Fish Prices?

[RYANLAWRENCE]

Okay went to a LFS today (really the only one close to me) and looked at fish prices. I had done some research on liveaquaria.com and had an idea of what fish costed (or so I thought). The prices seemed extremely high. Could I get your opinions on these prices?

Ocellaris Clownfish $40

Yellowtail Blue Damsel $12

Yellow Tang $50

Bangaii Cardinalfish $29.99

Do these prices seem high? these are the only fish i could remember

 

[CEverii]

WOW. Yeah those are high. Liveaquaria.com is a good tool (at least for my area) for pricing. I just bought 2 Bangaii Cardinals for $15 a pop. Yellow tangs usually run $20-$30 in my area (Daytona Beach Florida). Depending on where you live though, the farther inland you are the more expensive fish are going to be.

 

[milhous3er]

The prices are really good on liveaquaria.com, but the shipping is outrageous. 2 marron clowns for $50, plus 34.99 for shipping !!??!! no thanks, i'll drive an hour for a total of $50

 

[Zer0]

Ocellaris SHOULD go for less than 20$.. but i think it really all depends. If they are aquacultured, meaning tank raised, then they will run you a bit more $$. But if they are wild caught i'm pretty sure they will be considerably less. I bought my two ocellaris for 13$ a piece lol. So they were pretty cheap.. Don't know the prices of the other two because i've never had any interest in them.

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

Ok yeah I think i will be visiting another fish store

 

[milhous3er]

All my LFS, even the ones that aren't so local have Ocellaris clowns for no less than $27. The Tomatos, Maroons and Clarkiis are usually around $19-$25. I'm assuming the popularity of the Ocellaris are boosting the prices a tad. I want some black and white Ocellaris so bad, but not $47 a piece bad.

 

[cmor1701d]

Remember to factor in the cost of shipping when comparing lfs price to an online retailer. Often the lfs is similar or cheaper. Also with an lfs you see what you're getting, and can see if the fish eats before buying (make sure to do this).
Add to the reduced stress of not being shipped and all of a sudden the lfs prices aren't that bad.

Kevin, where are you buying your livestock?

 

[Zer0]

Well, i bought my Ocellaris clownfish at a really local pet shop that just happens to sell a small amount of various saltwater fish. It's a nice place too.. they take care of all their fish. It's called, Planet Pets and Hobby World. As for the rest of my livestock, i buy from allquatics, which is in Hamilton, NJ 08610. Great place and great livestock. Plan to go there to get snails and inverts when my tank is finished cycling and ready for a CUC. Possibly buy a fish there too if they have the one im looking for and it looks good.

But the rest of the stuff i plan to buy online. Coralmorphologic, bluezooaquatics, and a couple other coral vendors. liveaquaria has too expensive shipping.. otherwise i would buy from them.. a lot.

 

[mrg02d]

liveaquaria is about the same as the others arent they? Seems the average is $35.00 to ship. Some places offer free shipping for in state stuff or if you buy a lot from them.

I agree that those prices are crazy though. My LFS is really cheap compared to everyone else. I could have had a nice looking full 4in diameter chalice colony for $20 but I just dont have the room.

Matt

 

[thincat]

What kind of "fish" is a chalice? lol

 

[mrg02d]

What kind of "fish" is a chalice? lol

Woops! Haha! My mind had moved right past fish and right into corals! (Ive had corals on my mind lately)

They have decent prices on fish too. Got a strawbery baslet for $15 which seems to be right in line with everyone else. Healthy, FEISTY little fish! Immediately stood up for himself against my insane clowns...

They tend to be right in line with others or significantly less than others on select items. (Got a yellow sea cucumber for 7 bucks)

When it comes down to it though, you have to pay what they want. $35.00 shipping is alot more than a high priced LFS is going to jack up a fish to unless you buy a lot of items from an online vendor you trust.
Matt

 

[cmor1701d]

Kevin,
Take a look at one of our new sponsors ReefCleaners.org for your snails. If you hurry you can play PacMan online and win a $50 gift certificate for the high score. Look for his thread.

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

Ok thanks guys for all the input. I also have a question about this stores live rock too. They charge 10 dollars a pound for live rock. Is this a good price?

 

[mrg02d]

$10.00/lb is very high for live rock. Is it fully cured live rock?If so, then that sounds like a typical fish store. If you can afford a cycle in your tank, you can get live rock for $4.00 a lb or so. Fully cured live rock at my LFS is $6.00/lb. It is very sterile rock though, so no hitchhikers or corals or anything interesting.

Matt

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

Yeah I think im just going to have to drive the extra distance and go to another store. They seem to be high on everything

 

[mrg02d]

Also consider the quality of your LFS products. If they have top notch animals, then that may be worth considering. I cant tell you how much it sucks to save $10.00 and have everything die for no apparent reason!

There is an online place I tried that had CHEAP animals and ALL have died just days after putting them in my tank. Who wants to save 50% but have the animal die days later? Complete BS!

Find a place you TRUST and stick with them even if it means paying 20% more than the average prices. Trust me, its worth it!

Matt

 

[cmor1701d]

Most lfs sell LR for between $7 and $10 per pound. It depends on where the rock originated and how long they've been holdig (curing) it.
FYI, I just went to one lfs where coral frags were $45 - $89+. I then went to another lfs just a few miles from there (actually closer to home) and picked up 3 frags for $43.00. I had heard good things about this new (to me) lfs, but this was my first trip there.
So sometimes you just have to stop and check out new places.

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

This is unrelated but has anyone ever kept some bangaii cardinals? Im thinking about starting my tank with a pair of those after my tank cycles

 

[Salty-Fish]

Okay went to a LFS today (really the only one close to me) and looked at fish prices. I had done some research on liveaquaria.com and had an idea of what fish costed (or so I thought). The prices seemed extremely high. Could I get your opinions on these prices?

Ocellaris Clownfish $40

Yellowtail Blue Damsel $12

Yellow Tang $50

Bangaii Cardinalfish $29.99

Do these prices seem high? these are the only fish i could remember

I shop at Petco and hear is what I paid:
2 Ocellaris Clownfish $30
Blue Damsels $3 each
Yellow tang I think I paid around $30

Yes they are over priced IMO

 

[Ziggy953]

Smaller non-chain LFS's are going to be higher than the "big boys" out there. They are buying in much smaller quantities. IMO I would rather support the smaller LFS rather than the chain, the quality of the stock when it comes in and how it is cared for is much better and worth the extra $$. An O. Clown through ORA is going to be higher, check and see if you are looking at ORA clowns, they are captive bread and less likely to suffer from disease. Like anything else you do get what you pay for, for the most part.