Has the price of bristlenose plecos gone up?

[krap101]

I've been looking lately, and I remember a few years ago the price being like 7-8$, now its like 10-13$?

 

[FastFly67]

inflation?

 

[missileman]

How big and what type?
Comons around here run about $5-6$ or so
Albinos are about $10
I paid $18 for my calico.
I did get a long fin albino a couple of weeks ago for $10, nice fish.

 

[Zagz]

Prices have gone up. Good news for me, I breed them.

 

[gzeiger]

The price of money has gone down because the government is giving it away free. People are less willing now to trade real wealth for paper. It's really that simple.

 

[missileman]

The price of money has gone down because the government is giving it away free. People are less willing now to trade real wealth for paper. It's really that simple.

I honestly don't buy that .
The average joe consumer and mom and pop local fish store has no idea of this concept and are not swayed by it.
Its just coming out of winter in the northern hemisphere, cold winters drive up shipping cost and drive down supply of live fish. That is more of a factor in the current prices. Wait till mid summer and you will see lower prices.

 

[BillD]

Around here the price has dropped because everyone and their dog is breeding them and there are lots available. I recently aquired 5 normal and 1 alibino between 2" and 3" for $6.

 

[meegosh]

I agree with missleman, its seasonal pricing. Just wait till summer and I bet they will drop to what they were prior to the winter months.

 

[boogie]

Is $10-$13 a lot of $ for a bristlenose?

 

[BillD]

Depends how big they are.

 

[bs6749]

It all depends on what sort of BN you are looking for. There are browns, calicos, albinos....along with blue eyed "albinos", long fin varieties of each color variation, etc. Also take size into consideration. I have seen ABN standard finned plecos at ~1" be sold for as much as $3 each in decent quantities or as little as $1 each (this week) with no minimum. Some people breed them for profit and some breed them for pleasure. Those that breed them for profit tend to have more expertise when it comes to the husbandry of these fish so maybe you'd rather buy from them and pay a little extra for more knowledge.

 

[boogie]

Thanks, but this may sound stupid to all you guys - do not reply, thanks, but if I want a fish and I think it's worth $35 for a bristle nose then there you go. I think that all the effort that goes into taking care of fish, maintenance, food, stress that fish should be worth more than what is asked of them. I have only drawn the line on the zebra plecos and that is because I used to own one a few years ago that cost me $50.00 and I still didn't think that was much cuz I wanted it. So many people spend tons on games and gambling and food that they don't need, etc., that I don't know, I think put up the money for the fish you don't need too. No replies needed - I guess I'm a fish dealers dream.

 

[krap101]

I know you don't really want replies, but I have to just throw out there, that breeding something like bristlenose plecos could cost a couple hundred dollars to a couple thousand (pretty large operation) but game companies spend millions of dollars on developing games, and the price is somewhat justified. The market for games is so large, that the price can stay stable, but with fish, it is a lot more sensitive to supply and demand.

 

[mgamer20o0]

I honestly don't buy that .
The average joe consumer and mom and pop local fish store has no idea of this concept and are not swayed by it.
Its just coming out of winter in the northern hemisphere, cold winters drive up shipping cost and drive down supply of live fish. That is more of a factor in the current prices. Wait till mid summer and you will see lower prices.

price of all fish been going up it seems. while they might not have any concept of it most have a standard mark up. so if they are paying for more for that fish from over seas they just pass that on. fule prices i think would effect shipping price more then the cold though i am not a expert on that i would guess shipping prices tend to be the same year around for a2a. i can see a general price over all going up on packages.

 

[missileman]

Thanks, but this may sound stupid to all you guys - do not reply, thanks, but if I want a fish and I think it's worth $35 for a bristle nose then there you go. I think that all the effort that goes into taking care of fish, maintenance, food, stress that fish should be worth more than what is asked of them. I have only drawn the line on the zebra plecos and that is because I used to own one a few years ago that cost me $50.00 and I still didn't think that was much cuz I wanted it. So many people spend tons on games and gambling and food that they don't need, etc., that I don't know, I think put up the money for the fish you don't need too. No replies needed - I guess I'm a fish dealers dream.

Doesn't sound stupid at all and in fact I completely agree with you.
I have paid way more than something is worth in the past because I had to have it.
I know a guy that bought a trio of longfin BN to breed and got in a bidding war with someone else. He eneded up paying $500 for them.
PS: supply and demand, my LFS currently has a bunch of long fin albinos for $6 each.

 

[missileman]

price of all fish been going up it seems. while they might not have any concept of it most have a standard mark up. so if they are paying for more for that fish from over seas they just pass that on. fule prices i think would effect shipping price more then the cold though i am not a expert on that i would guess shipping prices tend to be the same year around for a2a. i can see a general price over all going up on packages.

Might be regional, prices around here on most fish have been going down.
In fact my pay has recently gone down because of a reduction of the consumer price index. Demand is down because less people are working so the prices have to also go down just to get people to buy at all. (I live in Michigan which has the highest unemployment rate in the country)