# over priced fish...



## Kyle Lambert (8 Jan 2014)

I was just wondering what fish you guys think are overpriced. Not just bread and butter fish but in general.

For me i think neons are generally quite expensive, especially when you consider the hardiness of the captive stock.

But for a single overpriced fish, despite the rarity, this takes it for me Corydoras evelynae - Detailed item view - Rare Aquatics South American Tropical Fish Specialist


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## Michael W (8 Jan 2014)

I think the Coral Pencilfish is over price because I really want some but as a shoaling fish seeing prices of 12 quid for a single fish or buy 5 for 50 quid is just 

And that Cory's price is crazy.


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## darren636 (8 Jan 2014)

I think fish should cost more.


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## Andy D (8 Jan 2014)

Whenever you shop at Rare Aquatics the fish are typically going to be expensive. The clue is in the name of the shop. 

Are fish over-priced? It is difficult to answer. In general if fish were more expensive then people may take more notice of their proper care requirements as losing them would prove quite expensive. The cheaper the fish the more disposable they become. Where do we draw the line?


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## MirandaB (8 Jan 2014)

Totally agree with what you're saying there Andy,trouble is at that price per fish I can't see anyone buying a proper group of them


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## Andy D (8 Jan 2014)

Kyle Lambert said:


> For me i think neons are generally quite expensive, especially when you consider the hardiness of the captive stock.



Your just in the wrong country. I think there was someone from Thailand over on PFK who said 100 Neons (may have been Cardinals) cost about £2 over there!


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## Henry (8 Jan 2014)

MirandaB said:


> Totally agree with what you're saying there Andy,trouble is at that price per fish I can't see anyone buying a proper group of them


 

I completely agree. I sometimes feel that shops should make buying a minimum number of schooling fish compulsory. I'm sick of seeing people write about problems with fish after explaining they have "one congo tetra" or whatever. I also dislike that idea that fish-keeping is thought of as a hobby. Since when is keeping a mouse/cat/dog a hobby?


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## Alastair (8 Jan 2014)

Dont know about overpriced fish but my local sells cardinals for 69p each. Rare aquatics actually do cheap fish from what ive seen. I remember them doing ottos at 99p not too long ago


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## Ian Holdich (8 Jan 2014)

Fish prices change with the seasons...it must be Otto season at the moment cos I've seen em at 6 for a tenner. In the summer they can go upto a fiver each.


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## GHNelson (8 Jan 2014)

Alastair said:


> Dont know about overpriced fish but my local sells cardinals for 69p each. Rare aquatics actually do cheap fish from what ive seen. I remember them doing ottos at 99p not too long ago




You want to live down here mate
 1 Lazer Cory..............£22.50
 1 Galaxy Rasboro......£2.75...£3.75
 1 Cardinal Tetra.........£2.50..£2.75
hoggie


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## Andy Thurston (8 Jan 2014)

I think lfs should be forced to be more responsible, minimum school numbers and ensuring customers know exactly whats required to keep fish, special requirements. Why should poorer fishkeepers suffer just because some people are too thick to research their pets before buying.
All your going to achive by putting price up is making lfs or tax man richer


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## Michael W (8 Jan 2014)

I agree with Andy's comment about having expensive fish as a way of deterring people from taking the fish for granted, no doubt about that even for the more experienced fishkeeper. However, I believe that having the price being so high can be like a double edged sword. As Miranda commented on prices for a single fish being quite high itself, having to buy a number of the particular fish to make them feel at home will no doubt  put the less experienced keeper off therefore, in a way making the idea of buying a small group or even one or two of the fish more tempting. Is this not in a way encouraging people to make mistakes? Then again, one could argued that if you can't afford a group then don't buy the fish, simple as that. So it is hard to judge what is worthy to buy. I guess if you want something enough then there shouldn't be many obstacle blocking your way. 

I think its up to the more experienced keepers to breed some of the rare species for local fish stores and that fishkeepers should work together with owners to provide a reasonable price for everyone to enjoy. This could also in some way put pressure on large chain stores who really set prices that are high in order to gain profit to re-think their prices. Obviously this won't happen within a day, but if fishkeepers can help each other out, spread knowledge about breeding/fishkeeping then this hobby can move forward. 

I find that in our community in this forum we are doing quite a nice job of doing exactly this for plants, there are constantly sales where people often give more than they advertise and swaps and exchange in knowledge. Hell some of our members don't even ask for anything or ask for a donation to the forum further encouraging the growth of this community. If this can be repeated in a more of a fish dedicated forum then that will be something. Although, it is fair to say that perhaps more work is required for the fish keeping aspect but its not like it can't be done albeit it will take time. The last two issues of PFK is definitely an inspiration to this as it  focused on two hobbyists setting up breeding projects either to improve fish strain through cross breeding commercial strains or finding rarer fish to breed hoping to spread them to people who may otherwise not be able to come across them.

