Victoria M
5000 Club Member
Has Humblefish really moved on? I knew he was really busy but he has moved on under his name?
Moved on?
- Thread starter Victoria M
- Start date
- Tagged users None
He's been up to his eyebrows lately, but as far as I'm aware he's on more of a sabbatical, with plans to return in the fullness of time.
~Bruce
~Bruce
He told me he wanted to open up his own store and offer fully quarantined fish. Real properly quarantined fish! I said go for it man.
I bet about now he's neck deep in QT's and Velvet and Brook coming out of his ears!
I bet about now he's neck deep in QT's and Velvet and Brook coming out of his ears!
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
He is just taking a break.
The last I heard...all the tanks had their own negative pressure rooms which will prevent any airborne transmission. 
JOKE!!
JOKE!!
He told me he wanted to open up his own store and offer fully quarantined fish. Real properly quarantined fish! I said go for it man.
I bet about now he's neck deep in QT's and Velvet and Brook coming out of his ears!
I, for one, would easily pay double to triple for fully quarantined fish I could put straight into DT. I really hope this endeavor gets off the ground and gains some serious traction in the hobby.
Yeah, I think a lot of people would pay for that service. It would be a lot of work. I mean a lot of work!
You would need to be very organized, have a good staff, and be able to import your own fish for people to buy.
And the day you miss one disease...that would be a bad day. Not to mention...imagine how many people "would claim" that you had given them something even though the fish were clean and because they added something at a later date it infected all of their fish. I bet that in itself would drive a person nuts and probably out of the business.
I wish that there were just aquaculture sections that never had wild caught anything introduced on a regular basis . I mean like ORA, Sea&reef or biota only rooms that do not mix with wild stock . I just ordered biota rainfordi gobies and captive raised yellow tang To add to my ora mocha clowns , Hopefully in 10 more years we will be seeing more Pygmy angels and large angels . I would prefer captive raised .
albano
2500 Club Member
Personally, I think there is 0% chance of this being a successful, profitable, long term business.
We appreciate your optimistic outlook!!
It’s not impossible with the right marketing and message.
It’s a lot harder when people dismiss it outright.
He won’t be marketing this to the Petco or fad crowds- there is a (unfortunately) small population of aquarist for which sustainability, health, wellbeing etc mean more to them than $50 saved at the local high volume, low cost store with the no refund policy where the fish life expectancy is 50/50 at best
The only way this hobby even exists in another 20 years is if more people step up to the plate and start businesses like this. Sustainability is key, and reducing the attrition rate so less stock has to be wild caught is a part of that. It also shows a lot more respect for the individual animals than happens now.
Last edited:
albano
2500 Club Member
I hear you, and agree that it sounds like a nice option... but out of ~100000 members here, besides yourself, how many have said they'd be willing to pay 2-3x for a QTd fish... (and actually doing it is another thing!). IMO, very few people are going to 'pay up' to keep a pre-QTd tank full of livestock.
I'm not new to fish keeping nor the retail business and 'retail' people... Sorry, but I stand by my 'optimistic outlook'.
cracker
5000 Club Member
I would happily pay a price for a healthy fish if it was already a delicate high end fish .
There are plenty of Folks with the finances & desire to keep exotic,rare fish .
Make a good living at it ? Don't know . It would be a labor of love & seems to me he enjoys doing it.
There are plenty of Folks with the finances & desire to keep exotic,rare fish .
Make a good living at it ? Don't know . It would be a labor of love & seems to me he enjoys doing it.
Last edited:
Just to shift the conversation - I just want to say the obvious - Humblefish has made such an important contribution to this forum and this hobby. His knowledge and willingness to share it in his own write ups and in answering peoples questions is the main reason I and I suspect many other people have a half a clue when it comes to fish disease and QT. (Ok I think I have a quarter of a clue but the fish I have in QT right now don’t need to know that!
) I also think his example shows others on this forum how to help each other when it comes to fish disease and treatment.
Wishing him well on his sabbatical and hoping he has the support he needs.
) I also think his example shows others on this forum how to help each other when it comes to fish disease and treatment.Wishing him well on his sabbatical and hoping he has the support he needs.
