Does anyone else hate these fish prices these days

[MnFish1]

That's thinking from a hobbyists perspective.

Yep, not sure why we still see hobbyists defend high prices, it just doesn't make sense.

Hmm, it makes you wonder, is it because they're trying to extract as much from the consumer as they can by throwing these statements at the wall to see what sticks?

I conclude that there are a lot of forces in this hobby that masquerade under the guise of hobbyists that nudge popular opinion towards the idea that this hobby needs to be expensive. The subtle suggestions that connect our success and longevity with profitability of the industry as a whole is clever, when in fact we can be successful no matter who fills the industry role.

I find that for the most part reefing hobbyists are a smart group but it's easy to be persuaded into thinking about something in a manner that is in complete contradiction of our own values as hobbyists.

I think there is a reason that there are so few LFS anymore. It's not because demand for them is skyrocketing. I do not think the demand for 'beginners' to get a yellow tang at $300 is skyrocketing either.. In reality I agree - the hobby is pricing itself out of reality for many new people, and in addition, I don't think people charting $300 for a tang are gouging - its a matter of shipping, etc. When one looks at the potential regulations (which many people here seem to want to support) - i.e. buy only captive bred fish, the hobby in 10 years will not be successful

 

[MnFish1]

Sure prices are rising, but wages are rising, in order for prices to fall (meaningfully) you require a depression, deflation equates to unemployment (and boy is that coming over the next 1/2 years).

Back on point, this is this hobby isnt cheap, but nor should it be, the volume of waste (fish in particular dying in transport) isn't something we should encourage IMO. My understanding is death is close to 50% whilst in transit, and that is not accounting for those which die after having been sold. So the Yellow Tang selling for $20 was insanely cheap given how many died before even hitting the LFS.

If reefing is to be sustainable (and ultimately it needs to be) then costs need to rise. Obviously the acceleration in costs will slow and find an equilibrium, strikes me we are close to that right now.

I think you're incorrect - to a degree. The stores that can't make it will close. The internet breeders that can't get their prices will close. There will then be fewer vendors competing for the same demand - prices will go up - demand will go down

 

[MnFish1]

Thanks for the advice!

How did you get to be in so many clubs if you're in high school

 

[VintageReefer]

How did you get to be in so many clubs if you're in high school

Lol Alaska and Ohio and UK and west palm beach. They are all regional ones and they probably just asked to join and simply were allowed

 

[Max23]

For those in the US, 40g at petco right now is $65, 75g is $145 and the 60g is $100

Great beginner tanks to see if the hobby is right for them... so many get in, spend thousands only to get out. Money they will never recoup.

If you want rimless, a deep blue 80g is $650 at my LFS, was $550 over memorial day sale. It was $395 in 2019 but still a good option to not step into a tank that costs thousands. That tank is rimless, low iron front glass, and reef ready. They have many different shapes/sizes.

Red Seas warranty is 3 years and Deep Blues is 5 years, Waterbox is only 1.

There are options, they are just not plastered all over BRS website

i'm more or less talking about kits and "high quality" brands i get that there are cheap options but you still get what i'm talking about

 

[William Chiavetta]

How did you get to be in so many clubs if you're in high school

I love to interact with all different types of communities and I want to be apart of lots of trading and discussion

 

[Max23]

It is stupid. And that’s why I have been promoting the tank deal I found from a contact at Current USA

They are selling direct to public and discounting heavily. Once sold out the deal is over

83g rimless, low iron glass on 3 sides, rear painted black
48x20x20
Custom ghost ext overflow
26g custom glass sump
9g custom ato container
An actual quality cabinet, designed and hand made by a cabinet shop in California. Over engineered for strength, and the whole thing is made with marine grade real plywood, skinned inside and out in waterproof laminate
Complete Plumbing kit with unions, gate valve and lock line
Return kit comes with herbie setup, but it’s convertible to bean animal if desired, you would just have to buy a few extra things from the hardware store

1599 shipped nationwide with plumbing kit
1399 shipped nation wide no plumbing kit

Local pickup from Current USA in cali -
999 no plumbing kit
1100 with plumbing kit

And this goes on sale even further with 10% off every few weeks

They have 15 left and then the deal is over forever

Best reef ready tank deal of 2024 - whose looking for a new tank?

I’ve been holding off on posting this but now I’m ready I came across what I believe is the absolute best deal you’ll ever see on a reef ready system Background - Current USA had a custom tank built for their marketing photos. It’s all over their website under the sections for r24 led reef...

www.reef2reef.com

are you fr about this if so then my whole interest in fish has been a lie

 

[VintageReefer]

are you fr about this if so then my whole interest in fish has been a lie

Yes, I have spoke to the CFO of current USA and validated the sale and situation and mine is on a pallet in my garage ready to go. I introduced the deal to the forum and several people have also bought it, and all of our opinion is that it’s higher quality than the competition.