Michael.


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## sanj (8 Jan 2014)

I am not going to say too much, but I would rather fish not be cheap as chips, far too many people have little respect for these life forms under their responsibility. I agree with the minimum buy requirements as well. There has to be balance though.


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## Michael W (8 Jan 2014)

sanj said:


> I am not going to say too much, but I would rather fish not be cheap as chips, far too many people have little respect for these life forms under their responsibility. I agree with the minimum buy requirements as well. There has to be balance though.


 

Agreed! I think price, and minimum buy requirements will have people think twice before purchase. Also, I think LFS owners or chain workers should also question some people before buying fish/inverts and decide accordingly if said fish/es should be sold to the person. It is actually surprising how some customers are actually willing to listen to LFS' advice. I think by interacting with customers and offer advice can help both owner and fishkeeper develop good relations, the owner can help educate while the customer will gain confidence towards the owner and their stock's quality and reliability. Instead of thinking about not being able to make one sale, why not think about having the customer returning back to the shop due to sound advice and a reliable service (Got to love the concept of delayed gratification)?


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## Henry (8 Jan 2014)

Assessing the customer is fine, but there's no guarantee it will be done properly. Countless times have I been in Pets At Home for plants and spotted something interesting in the tanks, only to be asked irrelevant questions from a sheet. I've alo repeatedly overheard assistants telling customers to "leave everything in the tank running for a week before adding fish". I'm not sure what this is supposed to achieve.

There are still far too many shop owners who haven't moved on since the 70's, and 
screw their face up when you suggest anything different. If one shop doesn't sell you fish for ethical reasons, there's always someone up the road who is just wanting to make some money.


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## darren636 (8 Jan 2014)

Henry said:


> Assessing the customer is fine, but there's no guarantee it will be done properly. Countless times have I been in Pets At Home for plants and spotted something interesting in the tanks, only to be asked irrelevant questions from a sheet. I've alo repeatedly overheard assistants telling customers to "leave everything in the tank running for a week before adding fish". I'm not sure what this is supposed to achieve.
> 
> There are still far too many shop owners who haven't moved on since the 70's, and
> screw their face up when you suggest anything different. If one shop doesn't sell you fish for ethical reasons, there's always someone up the road who is just wanting to make some money.


 . .  nutshell


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## Martin in Holland (9 Jan 2014)

you will be shocked to see what some people here have in their tank....1 tetra...1 cordy...1 danio...1 angel...1 what ever is colorful and so on....and of course only fake plastic plants no substrate and a big air stone


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## kirk (9 Jan 2014)

I don't mind paying Top money for fish from a specialist shop where you can see that they are quarantined and in good health, you can understand why they are that price as they have been cared for properly and there are over heads. But when you go to a store for example pets at home and they have just thrown them in a tank then want Top money then I have a problem.  Mark up on Fish is shocking more than double in most cases, I used to run a shop some years ago and the guy I worked for couldn't careless it was all about the wonga.  I get my fish trade posted to me about 29p for a neon for example and I still love and care for them as if I'd payed a tenner each.


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## roadmaster (9 Jan 2014)

Discus are a fine example IMHO.If they were cheaper,,no incentive for proper care by those who seem to stock their tank's through attrition.
Is how Grant defeated Lee during civil war in U.S. Grant was willing to lose more troop's than the South could afford to.


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## nduli (9 Jan 2014)

Alastair said:


> Dont know about overpriced fish but my local sells cardinals for 69p each. Rare aquatics actually do cheap fish from what ive seen. I remember them doing ottos at 99p not too long ago


 
alistair - you are in my neck of the woods if i recall correctly (manc) whats your lfs?


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## Iain Sutherland (9 Jan 2014)

I know one well known retailer that have a 5x rule, they must sell at 5x the cost price for livestock. This is why you see pencil fish for £15-20 and cardinals for £2.75. 

Agree with min numbers but you can bet half the idiots out there would then massively overstock or worse flush the extra 3 they didn't want. 




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SmallestFrog (9 Jan 2014)

I am not so certain a higher price does exclude bad people from the hobby. Cars are a good example of this. Some of the most care less down right dangerous drivers I have encountered in my neck of the woods have been in high prices cars. Money does not necessarily equal sense. 

And cost of CPDs locally does not make much sense either now they are farmed much easier. Just my two cents.


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## NatureBoy (9 Jan 2014)

Some pencilfish and corys are wild caught, I think that will be the case with the fish in question here. Personally I like the idea of farm reared fish and always check that that is the case before I buy.

I want to create an interpretation of nature, without coveting it directly, that's way too Victorian. The prices are cheaper this way and the skill then is using foods, water quality, etc to get the best from the fish. I know that some fish stocks are seasonal and would die in mudbaths in the dry season anyway, etc. But overall the pressure is definitely on wild populations, hence the rarity, hence the price.


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