Mass Reefing Exodus?

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Anyone else noticing a lot of people leaving the hobby lately?

 

[Gill the 3rd]

Yes, I have noticed the LFS in my area aren't as crowded or busy. We even had one close down recently. I have also noticed a lot of whole tank setups for sale on facebook marketplace. If I were someone starting to get into the hobby, you can get a really good deal on marketplace.

Edit - Its hard for me to judge before the pandemic so I don't know the trends. I really got serious about saltwater in 2019 shortly before the pandemic happened. I get jealous when I hear all the prices people paid before covid. At least I got my yellow tang right before the Hawaii ban. Prices seem to be coming down now compared to a couple years ago.

 

[BeanAnimal]

It has always been this way to an extent. Today's youth have attention spans about as long as a tiktok though, so maybe.

 

[JohnnyH]

Inflation hits harder on some people.

 

[Troylee]

There’s always a big turn around but recently yes it seems above average! I think the majority come in thinking they can make a quick buck and learn the hard way haha!

 

[Cthulukelele]

I personally think we're seeing the last few people who got in during covid as something to do inside who weren't prepared for the long haul leaving the hobby

 

[Fish Styx]

There's usually an influx in January after people get tanks for Christmas. Most will be gone by October, sadly.

 

[Gill the 3rd]

I personally think we're seeing the last few people who got in during covid as something to do inside who weren't prepared for the long haul leaving the hobby

I agree. A lot of the whole tank setups for sale on marketplace are only a couple years old.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I agree. A lot of the whole tank setups for sale on marketplace are only a couple years old.

Yeah I've only really seen one "lifer" in my area's tank for sale, and it's a moving sale. I think we're experiencing the final death rattle of the reefing miniboom. It'd be nice to have another one though. Feels like a ghost town in Central North Carolina right now for reefers

 

[Gill the 3rd]

There’s always a big turn around but recently yes it seems above average! I think the majority come in thinking they can make a quick buck and learn the hard way haha!

I heard a fish store owner once say something like this - "If you want to have a million dollars after opening a fish store, start with 2 million."

 

[GARRIGA]

When it's expensive to feed and house your own then sacrifices must be made. Reefing not the most affordable and the marketing machine makes it seem like one needs tons of contraptions and reef of the months often sticks which makes reefing more expensive than it needs to be. Some of us might only be able to afford GSP and those purple nitrate eating factories pulsating with the least of flow. Although gold fish likely the most affordable. This thing we attempt to do isn't cheap. Plus don't get me started on Dinos which marketers make it sound like only solution is throwing more money at it. Honestly, my six month bout almost made me quit and my main isn't even yet finish with the design phase. Perhaps a shovel with some pond liner it will be

 

[murraycamp1]

I personally think we're seeing the last few people who got in during covid as something to do inside who weren't prepared for the long haul leaving the hobby

Word. I think this is a consequence of the Covid boom. And possibly social media as it seems to me that most new reefkeepers aren't really interested in keeping reefs - with all the invertebrate competition (interesting), mutualistic relationships between organisms (very cool), and the attendant "pest" management (drag). Instead, the interest seems to be trending towards display tanks to provide FaceyGram or Insta-Twit (or whatver) - worthy images to show off their coral "collections."

But what do I know - I started reefkeeping in the early 1990's. Bahhhh - dang kids - get off my lawn!

 

[dennis romano]

Sad to say but it's the whole fish keeping hobby. In the 1960s here in north NJ, every town had a pet shop with larger towns having two. Whenever you went into a store, there were parents with their kids. Today, there are only two larger stores and you never see kids in them. Even when you go into a Petco, the fish department is empty.

 

[Troylee]

I heard a fish store owner once say something like this - "If you want to have a million dollars after opening a fish store, start with 2 million."

Pretty much how it is! The first year is a money pit the second year it nickle and dimes ya and the third year you might be able to sell enough corals to have the tank pay for itself monthly.

 

[Brandont21]

I also think part of the problem is people are hooked on youtube videos. And alot of youtube videos portray these beautiful, spotless tanks. When in reality thats just not how its going to be.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I also think part of the problem is people are hooked on youtube videos. And alot of youtube videos portray these beautiful, spotless tanks. When in reality thats just not how its going to be.

My personal taste is liking a tank that's a little dirty. You know what most reefs have? Detritus, 6 different kinds of matting algae, and a menagerie of large brown looking (but beautiful) corals.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

I also think part of the problem is people are hooked on youtube videos. And alot of youtube videos portray these beautiful, spotless tanks. When in reality thats just not how its going to be.

Please explain.

 

[shakacuz]

Yes, I have noticed the LFS in my area aren't as crowded or busy. We even had one close down recently. I have also noticed a lot of whole tank setups for sale on facebook marketplace. If I were someone starting to get into the hobby, you can get a really good deal on marketplace.

Edit - Its hard for me to judge before the pandemic so I don't know the trends. I really got serious about saltwater in 2019 shortly before the pandemic happened. I get jealous when I hear all the prices people paid before covid. At least I got my yellow tang right before the Hawaii ban. Prices seem to be coming down now compared to a couple years ago.

yeah, i agree. somethingfishy (my LFS), has slowly gotten less traffic. which is troublesome when you are trying to get the reef group active! i started this hobby a little around the same time as you, but the tank was left empty and just cycling rocks for a month or two before i began.

financially, a lot of folks are not doing well and hobbies in general are getting put off or left behind.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Please explain.

Lol I think most people see a BRS video of a tank that probably has a 10k+ price tag and a team of 10 people maintaining it and compare their tank to that which both isn't fair and can be disheartening.

 

[ErikVR]

My local fish stores are struggling. One of them has permanently close the saltwater section. The other one barely had any saltwater to begin with. Freshwater seems to be doing OK but that is so much cheaper to buy and run.