Reefin Ryan
Community Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2018
- Messages
- 66
- Reaction score
- 49
I would also pay a lot more for a healthy fish. I think there is a large enough population to sustain a business.
ihavecrabs
2500 Club Member
I can tell you from my first few systems to my latest fully QT'd system, I spent a lot more money on fish that "disappeared" or died from velvet in my first few tanks than I did being more selective and taking the time to thoroughly QT in my current system.
Most of my fish in the new system came from Live Aquaria and I took the burden of fully quarantining them. I had two losses total out of twelve. When I went looking for my larger fish, I didn't feel as "excited" to QT and treat such large fish in a small 10g or 20g tank so I outsourced it. I paid 25% additional on the cost of the fish, plus $60 in shipping (which would have likely been free through a standard retain operation).
Was it worth the cost? 100%..
I have a healthy tank, no disease, and top notch specimens. I'm not replacing fish constantly and worrying about introducing new diseases that may wipe out my tank. Bliss
Most of my fish in the new system came from Live Aquaria and I took the burden of fully quarantining them. I had two losses total out of twelve. When I went looking for my larger fish, I didn't feel as "excited" to QT and treat such large fish in a small 10g or 20g tank so I outsourced it. I paid 25% additional on the cost of the fish, plus $60 in shipping (which would have likely been free through a standard retain operation).
Was it worth the cost? 100%..
I have a healthy tank, no disease, and top notch specimens. I'm not replacing fish constantly and worrying about introducing new diseases that may wipe out my tank. Bliss
I can tell you from my first few systems to my latest fully QT'd system, I spent a lot more money on fish that "disappeared" or died from velvet in my first few tanks than I did being more selective and taking the time to thoroughly QT in my current system.
Most of my fish in the new system came from Live Aquaria and I took the burden of fully quarantining them. I had two losses total out of twelve. When I went looking for my larger fish, I didn't feel as "excited" to QT and treat such large fish in a small 10g or 20g tank so I outsourced it. I paid 25% additional on the cost of the fish, plus $60 in shipping (which would have likely been free through a standard retain operation).
Was it worth the cost? 100%..
I have a healthy tank, no disease, and top notch specimens. I'm not replacing fish constantly and worrying about introducing new diseases that may wipe out my tank. Bliss
Very good point on the cost of attrition vs upfront higher costs of QT
I don’t think many people facuurvthat in
Humblefish is amazing and has helped so many. I truly wish him great success if he opens anything or even if just taking a break. I doubt he knows how many he has helped over the years and the aquatic life he has saved.
I have no idea if he really is going to explore opening a store, but I am skeptical of the success. I would love to be proven wrong though! It does seem time after time the hobby overall with fish chooses cheap over good. Like captive bred mandarins that ate pellets but were more expensive. People just didn’t want to pay more. Plus with something like this I can only imagine how many would get his fish, put in a display with existing fish (that never have shown disease!!! – of course we know better) the new fish get sick and boom – gets a reputation for not having healthy fish. Add a new invert like a snail, shrimp, coral - potential disease incoming so still need QT if that worried and if not then he gets blamed for sick fish.
The few people that are really into QT know better, but to make money you have to sell to a whole lot of people, and they just don’t care that much imo. Seems tough but it would be great to have that option!
Last edited:
Huff747
Valuable Member
I purchased the first three fish for my 2nd tank from him and while prices may change over time I can say I didn't pay 3x the normal price. And would happily pay to not have to dose/test copper myself, ramp it up, remove it with poly filters/other media, and not to mention the water changes and cleaning of a QT tank. Skipping all of the meds, salt, extra tanks, filters, and so on would probably save me $ on the fish even if I'm paying more for the fish itself. At the peak I had 5 tanks (3 QTs) when what I wanted was 2 displays. I'm currently still at 4 tanks, 2 displays, 1 coral/invert QT, and 1 fish QT. I'm hoping to be able to take both QTs down in the next couple months and my life will be much simpler.
I hope it works out for him, would buy from him again.
I hope it works out for him, would buy from him again.
OP
OP
Victoria M
5000 Club Member
It really was the "moved on" that I was concerned about. On RC that is a bad thing...
