Price of fish!!

[Cactuspixie]

I just snapped some pics of price tags at a lfs to show that I'm not crazy when I talk about how expensive fish are here.

We all know how easy it is to breed common bristlenose- I gave away around 60 that were 2-2.5 inches just a couple of weeks ago because I needed them gone pronto.

That doesn't stop lfs from selling 2" BN for:




When I saw the next sign:




I was expecting a very large or perhaps a more exotic type of BN. Nope- it was a 3.5" common BN!! (I got $3 each store credit when I sold a dozen that size)

Is this roughly what you pay for 1" panda cories?




What about 2.5" Congo tetras?





What are prices like where you live?

 

[MMantelli]

Wow and I thought 27.99 for a 3.5" electric yellow labidochromis was outrageous. Those prices are stupid. I just paid $16.00 for four 1" pandas and thought that was a little pricey but wow just wow are they on crack? Or are you in Beverly Hills

 

[SKB]

Woooowwww!!!!! My pleco's at my lfs are 8.99, I think they sell cory's for 5.99. All of my cichlids ive purchased are 4.99 because they are small, I feel lucky now!

 

[Bix22]

They are on crack with those prices? Are there any competitors in the area or is that the only game in town?

 

[Fullmoonnight]

Clearly, they are smoking something. I think I should open a fish store where ever you live and make a fortune by selling fish at a decent price! Our plecos here cost about $4. One of my local pet stores was selling a foot long common pleco for $20. Our Electric Yellow Labidochromis are about $8. Sometimes they have smaller ones and sell them for $4 or even $2. I feel really lucky now.

 

[bettaowner]

My Lfs has butterfly barbs for 18 dollars.

 

[dragonfisher33]

i think they're smoking something fishy. is this a long time establishment? if so, i wonder how could they still be in business. if they're just a new jig on the block, i wouldn't be surprised if they close soon or some dramatic price drop. the most expensuve fish i paid so far is an elephant nose fish for $19. i bought my BN for $2 and yellow lab for $2.50

 

[Cactuspixie]

Lol it's a very large store, with 2 more large stores- one is an aquarium warehouse, within 2 kilometres of it.

Anything connected to this hobby is very expensive here, but yeah, when I saw fry at $31.30 I nearly stroked out!!

My 3" Siamese algae eaters were $30 each- I got the 2 for $50
My 3 pictus cats of around the same size were $35 each (and they all died!)
The cheapest fish I own are guppies- they were $5 each
All those wonderful plecos I read about members here having- I can't imagine what they would cost here even if they were able to order them in. The range on offer is: common pleco, gold spot pleco, sailfin pleco, common bristlenose and peppermint bristlenose (harder to find, and outrageously expensive).

I have a lot of outlets to choose from- from chains, warehouses and family run LFS, and I regularly do the rounds checking out who has what, but competition isn't driving down prices. Anything I can buy on eBay or online from the U.S. I do (especially things like test kits, filters, NLS pellets etc) which reminds me-
I thought while I was in the store I'd pick up an Api hardness test kit. $32!!! . looks like I'll just have to wait 3 weeks to get it online :-( (the master kit retails at $49.95 but I can get it for $32.95 online)

So, yeah..... Kinda explains why I'm always broke! lol

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Whoa.. Panda cories at LFS are 3.99, peppered cories are 5.99. I think my LFS sells common pleco's for 2.99 or 3.99? Those prices are just insane!

 

[Musicfreak]

I can get guppies for around $2 here, depends on store. All of my fish have cost less than $10 per fish. I think the cichlids I currently have were around $3 or $4 per fish. The most expensive fish I have ever gotten was my pleco and he was no more than $7 I think.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I can get guppies for around $2 here, depends on store. All of my fish have cost less than $10 per fish. I think the cichlids I currently have were around $3 or $4 per fish. The most expensive fish I have ever gotten was my pleco and he was no more than $7 I think.

Guppies are about $2 here, so are platies and most mollies. Cichlids range from $4 and up, most common prices are $5.99 or $6.99.

 

[dragonfisher33]

hey Cactuspixie, if freshwater fish at your particular location is so expensive, wouldn't it be wise to start a saltwater tank? wouldn't been in Australia be advantageous for getting some cheap saltwater species since you bypass a lot of middlemen and avoid costly shipping fees?

 

[Cactuspixie]

hey Cactuspixie, if freshwater fish at your particular location is so expensive, wouldn't it be wise to start a saltwater tank? wouldn't been in Australia be advantageous for getting some cheap saltwater species since you bypass a lot of middlemen and avoid costly shipping fees?

You'd think so, but no :-(
The cost of hardware and associated paraphernalia here is as ridiculous as the cost of fish. I will ger some prices of marine fish for you though!

 

[Cactuspixie]

Today, at an LFS where I spend a lot of money, there was a tank of beautiful discus ranging from 4"-5" priced from $190.00 upwards. I'm not sure exactly what an albino pigeon discus is, but that one costs $330! There was another tank of very plain looking discus about 3" that we're only $90 each.

 

[Anthym]

That's expensive mate. Where in QLD are you? I seriously wouldn't be paying these prices and I refuse to!

 

[Cactuspixie]

That's expensive mate. Where in QLD are you? I seriously wouldn't be paying these prices and I refuse to!

No, that's why I would never contemplate a discus tank! I'm on the Gold Coast which may account for prices. I'd like to drive up to Brisbane and see what the prices are like there. I'll be setting up a brackish tank soon, and no nowhere really caters for them here anyway.

 

[Anthym]

True about the prices on the GC. People will pay it though I guess.

Maybe have a look at Livefish.com.au - Australia's aquarium fish home delivery experts! Haven't used them personally but I hear some good things about them and they seem pretty reasonable for pricing and shipping.

 

[Convict2161]

Prices vary from store to store. Online is a good place to find the more rare fish that may not be in the LFS.

 

[Darylb]

I'm getting a bristlenose catfish for $2.50

 

[Cactuspixie]

I'm getting a bristlenose catfish for $2.50

Is that typical of WA or have you just really scored?