Tank sizes

[GodFan]

There is a market. But a small market. Very few people want these large fish. Its a fact. The market isnt big enough in the usa. You may have gotten in a good niche that wants stingrays however most people want fw stingrays because they are very cool. Alot of those people do not know what they require or realize how big they get.

 

[T1KARMANN]

I didn't day it didn't exist, I said it isn't as popular as the smaller fish Market. When I go to the local fish shops in my area, they hardly have any "big fish" in. They have oscars, cichlids and black ghost knifes but they don't house many. The reason is because no one wants to have to keep on upgrading tanks or just buy a huge tank outright. I'm on about 5 different forums and I often browse eBay and aquabid. Still the smaller tropical fish seem to gather more interest and are sold more commonly.

Well if you go to a any of the maidenhead aquatics stores in the UK they are packet with big fish

MA is a massive chain with about 50-80 stores all over the UK when you take into account the size of the UK compared to the US that's a lot of big stores that stock big fish

People give up to soon in the hobby with smaller tanks as people go out buy a small tank then fill it with small fish
Smaller tanks are harder to take care of than bigger tanks because the smallest problem has a big impact more so than with a big tank

It's just the that tanks to small that gets to me
I was keeping fish long before the internet and you just learn as you go along
You can tell people all day long if you want that tank is to small but if they want it they will buy it

Even average size fish like oscars tin foil barbs Bala sharks kissing gourami hardly ever live to full age

What I say when it comes to tank size is

THAT TANK WILL BE FINE FOR LIFE BUT THE LIFE WONT BE THAT LONG

 

[Samzter]

Well if you go to a any of the maidenhead aquatics stores in the UK they are packet with big fish

MA is a massive chain with about 50-80 stores all over the UK when you take into account the size of the UK compared to the US that's a lot of big stores that stock big fish

People give up to soon in the hobby with smaller tanks as people go out buy a small tank then fill it with small fish
Smaller tanks are harder to take care of than bigger tanks because the smallest problem has a big impact more so than with a big tank

It's just the that tanks to small that gets to me
I was keeping fish long before the internet and you just learn as you go along
You can tell people all day long if you want that tank is to small but if they want it they will buy it

Even average size fish like oscars tin foil barbs Bala sharks kissing gourami hardly ever live to full age

What I say when it comes to tank size is

THAT TANK WILL BE FINE FOR LIFE BUT THE LIFE WONT BE THAT LONG

I shop at two MA and they just pack the fish I mentioned. They might be a little different up north

 

[GodFan]

Well if you go to a any of the maidenhead aquatics stores in the UK they are packet with big fish

MA is a massive chain with about 50-80 stores all over the UK when you take into account the size of the UK compared to the US that's a lot of big stores that stock big fish

People give up to soon in the hobby with smaller tanks as people go out buy a small tank then fill it with small fish
Smaller tanks are harder to take care of than bigger tanks because the smallest problem has a big impact more so than with a big tank

It's just the that tanks to small that gets to me
I was keeping fish long before the internet and you just learn as you go along
You can tell people all day long if you want that tank is to small but if they want it they will buy it

Even average size fish like oscars tin foil barbs Bala sharks kissing gourami hardly ever live to full age

What I say when it comes to tank size is

THAT TANK WILL BE FINE FOR LIFE BUT THE LIFE WONT BE THAT LONG

Im not an animal rights activist by any means but that is a cruel way to think. How about I drop you off at chernoble (misspelled) and tell you you can live their for life but the life wont be that long.
Just because the market in the uk is huge doesnt mean it has to be everywhere. Personally I like my smaller hard to keep fish. Alotnof us do! We can see more natural behavior. You will never see natural behaviour from alot of the larger species. Just wont happen.

 

[Samzter]

Im not an animal rights activist by any means but that is a cruel way to think. How about I drop you off at chernoble (misspelled) and tell you you can live their for life but the life wont be that long.
Just because the market in the uk is huge doesnt mean it has to be everywhere. Personally I like my smaller hard to keep fish. Alotnof us do! We can see more natural behavior. You will never see natural behaviour from alot of the larger species. Just wont happen.

Agreed!

 

[T1KARMANN]

Im not an animal rights activist by any means but that is a cruel way to think. How about I drop you off at chernoble (misspelled) and tell you you can live their for life but the life wont be that long. Just because the market in the uk is huge doesnt mean it has to be everywhere. Personally I like my smaller hard to keep fish. Alotnof us do! We can see more natural behavior. You will never see natural behaviour from alot of the larger species. Just wont happen.

How can you say the market in the UK is big one state in the US is bigger than the UK There is nothing wrong with buying a fish then selling it when it gets to big

As for natural habits my tank is stocked the same as yours just bigger

A group of neons are not acting natural in a group of 10 they would be in groups of hundreds in the wild

The same can be said for most small mid water fish they stay in larger groups in the wild for protection

 

[T1KARMANN]

I shop at two MA and they just pack the fish I mentioned. They might be a little different up north

You live up north you have 2 of the best shops in the UK wharf and pier both sell very big fish

Don't give me that north doth divide

 

[Samzter]

You live up north you have 2 of the best shops in the UK wharf and pier both sell very big fish

Don't give me that north doth divide

Ummm, I live right at the bottom of the uk... In a place called Bognor Regis so no I don't live up north. The reason I said up north was because everywhere is up north from where I live.

