Fish pricing is out of control

[dino]

this is called a discussion. we barely get enough posts on this site . I say lets talk. whats it to you? anyway I agree supply and demand to be honest corals are no different. if people are willing to pay an amount then no harm in trying to sell for that if its "market value". im not saying we should be dishonest or rip people off though.

[blaster]

Being out of the hobby for 6 years i was thinking fish prices now are crazy.Is this a result of covid?People could sell there stuff for whatever price they want.Is someone wants it bad enough they will buy it overpriced or not

[Torontotraders]

I agree with ‘dino.’ As long as the costs are relevant to the market, there’s no need in going overboard with what people charge for their yellows, or any other fish. I just got back into the hobby less than a year ago, after being away for over twenty years. So I too was quite surprised at the costs associated with the marine world. But none the less, I’m of the mindset that we are paying for a life, not some hood ornament. Without getting all existential, I think it is well worth what we are paying for our animals these days-that’s just me though And again, like Dino said, as long as we ask fair market price, and it falls in line with value it would be considered fair; right now value is set by the stores as a result of demand. And unfair would be cost above the asking price of the stores.

By the way, this discussion is-not and was-not in anyway meant to be disrespectful in anyway shape or form! It’s open, transparent, and simply based on my, and others opinions and views. We are adults and hopefully we can learn from one another or at the very least, have a better understanding of how we each feel and/or view our current hobby/passion.

Perhaps it’s incentive for us to figure out a way to tank raise fish that are more hardy and healthy than what is currently being offered in the tang world. Science is never exact, there’s always room for improvement.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by blaster

Being out of the hobby for 6 years i was thinking fish prices now are crazy.Is this a result of covid?People could sell there stuff for whatever price they want.Is someone wants it bad enough they will buy it overpriced or not

It started with the indo ban, prices went up. Then covid made the animals hard to go out and collect, now its hard to get air space for fish and when they do get the space the airlines are charging a premium. I don't mind paying higher prices for quality livestock, my issue is an increase in prices and a lack of quality in the stores. J&L is probably the one I trust the most when it comes to buying high end fish. I don't trust any brick and mortar retail store in Southern Alberta at this point except maybe Ocean Creation. The rest don't seem to give a darn about the fish or the quality going out.

Ontop of that, there is western influence. The collectors in these areas have realized what they were collecting for pennies was selling for hundred of dollars. Now they have caught onto the rare fish and bright coral game. We are also seeing alot less wild coral being collected and more mariculture, and aquaculture corals. Even then I remember when red coral would sell colonies for $50 on the boxing day pre order then were $60 or $70 each when in the store.

[Ryan]

I have been thinking of something else that could be why prices are so high. Liquid income. Anyone who has been in this hobby for more than 6 months knows how easy it is to make money off your tank and how quickly you can make it.

With my old tank it was nothing to sell $1000 worth of frags a month in 1 maybe 2 trips to Calgary. Thats $12,000 a year to spend on my tank and I would guess $1000 of that is supplies and $2400 in New inventory. That leaves $6600 a year to spend on new fish, new gear, or in my case I would spend it on my family.

My point is when you have thousands of dollars in liquid cash burning a hole in your pocket, who cares if the tank is $400; if you want it, buy it.

[WarDog]

Originally Posted by dino

this is called a discussion. we barely get enough posts on this site . I say lets talk. whats it to you?

Agreed, no rules are being broken here.

This thread actually gives me a giggle, considering the OP recently shut down his tank and left the hobby.

Yellow Tang prices are ridiculous. I have snorkeled in Hawaii and they are everywhere in huge numbers, definately a rat of the seas. Perhaps when captive bred numbers increase, the price will hopefully drop.

But selling a fish you paid $50 for a few years ago for current market price is disgusting, and shows your true colours.

[Hadiosbourne]

Originally Posted by WarDog

Agreed, no rules are being broken here.

This thread actually gives me a giggle, considering the OP recently shut down his tank and left the hobby.

Yellow Tang prices are ridiculous. I have snorkeled in Hawaii and they are everywhere in huge numbers, definately a rat of the seas. Perhaps when captive bred numbers increase, the price will hopefully drop.

But selling a fish you paid $50 for a few years ago for current market price is disgusting, and shows your true colours.

I do not agree on this, if you bought Bitcoin a few years ago for $1000 and now it’s $70000, you not gonna sell it for $1000 now, right? You’ll sell it for the current market price and use the money to buy other stuff which their price also gone up or you couldn’t afford before

[WarDog]

Except that you know going in that you are buying a Bitcoin as an investment.

I'm talking about an animal we keep as a pet. I wouldn't sell my dogs for profit just because dog prices have skyrocketed in the last year also.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by WarDog

Except that you know going in that you are buying a Bitcoin as an investment.

I'm talking about an animal we keep as a pet. I wouldn't sell my dogs for profit just because dog prices have skyrocketed in the last year also.

I think domesticated animals are different. It would be really frowned upon to buy and sell dogs or cats in the way people buy, sell and trade fish. Not to mention fish mortality rates are quite high but people tend to consider them replaceable. I don’t think you’d keep buying Golden Retrievers if they kept dying in your back yard.

My point is, this makes them much less like pets and more like commodities.

I consider my porcupine puffer a pet but I’m not sure I can say the same about some of my other fish. I care a great deal about them because they’re a life which I chose to be responsible for but I’m not sure I feel the same way about them as I do about my dog.

[Animal-Chin]

The interesting part is even with prices so high, J&L is the busiest its ever been. I talked to one of the employees last week and they said they've never been busier. So even with insane prices, we're all still buying more than ever before. Personally i think covid has a lot to do with this, i'm working from home so see the tank way more and really have no vacations to look forward to, no concerts to go to, nothing to do so when i see a torch coral for $160, even though it kills me to do it, i buy it cause i have the disposible income right now.