LFS Size/Prices?

[gmac]

Just wondering... do LFS pay more for fish that are larger? I have recently bought a Sailfin Pleco for my tank (27 gal), but I forgot they can get to 18"... so when he's older I may need to sell him. Would I get more than I normally would if he was smaller, than if he was 10"+?

 

[qwertie]

LFS generally pay more for younger fish, if hes big, he takes up more room, he needs to be cleaned out more, and hes older, so he will have less time to live, howevers some people are 'impatient' and want a fully grown/almost fully grown fish, so they might want that and pay more for it, try selling it in places like restaraunts who want a mature aquarim straight away, you might get quite a bit there.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

I think that you will get very little if anything for your return. There is a very small market for fish this large, and as stated above, larger fish are harder and more expensive to care for.

 

[1tankneverenuff]

LFS generally pay more for younger fish, if hes big, he takes up more room, he needs to be cleaned out more, and hes older, so he will have less time to live, howevers some people are 'impatient' and want a fully grown/almost fully grown fish, so they might want that and pay more for it, try selling it in places like restaraunts who want a mature aquarim straight away, you might get quite a bit there.

Actually, they pay more for the adults as they are proven to be sturdy and healthy. With young fish, it's too early to tell how long they will live or if they are easily susceptible to disease...

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The lfs around here purchases fish at 1/2 the cost they sell them for. They give more for larger fish because if they can't use them in their display tanks (adults only) then there is always people in the market for large fish. We have a hard time finding adults and when we do, they are always at least double, if not triple the price of juvi's.

 

[1tankneverenuff]

Large or near adult size fish means they are also proven eaters. Young fish or fry may be difficult to feed and therefore may perish far too soon and maybe even in your tank . Just an added note, an LFS can charge whatever they want for their fish. Average is anywhere from 200-300% mark-up of their cost, but I have seen up to 500%...scary how much profit there is on fish huh?

 

[Toirtis]

It depends on a few things...for instance, LFSes rarely give much credit on larger fish brought into them, but pay top dollar to wholesalers for large clown loaches, Altolamprologus calvus, etc.....desireable fish that mature quite slowly.

 

[Jchillin]

My LFS had a 16" Sailfin. He had him for three weeks. He originally was selling him for $24.99. Since then the price had been dropping like a rock. The last price I saw was $12.99. He is now sold (I don't know what price the buyer paid) but he told me that it was a pain maintaining him (he was in his own tank). Said it's just not worth keeping him unless he was in a display tank, which would have been counterproductive due to it's size.

PS - Would loved to have seen the buyer lugging that baby home.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

A lfs around here had two full grown common pleco's and only had them for about a week before some snatched both of them. The guy that bought them had to take them home in a 5 gal bucket for each one. Also, someone sold the lfs an Arowana that was full grown. I didn't know that freshwater fish could get that big until I saw this thing. The purchaser had to bring in a rubbermade container to take him home.

 

[malkore]

It can be VERY hard for an LFS to get rid of a full grown oscar or pleco. I'd say don't count on getting more than $5 in store credit for him.

 

[Toirtis]

It can be VERY hard for an LFS to get rid of a full grown oscar or pleco. I'd say don't count on getting more than $5 in store credit for him.

Imagine the poor shops trying to unload 30"+ RTCs, red snakeheads, walking catfish, iridescent sharks, etc......I have had several shops on several occasions jump on me the second I walked in the door to offer to me (free) some big fish that someone dumped on them.

 

[1tankneverenuff]

In our LFS we will not accept a fish we can't properly house...