 

[T1KARMANN]

Ummm, I live right at the bottom of the uk... In a place called Bognor Regis so no I don't live up north. The reason I said up north was because everywhere is up north from where I live.

I live in Central London and have been to over 20 of the MA shops they all stick large fish Why would they take up lots of tank space with large fish if there wasn't a market for it Just because large fish don't interest you guys it doesn't mean there is no market for it That's like owning a ford car and all your mates own fords so there must be no market for BMW

You guys need to be a bit more open minded

I don't like planted tanks as I feel its a fish tank not a window both but I can see there is a market for it

You don't see me slagging off planted tanks just because it's not my thing

 

[Samzter]

I live in Central London and have been to over 20 of the MA shops they all stick large fish Why would they take up lots of tank space with large fish if there wasn't a market for it

Just because large fish don't interest you guys it doesn't mean there is no market for it

That's like owning a ford car and all your mates own fords so there must be no market for BMW

What fish have you seen which you would classify as "big"? And at no point have I ever said there is no Market for it, I've always said that there isn't as big of a Market.

 

[T1KARMANN]

What fish have you seen which you would classify as "big"?

Red tail cat tiger shovel nose pacu silver Arowana Asian Arowana black Arowana gar African tiger fish Siamese tiger fish

Lots of different stingrays


Do you want more

 

[Samzter]

Okay, last time I say this, I have never said there isn't a market. Nor has anyone else. I haven't slatted off big fish and nor has anyone else, all we are saying is that their Market isn't as big.

 

[Samzter]

Red tail cat tiger shovel nose pacu silver Arowana Asian Arowana black Arowana gar African tiger fish Siamese tiger fish

Lots of different stingrays

Do you want more

I'm just saying, most the people which buy those fish are totally unaware of their size. The reason they're selling is because they look good and a few not so serious hobbyists like them. There are many more fish keepers who arent very knowledgable than who are knowledgable

 

[GodFan]

I am kinda shocked that you are getting so snotty about this. Are you even in the us? The market in the us is differnet than the uk! Therenis a small market for large fish and a big market for small fish. And we will see more natural behavior in our small fish. Obviously not all natural but more than you will see with most large fish.

 

[Tuck]

Guys chill out seriously people have different opinions get over it!! .

 

[Fett999]

Personally I think you're all wrong, cos I like the mid sized fish lol

 

[GodFan]

Personally I think you're all wrong, cos I like the mid sized fish lol

Lol there you go. Nobodys right! We should all drop the topic and move on! Lol

 

[Krissycakes]

When I first started, I bought a 20g tank, and put smaller fish in it, since I wanted a community tank. I love how my fish all get along.

When I got a 10g for free, it came with a 5" angelfish. I donated him asap to my lfs. He not only outgrew his tank and was being stunted, I couldn't have anything in the tank with him. Now he has a bigger tank. And I hope someone buys him.

I agree that here in the US, new people don't want to buy a big tank with a couple big fish. We want our fish to live comfortably, and have a variety. Maybe when I get more advance in the hobby, I could breed and sell fish/plants.

I am also afraid of getting a bigger tank just in case it cracks, thats a lot of water on the ground.

 

[T1KARMANN]

When you say the market is bigger what do you mean as it takes thousands of guppys to be sold to add up to the price of one black rays

All fish have to get big some how by people buying small growing them then selling they are doing us big fish guys a fav as it's a constant surrply of big fish for us

When I go into a shop I never look in the small tanks as they would just be feeders for me

The bigger fish may not sell as many fish but the cash sale is higher so the market is near the same

 

[GodFan]

When you say the market is bigger what do you mean as it takes thousands of guppys to be sold to add up to the price of one black rays

All fish have to get big some how by people buying small growing them then selling they are doing us big fish guys a fav as it's a constant surrply of big fish for us

When I go into a shop I never look in the small tanks as they would just be feeders for me

The bigger fish may not sell as many fish but the cash sale is higher so the market is near the same

No that is not true. First off we dont sell many of the big fish and the ones we do at least half probably are cheap. The most expensive freshwater fish I have seen at my LFS was under 200 bucks. Even the cheapest guppies wouldnt take anywhere close to thousands to add to the cost of one of those. Also the bigger fish stay in the store longer and eat alot more. Therefore while they may cost more the profit margin is going to be smaller than you imagine.
Most LFSs make there money on equipment and tanks. Most of the money from livestock comes from small/medium fish. They will sell thousands of guppies, tetras, small gouramis, and the like to every bigger fish.
The original statement in this thread was that we could grow these fish and and sell them for a profit. In the uk that may be true. However here in the us it simply isnt.