you now. My favourite is Crinum calistratum. Still regretting selling my last one a couple of years back. 

Somehow I feel more confident with CO2 for such rare plants. Maybe it is just in my head. Haha. Realistically, I would only be able to keep crinum calamistratum due to space issues. Hopefully I will find some when I am ready.

Edited by jc12
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