What's Your Most Expensive Livestock?

[WWIII]

$150 I guess is my default max. I've purchased several corals for this price and 2 fish.

 

[WWIII]

Equipment on the other hand... $$$

 

[TvanB1]

Worst expensive purchase would be a $550 coral that arrived DOA...no refund/replacement.

Thats rough...
Vendor didn’t honor policy or no guarantee in the first place?

 

[azreeftank]

This hobby is too expensive.... the list is too long to write. But right off the top of my head
$350.00 huge rainbow acan colony
$399.99 softball size AUS gold torch that looks like 14k Gold with violet tips.
$299 for my large Achilles tang
And so may More pieces I can’t list. It’s crazy to see the pricing of some of the corals nowadays.

 

[Forsaken77]

Oh yeah, back in the 90's I paid $200 for a Clown Trigger, which was a lot back then.

 

[Forsaken77]

Are most people buying online or locally? Because it seems like there's people willing to shell out big bucks, yet the local places say they don't have enough of us that are willing to buy more expensive items.

I guess it also depends on the store. There's a local place that sells fish dirt cheap, and they're the ones complaining. Yet 10 minutes down the road is another place that sells fish for double of the first place. The more expensive place is definitely a cleaner store with better stock and rarer livestock. They had 4 big Sea Dragons in a 300 gallon tank and wanted $2,500 a piece for them. All 4 were gone in 6 months.

 

[Dsnakes]

Are most people buying online or locally? Because it seems like there's people willing to shell out big bucks, yet the local places say they don't have enough of us that are willing to buy more expensive items.

I guess it also depends on the store. There's a local place that sells fish dirt cheap, and they're the ones complaining. Yet 10 minutes down the road is another place that sells fish for double of the first place. The more expensive place is definitely a cleaner store with better stock and rarer livestock. They had 4 big Sea Dragons in a 300 gallon tank and wanted $2,500 a piece for them. All 4 were gone in 6 months.

I think most the big bucks are being spent online. In my experience, it seems a lot of LFS tend to keep cheaper fish on hand due to the potential for problems such disease/death/people not wanted to spend so much. I think online vendors are usually cheaper due to no tax/no storefront (lower overhead) as well as usually upsell with free shipping at a minimum amount

 

[Legal Reefer]

My diamond goby...he's pricless!...lol.

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

Are most people buying online or locally? Because it seems like there's people willing to shell out big bucks, yet the local places say they don't have enough of us that are willing to buy more expensive items.

For expensive rare live stocks, I refer buying locally.
I'll place an order and deposit with LFS and let them deal with all the shipping, when It's arrived I'll decide to keep it or not but generally its far over my expectation since I'm willing to pay big bucks and the LFS want to keep their reputation high end spender customers.

 

[ca1ore]

My $$$ fish purchases have either been from local hobbyists (Gem and Black Tangs) where the health of the fish is far less of a gamble or from DD (Zebra and Lapillus wrasse) where they are conditioned and guaranteed.

 

[Forsaken77]

For expensive rare live stocks, I refer buying locally.
I'll place an order and deposit with LFS and let them deal with all the shipping, when It's arrived I'll decide to keep it or not but generally its far over my expectation since I'm willing to pay big bucks and the LFS want to keep their reputation high end spender customers.

I prefer buying locally as well for expensive fish just so I can inspect them firsthand. However, whenever I ask the store owners to order me something specific, they tell me it's not on the list of fish available. I don't know if it's a seasonal thing or what. Because I've been looking for a nice Australian Tuskfish for a while and can't seem to find a 3-4" one. They're all adults.

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

I prefer buying locally as well for expensive fish just so I can inspect them firsthand. However, whenever I ask the store owners to order me something specific, they tell me it's not on the list of fish available. I don't know if it's a seasonal thing or what. Because I've been looking for a nice Australian Tuskfish for a while and can't seem to find a 3-4" one. They're all adults.

I think it's seasonal, LFS around my area has none available at this time of year but will have plenty late spring and summer.

 

[Kamden Uelton]

My most expensive thing was my Crinoid $40

 

[DMan]

Paid $250 for the pair.

 

[Beej1254]

This is my center piece, my priciest piece, and I got it for $80

 

[Faisal27]

Worst expensive purchase would be a $550 coral that arrived DOA...no refund/replacement.

dang

 

[Crabs McJones]

Now that I'm sure this isn't my wife the most I've paid was $99 for a rose garden millepora frag I picked up from Boom Corals. Beautiful coral

 

[Forsaken77]

I just talked to one of the local owners and he won't even order Australian fish anymore. He said it costs him 8 grand per shipment and has too much money to lose if the fish die. Kinda bummed me out when I asked about ordering an Aussie Tusk.

 

[keddre]

The most I've spent is $50 for my sea apple. I can't see myself spending more than that because in still in college. Maybe when I graduate and have a more stable long term job and but just an internship

 

[pandagobyguy]

My most expensive thing was my Crinoid $40

Crinoid??? Like the fossil?? Had no idea those were still around.