What Does WYSIWYG Mean?

One of the first things I remember wondering when I started shopping online as a hobbyist was:

“What the hell does WYSIWYG mean?”

Well, WYSIWYG stands for What You See Is What You Get.

When a coral is labelled as WYSIWYG, it means the coral you see in the photo is the exact coral you are buying. Not one that looks similar. Not a random piece from the same batch. The exact coral in the image.

This is very important when buying corals online because every coral is different. Even corals from the same colony can have different:

1. Colours
2. Patterns
3. Growth shapes
4. Polyp extension
5. Size
6. Health and condition
7. Unique markings

So when you are buying a WYSIWYG coral, you can make a much more accurate decision because you are choosing the actual coral that will arrive at your door.

Why WYSIWYG Matters When Buying Coral Online

When a coral or fish is not listed as WYSIWYG, it usually means the image is only an example. You may receive an assorted version, a similar piece, or something from the same group, but not the exact one shown in the photo.

That does not always mean it is bad. Sometimes assorted corals are still beautiful and healthy. But it does mean you are trusting the seller to pick something for you.

WYSIWYG gives the customer more control.

• It allows you to choose based on:
• The exact colour you like
• The exact size you want
• The shape of the frag or colony
• How many heads or polyps it has
• Whether it suits the space in your aquarium
• Whether it matches your current coral collection

As a retailer, I can tell you this feature is extremely hard to offer and even harder to master.

Taking proper WYSIWYG photos is not just quickly snapping a picture and uploading it. It takes time, equipment, patience, and a lot of care.

At Aquamarine Aquaristic, we put a huge amount of effort into making sure our coral images are as accurate as possible to what you see with your own eyes. If you check out our photography blog, you will see the lengths we have gone to with our equipment, lighting, camera settings, and editing process to achieve this.

This method can take around two full days of work just to produce one album of corals.

It is labour intensive, full of love, and I know our customers appreciate it.

For more details read our blog on how we do our photos: click here

Do You Always Get Exactly What You See?

The real question is: do you always get exactly what you see?

Unfortunately, the answer is no.

For a large part of the industry, WYSIWYG does not always mean the photo is truly accurate. Not everyone has the skill level, equipment, time, or even the right morals to produce honest coral images.

And this is where one of the biggest issues in the coral industry comes in.

I like to call it jacking up the images.

This is when someone takes a photo of a coral and then, during the editing phase, cranks up things like:

• Temperature
• Vibrance
• Saturation
• Contrast
• Colour balance
• Blue tones
• Fluorescence
• Sharpness

The result is a coral that looks like magic. Super bright, glowing, eye-popping candy colours that almost look too good to be true.

And the problem is, if you are new to the hobby, how would you know?

You might think these unbelievable colours could actually exist in the world. Maybe you just have not seen them before. Maybe your tank lighting is different. Maybe the seller has something special.

But sadly, a lot of the time, the coral arrives looking dull, flat, and nowhere near the image.

That is what I call jacked.

How To Tell If a Coral Image Has Been Jacked

So, what are some tips to know if a coral image has been heavily edited?

The answer is usually found in the places most people do not look.

Look at Everything Except the Coral

Most people look straight at the coral, and that makes sense. That is what you are buying.

But if you want to know whether the image has been pushed too far, look at the background and the objects around the coral.

Look at things like:

• The egg crate the coral is sitting on
• Frag plugs
• The seller’s hands or fingers
• Snails in the photo
• The sand bed
• Rockwork
• The rack or tray
• The water colour
• Shadows and reflections

These objects are important because you already know what colour they should be.

If the egg crate is glowing purple, the frag plug looks neon blue, someone’s hand looks red or purple, or a trochus snail looks like a Pokémon, there is a good chance the image has been jacked.

The coral might still be nice, but the photo is probably not realistic.

Watch Out for Unrealistic Background Colours

A good coral photo should make the coral stand out, but the background should still look natural.

If the whole image looks overly blue, purple, or radioactive, that is a warning sign.

Common signs include:

1. Egg crate that should be white but looks bright blue or purple
2. Black backgrounds that look unnaturally saturated
3. Frag plugs that glow more than the coral
4. Hands or tools that have strange colours
5. Snails or shells that look red, pink, purple, or neon
6. These are usually signs that the editing has affected the whole image, not just the coral.
7. Compare the Coral to Known Colours

Another good trick is to compare the coral to things you already understand.

For example, if you see:

1. A white frag plug
2. A grey egg crate
3. A brown snail shell
4. A person’s hand
5. A black rack

Ask yourself: does that object look normal?

If the answer is no, the coral colour may not be accurate either.

Be Careful With Photos That Look Too Perfect

Some corals are genuinely bright and beautiful. That is part of why we all love this hobby.