Current designed this to compete with Waterbox and Red Sea and IM and it’s a top of the line setup with numerous little enhancements and tweaks

This is how it will arrive



They spent 2 years researching the other brands and designing this and testing it in house. They used a few of them for media on their website for lights and pumps

They built 30 of them when they felt it was ready to market to the public. Then they ended up being bought/merging with saltwater aquarium.com, and the new parent company didn’t want to carry another brand of tanks due to contracts with existing brands…sooo current ended up with 30 of these that they couldn’t sell, and decided to offer them direct from their warehouse at extreme discount through fb market, eBay, and their Etsy account. Etsy has the lowest pricing aside from local pickup paying in cash

 

[Max23]

Yes, I have spoke to the CFO of current USA and validated the sale and situation and mine is on a pallet in my garage ready to go. I introduced the deal to the forum and several people have also bought it, and all of our opinion is that it’s higher quality than the competition.

Current designed this to compete with Waterbox and Red Sea and IM and it’s a top of the line setup with numerous little enhancements and tweaks

This is how it will arrive



They spent 2 years researching the other brands and designing this and testing it in house. They used a few of them for media on their website for lights and pumps

They built 30 of them when they felt it was ready to market to the public. Then they ended up being bought/merging with saltwater aquarium.com, and the new parent company didn’t want to carry another brand of tanks due to contracts with existing brands…sooo current ended up with 30 of these that they couldn’t sell, and decided to offer them direct from their warehouse at extreme discount through fb market, eBay, and their Etsy account. Etsy has the lowest pricing aside from local pickup paying in cash

thanks for the info

 

[VintageReefer]

are you fr about this if so then my whole interest in fish has been a lie

What does this mean

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

What does this mean

I was going to ask the same thing... I read it 10 different ways and can't make heads or tells of it.

 

[VintageReefer]

I was going to ask the same thing... I read it 10 different ways and can't make heads or tells of it.

I hesitated to post because I thought it was just me and I was missing something. But I still can’t figure it out

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i wonder if it got edited?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I will never go to college if these prices stay the same... They should start giving out a stimulus check for aquarium owners

Imagine how I feel - I used to import fish back in the early 1980's - maroon clowns were 40 cents. I was selling Atlantic pygmy angelfish retail, for $9.95!

Here is an article I wrote that discusses fish prices over time and how that relates to sustainability (you have to open the PDF over on the right side):

Sustainability in the Aquarium Trade, Longevity and Animal Costs

This article is a bit of a mashup – combining portions of a previous public aquarium article on animal sustainability, with some longevity data and fish pricing through the supply chain.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[TehBrainz]

Yes, I have spoke to the CFO of current USA and validated the sale and situation and mine is on a pallet in my garage ready to go. I introduced the deal to the forum and several people have also bought it, and all of our opinion is that it’s higher quality than the competition.

Current designed this to compete with Waterbox and Red Sea and IM and it’s a top of the line setup with numerous little enhancements and tweaks

This is how it will arrive



They spent 2 years researching the other brands and designing this and testing it in house. They used a few of them for media on their website for lights and pumps

They built 30 of them when they felt it was ready to market to the public. Then they ended up being bought/merging with saltwater aquarium.com, and the new parent company didn’t want to carry another brand of tanks due to contracts with existing brands…sooo current ended up with 30 of these that they couldn’t sell, and decided to offer them direct from their warehouse at extreme discount through fb market, eBay, and their Etsy account. Etsy has the lowest pricing aside from local pickup paying in cash

Really is a shame I couldn't jump on this deal. I saw your first post within hours of it being made and was chomping at the bit, but knew I couldn't pull the trigger at the time.

Hope they were able to offload their whole supply. It's a shame when big business can squash these potential new players due do their existing agreements. At the end of the day, they sold on their own decision and it was the right call for them, let's hope more smaller companies do what they started to do!

Any idea if all 30 have been claimed?

 

[GARRIGA]

Only way to resolve this being the consumer not keep buying. Only one the consumer can blame is themselves. We are what cause inflation.

 

[VintageReefer]

Really is a shame I couldn't jump on this deal. I saw your first post within hours of it being made and was chomping at the bit, but knew I couldn't pull the trigger at the time.

Hope they were able to offload their whole supply. It's a shame when big business can squash these potential new players due do their existing agreements. At the end of the day, they sold on their own decision and it was the right call for them, let's hope more smaller companies do what they started to do!

Any idea if all 30 have been claimed?

There are 15 left. From my understanding, the company was bought out, but the tanks were not included in the sale and remained under ownership of CurrentUSA and they decided to sell them at cost (and below cost for some people depending on the shipping) to help out the reef community. They didn’t want to give them away and lose money but they also didn’t want to profit off them.

I was 6+ months from being ready to start a new tank but jumped on it because it was a matter of spend 1300$ now or spend 3000$ later

 

[Max23]

What does this mean

i meant as in if there are prices that low then i have been living under a fish rock (basicly) fish rock as in living under a rock (get it)

 

[VintageReefer]

i meant as in if there are prices that low then i have been living under a fish rock (basicly) fish rock as in living under a rock (get it)

Prices are absolutely typically not that low. It’s a one off deal based on a situation a company got in during a buy out, and they made a wonderful decision to not be greedy and instead to help out 30 people get top of the line setups for an average of 50% off. The shipping on my tank alone cost them approx 300$ and that’s included in my bundle price

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

I love to interact with all different types of communities and I want to be apart of lots of trading and discussion

Watch out @vetteguy53081! Lol!