Quote:
Originally Posted by jorjef
From sustainable supply of livestock, to quality and likelyhood of successful acclimation of the livestock. From high priced new products, even present ones due to greedy manufactures or high exchange rate, call it what ever you want... To shrinking retailers, to unkept outdated websites, to frustrations of no clear instruction for new comers, which is very tough because every tank is unique and what works for one doesn't for another.
I see this hobby shrinking rather than expanding in western Canada or at least scaling back to where only the ones with deep alliances with livestock supplies outside this country will survive, depending on North American wholesalers for the sustainability of a saltwater specific shop is a short lived life.
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I think the hobby is doing quite well. Trust me this is not an easy business! It's alot of work with not much pay. It's a business of love. Stores come and go all the time, especially the online basement operations. These people see $$$$ doing what they love. They think it will be easy, get to see sweet fish & corals and get rich doing it. Then reality kicks in. They make half as much as they do with their regular job and work twice as much. Usually takes a year or so for that reality to kick in. Once it does they are gone.
My opinion forums are dying not the hobby. Go on Facebook, most NEW people are on saltwater pages setup on facebook, buy and sell pages, frag pages, etc. The hobby is moving towards social media just like the rest of the world. Yes customers come and go it happens. You stay in it long enough and you see old customer come back. Sometimes people take a break from the hobby for what ever reason. If they were a serious hobbiest they will be back. It's just a matter of when.