American vs. Canadian Livestock
 

What are some things commonly available to American hobbiests that we don't generally get up here, and that you've always wanted? Anything?

Of late things have gotten better here, I remember having to wait long periods of time for Achilles Tangs, Lookdowns, Scribble Angels. Crosshatch Triggers, Golden butterflys to come in, but I've seen a bunch of all the listed fish show up at Calgary fish stores in the last couple of months. Right now I'm wishing that some of the nicely colored rare SPS would make their way up here.

I have lived in both (Vancouver and Miami) and would say IMO you can get the same stuff here. The difference is how often. The US has just so many choices and amazing online shopping that we don't have in Canada. I think some of what we find rare here in Canada is very common in say Florida and therefore a lot cheaper too. I know the common types of sps in Miami are like 2/3 or half the price of the same corals here. We just don't have the huge market here that the US has.

i am currently feeling quite bitter about tailspot wrasses. they aren't common in the US, but they seem to never show up around here

Yeah I saw those on LiveAquaria I think...

so far purple hornet zoas.

my thesis is that unless you can find someone in the US who will ship to canada, its basicaly impossible

mini carpet anemones...

Oregon tort comes to mind.

To be honest though .. so much of this stuff is hype. I've been to so many LFS's in the U.S. that just don't measure up to your expectations of what you see advertised online. A lot of this stuff is just the same corals, and a fancy name put on it. "Marketing." .. Grow stuff well and it's all comparable. :)

many types of zoa's

and different monti/birdsnest

i try not to look at what is avaliable down there because it just makes me want it lol

I get all my peaceful community fish from Canada... :)

:lol: You slay me man.

:rolleyes:

I hear you about the Oregon tort, I've got everyone and their dog looking for a nice colony of it for me, if it ever does show up and grows I'll drop you a line (if you ever find one and it grows on you keep me in mind)

Hey Tony you just have to look harder for certain corals. I got my piece of oregon tort off a well known SPS guy in town who shut down his system. I do beleive there are coral sellers that will send corals across the border at your risk. I myself have never tried but know of people who have including the person I got my tort off of.

Heres a shot for you Tony. Just waiting for it to start to branch.


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/IMG_3345.jpg

:mrgreen:

good call

Hmmm, I'm not sure you understand me. Sorry I wasn't clear. Oregon tort is just one that comes to mind as something that's easier to find in the U.S. than in Canada but that's not to say you can't find it up here at all. Mainly my point is if you look at a typical LFS in the U.S. it's not necessarily any better than the LFS's we have up in Canada. And I don't mean it negatively: I mean we have some really good topnotch suppliers up here. And I mean it. I've seen some seriously nice corals come through in the last few yearss, maybe just without the hype of marketing to attach labels like "Limited Edition" this or that.

Just as an example, at the moment I'm in the U.S. right now on a work related site trip in one of the largest urban centres and you would think it be LFS heaven.. but it is far from it. What I have at home in Calgary is far superior. Prices are better up north too.

I agree with you Tony. We just need to know what we are looking for. You wait long enough you will see it in your lfs just not with the fancy names. We also can't get the ORA corals like the states . But would you really want to pay the prices they ask for them not to mention the waiting list that is on some of the rare ones.

Ooh where are you....I KNOW people....do you need a car?

(Houston.) I did find some good deals down here on used equipment in the past (a skimmer for example) but a lot of the livestock that I've seen is really the same as what we get. The only thing is that there is more of it because the market is larger. I guess ten times the population has to work to their advantage somehow. But at least we get some nice things nowadays north of the border too. :)

BTW Chowder that piece is SWEET. :)

cheep prices!

[quote='Ol Nobodaddy;369150]I get all my peaceful community fish from Canada... :)[/QUO



Ah yes good one!!!!!!

Being from the States...
 

I never really appreciated the selection (and the prices) when I was down there. Granted, I agree about the LFS-they are of the same (if not lower) quality/selection as here, however, I find the online selection/availability/prices severely lacking.

For instance, checkout this website: www.petsolutions.com

When I was living in the States, and just starting into SW, I was always shocked at the prices for their livestock (I thought they were SO expensive!!). Now that I am in Canada, unable to order from them and more experienced in the hobby, I can only look at their selection and drool.

That being said, I know that if I am ever REALLY looking for something in particular, our LFS here (Calgary) really try to help out however possible-NOT an attribute I was able to find in the States.

All in all-I think Canada holds it's own in the hobby. I have a FAR better tank than I was ever able to attain in the States-a kudo to the LFS that helped me to accomplish it.

I think it all depends where you are in the states, In San Diego / LA area it is dirt cheap. Even the little hole in the wall LFS have amazing stock, at about 1/2 the price I can find them for here.

Even in Seattle I was impressed by there selection and prices, while not as good as LA area it was still better than here.

but I think the biggest thing about living in the US would be the fact that you can mail order from all the good cheep places with free shipping and overnight anywhere in the USA. Something we can't do here with out large shipping costs and huge boarder fees.

Steve

Yeah I think the common stuff is cheaper and shipping also seems to be pretty inexpensive throughout the states but anything on the rare side seems to cost way more in the states than in Canada.

Other than a couple SPS and zoo corals everything down there seems to be available here as well. We got a pretty good LFS here in town, always brings in the exotics. When he had his website running he said he got way more interest from the states than Canada, perhaps we got it better than we might think.

I will say the selection in the last year in Canada is amazing compared to what it was 10 years ago. back then we got SPS that was any color but brown and it was amazing.

Steve

Yeah this is pretty much what I meant. Canada lacks the cheap online shopping big time! But still also find common sps like say a green Millie to be overpriced here. For example I was looking at a nice maybe 4-5" one a few weeks back at a LFS...$60. I can guarantee that will never sell in Florida for $60. There would be about 5 other LFS I could get the same thing for $30.

It must have to do with where you are though. A few people are saying they think the stores are the same or worse in the US. I have lived in Miami, Phoenix and NY (NY for only 8 months and never had a tank) and can say all those cities have better stores than Vancouver. Phoenix...maybe about the same as here.

We won't even get started on equipment though...there is no comparison :mrgreen:

A lot of the issue is the US dealers are spending a lot more at the wholesaler or direct then up here especially in the southern US where demand is higher. They are going to treat their high paying clients with quality corals. Some shops that only order 5-10K worth of corals are going to get a few gems but mostly common corals.