WYSIWYG livestock
WYSIWYG. The exact one in the photo.
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) means the specific individual specimen photographed is what ships to your door. No "representative photo" stock shipments. Vendors hold the specimen under your order ID until the next ship day. Premium pricing - premium peace of mind.
Why WYSIWYG matters
Generic "stock-photo" coral and fish listings are a roll of the dice - the photo represents the species, but the specific frag or fish you receive is whatever's in the vendor's tank that day. Color, size, growth pattern, and markings can vary dramatically. WYSIWYG removes the lottery: that exact frag, that exact fish, in that exact photo ships to you.
SPSWYSIWYG SPSAcropora, Montipora colonies and frags photographed under blue + white actinic. Frag-base shape and growth-tip count locked at photo time.
LPSWYSIWYG LPSTorch, hammer, chalice, brain, and acan colonies with head count and color pattern locked.
ZAWYSIWYG zoanthidsPolyp count locked. Critical for named cultivars (Utter Chaos, Sunny Ds, Bizarro) where price scales with polyp count.
CFWYSIWYG designer clownfishThe specific Wyoming White, Picasso, or Black Storm in the photo. Pattern variation between individuals is huge - photograph + ID-tag is the only way to buy with confidence.
WRWYSIWYG wrassesFairy + flasher wrasses where male coloration is the buying criterion. Photographed in display lighting after settling.
RRWYSIWYG rare livestockRare angels (Joculator, Multibarred, Conspicuous), rare wrasses, rare anthias, named-cultivar discus. Always WYSIWYG at this price tier.
How vendors prove WYSIWYG
- Photo timestamped and uploaded with the listing.
- Each WYSIWYG listing has a unique listing ID. Vendor pulls and holds the specimen under that ID once payment clears.
- Vendor reshoots a "ship-day" photo at packing time and emails it to the buyer for confirmation.
- If the specimen looks materially different on ship day (illness, stress, color change), vendor must notify the buyer and offer a full refund or alternate selection - never auto-substitute.
WYSIWYG vs stock photo - what to expect
| Attribute | WYSIWYG | Stock photo |
|---|
| Specimen identity | Locked - the exact one | Representative of species / cultivar |
| Color match | Guaranteed | Within natural variation |
| Size / frag base | Locked | "Approximately ___ inches" |
| Polyp / head count (LPS / zoa) | Locked | Stated as a range |
| Price premium | 15-40% over stock | Baseline |
| Buyer Protection coverage | Full | Full |
Vendors: WYSIWYG drives 2-3× higher conversion on premium SKUs
Photograph it under blue + white, list it WYSIWYG, hold it under the buyer's order ID. Top-trust vendors run 60%+ of their high-value listings WYSIWYG.
Apply as a vendor