But if every single coral on a website looks unbelievably bright, perfectly glowing, and almost cartoon-like, it is worth being cautious.

Real corals have depth. They have shadows, texture, and natural colour variation.

A realistic photo should still show:

• The coral’s actual structure
• Natural shadows
• Realistic tissue colour
• Normal-looking surroundings
• Detail in both bright and darker areas

If the photo looks more like a digital artwork than a coral, that is a red flag.

More Tips for Buying WYSIWYG Coral Online

Check If the Seller Uses Consistent Photography

A trustworthy seller usually has a consistent photo style.

That means their images look similar across the website in terms of:

1. Lighting
2. Background
3. Angle
4. Colour tone
5. Sharpness
6. White balance

If every coral photo looks completely different, it can be harder to know what is accurate.

Consistency builds trust because you start to understand how that seller photographs their corals.

Read the Product Description Carefully

Do not only rely on the photo.

Check the description for details like:

• Size
• Number of heads
• Whether it is a frag or colony
• Lighting requirements
• Flow requirements
• Aggression level
• Placement advice
• Whether the photo is WYSIWYG or representative only
• If the description is vague and the image looks heavily edited, be careful.
• Ask Questions Before Buying
• A good seller should be happy to answer questions.

You can ask:

• Is this the exact coral in the photo?
• Was the photo taken under blue light or white light?
• Has the image been edited?
• Can I see a quick video?
• What lighting was used?
• What size is the coral in real life?
• A short video can be very helpful because it is harder to hide unrealistic colour when the coral is moving under real tank lighting.
• Understand That Lighting Changes Coral Appearance
• Even with honest photography, corals can look different depending on the lighting.

A coral may look different under:

• Blue reef lighting
• White lighting
• Hybrid lighting
• Phone camera settings
• Different aquarium brands
• Different water clarity
• Different viewing angles

This does not always mean the seller is being dishonest. Corals naturally fluoresce under blue light, and many reefers view their tanks under blue-heavy lighting.

The key is whether the image is a fair representation or whether it has been pushed beyond reality.

Look for Sellers Who Explain Their Photography

A seller who is transparent about their photography process is usually a good sign.

Look for information about:

• Camera equipment
• Lens filters
• Lighting setup
• Editing process
• Whether colours are adjusted
• Whether photos are taken under blue or white light
• The more open a seller is, the more confidence you can have.

Why Honest WYSIWYG Photography Matters

WYSIWYG coral photography is not just about selling coral. It is about trust.

When someone buys a coral online, they are putting faith in the seller. They cannot hold the coral, see it in person, or compare it under their own lights before buying.

That means the photo has to do a lot of the work.

Honest WYSIWYG photography helps customers:

• Buy with confidence
• Avoid disappointment
• Choose corals that suit their tank
• Understand what they are actually paying for
• Build trust with the store
• Come back again in the future

For me, that trust matters more than making a coral look fake just to get a quick sale.

I would rather someone receive their coral and say, “That looks exactly like the photo,” than be disappointed because the image was over-edited.

Final Thoughts

WYSIWYG coral means What You See Is What You Get, and when done properly, it is one of the best ways to buy coral online.

It gives the customer control, confidence, and a much better idea of what is actually going into their aquarium.

But not all WYSIWYG images are created equally.

Some sellers put in the time, equipment, and care to make their photos accurate. Others push colours too far and create unrealistic expectations.

My advice is simple: do not only look at the coral. Look at everything around it.

If the egg crate, frag plug, snails, hands, or background look strange, the coral image may have been jacked.

At Aquamarine Aquaristic, we know how much trust goes into buying coral online. That is why we put so much effort into our WYSIWYG photography. It is not the fastest way to sell coral, but it is the right way.

Because at the end of the day, when you buy a coral online, you deserve to know exactly what you are getting.

Written by Jonathan Jordon

Reef keeper with 10+ years of hands-on experience specialising in SPS, LPS, coral care, and reef aquarium chemistry.

About the author — Jonathan Jordon

Like many reef keepers, I started by simply dipping my toes into the world of marine aquariums. More than 10 years later, reefing has become a major part of my life.

Since 2016, I’ve spent countless 50+ hour weeks working hands-on with corals across our coral farm, retail store, and my own home systems. Over that time, I’ve cared for, grown, fragged, and learned from thousands of corals — through the wins, the mistakes, and everything in between.

Reefing is a hobby where real-world experience matters. Through this blog, I share honest advice, practical knowledge, strong opinions, and lessons learned from years of working with these incredible animals. My goal is to help other reef keepers enjoy the journey, avoid common mistakes, and grow healthier reef aquariums.