Anyone ever make an offer on a fish at Capitol?

[FishGuy5]

I'm interested in possibly purchasing a fish at Capitol, but I feel it's over priced. Has anyone ever made an offer on something there w/ any success? I've kept an eye on it...it's been there for several weeks. Peggy at O street is pretty flexible when making a big purchase. Just wondering......

 

[TotalKhaos]

I've done it with good results at several other stores in the area. No Harm in trying. Just do a bit of research first - See what kind of price its going for elsewhere/online and make a reasonable offer. When you make your offer you might even mention that you've found it at other vendors (name them) for X amount and ask them to meet or beat it.

 

[Unarce]

It's worth a try, but I doubt they'd concede to a lower price. Nowadays, I just take my kids there every once in awhile to look at the BIG fish.

I was there earlier this week, and nothings changed about their pricing. They have a very large Tiger Mantis for $75. I hear an identical one is for sale at Atlantis for $8.

They have a large brown teardrop maxima for $100. Paradise would list the same one at $40

 

[Reefugee]

Capitol is definitely overpriced, but they are constantly busy. Why? I really don't know. I remember seeing a Mag 9.5 for $200+ (vs $70 at MD). I seriously doubt they will negotiate. But like TK said - it never hurts to ask. Sometimes I am surprise at the bargains that my GF is able to get by just asking.

 

[xia]

I saw that mantis. I thought it was a typo $8. It was big as a lobster. Looked real tasty. Hmm . . . how big of a tank does a mantis need? Never hurts to ask, and don't forget to try the mars discount too.

 

[Reefugee]

I don't think Capitol Aquarium offers a MARS discount.

 

[JahReefster]

They don't.

 

[Marc Daniels]

I made an offer once, they still wanted a cosigner and two forms of ID.

They once had a plain green brain listed at $95. I questioned the price and told them I would give em $40. The manager told me that it came in listed as something else on the invoice, and their markup is based upon the invoice price.

To which I responded, so if you had a 72' Vega come in listed as a 59' Vette @ $75000 on the invoice, you would be asking $130000 for it? To which he replied, "don't put words in my mouth". I guess there wasn't room for words and his foot at the same time.

The only thing I go to capital for is to let the kids feed the fish, and laugh at the people paying $150 for a "pair" of Ocealris clowns that just met that day.

 

[Unarce]

by Marc Daniels
...and laugh at the people paying $150 for a "pair" of Ocealris clowns that just met that day.

:lol: Marc!

That $150 helps cover the eHarmony.com fee that brought them together.:love1:

 

[Marc Daniels]

Karl, you're killing me!

 

[Reefugee]

Karl - have you been using eHarmony? LOL

They did have a pair of black clowns in the display tank. I really wanted to purchase them, but they wouldn't sell them. Then the last time I was there, the clown were gone.

Minh

 

[thereefgeek]

The true clowns are behind the register IMO.
(Believe me, I'm still a little punchy after yesterday :lol: )

 

[Unarce]

by mn95616
Karl - have you been using eHarmony? LOL

LOL, no

In my day, I made full use of libraries, grocery stores, laundromats, and churches to meet women (this from a poor student that had a washer and dryer and wasn't very religious ).

 

[duec22]

I was in there the other day looking for Lugel's..didn't find it...but they did have a "maited pair" of gold bar maroon clowns...thing is they wouldn't come anywhere close to each other...it was more like a couple of boxers at their corners. I did notice that they started listing prices on the glass of the tanks for their corals...unfortunately they forgot to lower the prices to something reasonable..

 

[Jacob D]

I guess there wasn't room for words and his foot at the same time

Classic.

I have gotten so used to shopping at places where I either know them well enough to get the 'friendly price' or the prices are already in the ballpark I don't think I've done any bargaining for awhile. When prices are that far out of line I usually don't even bother asking.

 

[fragaholic]

Speaking of clown pairs... Has anyone seen the "spawning" pair of black ocellaris at O street? They are asking for $800 for the pair! And gee, it comes with the anemone. What a deal!

No wonder I've seen them there for 6 months.

 

[bluenassarius]

fragaholic, is that the pair of black percs in their SPS tank? the guy said they weren't for sale the first time i went there.. (i called minh about them having a pair) the second time i asked, they said 800.

 

[fragaholic]

Thats the ones.

 

[dots]

With as much cash this group spends combined, one would think the stores woud figure it out. Is there that much money in guppies around here? To insult a large portion of partons, who are far from casual customers is STUPID! Two weeks ago I spent around $300, how often does a fresh water guy do that? How many gold fish will that buy? I find it extremly unwise nowadays in Sacramento to alienate a group such as ours especially with the online market getting stronger all the time. Even more so, with a new store that should show an unamed few how to do things.

 

[thereefgeek]

Problem is, I'd bet if they wait long enough someone will eventually buy them. I'd just hate to be the "not-necessarily-a-teenager " who has to net them out of that tank for that deep pocketed customer. The female is almost big enough to take off a finger!