Dd pair of bluelines

[Jacob D]

...or maybe the source just has a connection

Probably. There is a LFS down the block from me who sells blue lines for about the same price as that poster picked his up for. The owner is the old school type and has friends in the industry who he buys direct from. In fact, there was a local (to me) guy who posted some pics and video of his "bargain" blue line here a few months ago.

That said, I still go to DD for anything but the most common of fish.

 

[michealprater]

If indeed they were bought at that price, I would be very hesitant. When fish like taht show up SO far off teh market price, there HAS to be a reason. Maybe it was a clerical mistake, or maybe they are unhealthy, or maybe they are illegal, or maybe the source just has a connection. IMO, fish like that iat the price mentioned are too good to be true. JMHO.

This is probably those fish that the wholesaler or transhipper knows was collected suspiciously, so they sell them as fast as they can while they still look good. Also knows as "The Copps Theory of Living Dead Fish" LOL!

 

[michealprater]

Oh, BTW. Considering I asked someone to buy them from me, and they sold immediately afterward, I am going to assume they were purchased for me. Who do I need to PM my address to????

 

[DonH]

I just came back from the LFS and picked up 2 for $65 and $70 (a litte bigger). I asked the owner to feed them to verify if they were eating. Some were eating frozen brineshrimp and pellets! All of them looked pretty good except for a small one that seems to have lymphocystis.

Coincidentally, I was eyeing one at another LFS for $180 but that one wasn't eating so I passed.

Thanks pecaco34!

michealprater: They have about 5 large ones (8") in stock. None of them were eating when I was there.

 

[michealprater]

California is a little bit of a drive for me. Lol . Do they ship?

 

[s.reef]

X2 do they ship lol

 

[AngelAddict]

I third that, I'll order a pair now if they have some that are eating!

 

[flameangel88]

I just came back from the LFS and picked up 2 for $65 and $70 (a litte bigger).

Great find! How do they do it? Someone told me before that it would cost more than the above price for shipping on a fish from Asia.

 

[jnc914]

Probably. There is a LFS down the block from me who sells blue lines for about the same price as that poster picked his up for. The owner is the old school type and has friends in the industry who he buys direct from. In fact, there was a local (to me) guy who posted some pics and video of his "bargain" blue line here a few months ago.

That said, I still go to DD for anything but the most common of fish.

I have the same situation going on. My friend runs an LFS and he has alot of connects with wholesalers, fishermen, divers, etc. in Taiwan, Australia, and HI. The pair I just recently sold were 2" & 3" when purchased in 2008 for just around $300. I got them right from the bag and straight into my QT. They were eating from the get go I know I will get flack for saying this(no disrespect to LA or Kevin Kohen), but regardless that they are DD fish; the price on this pair was a bit ridiculous.

Here is my original thread when I got my pair: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1537971&highlight=blueline+angels :dance:

 

[jnc914]

Great find! How do they do it? Someone told me before that it would cost more than the above price for shipping on a fish from Asia.

I was told by the guy that got my pair that the wholesaler in Taiwan told him if he took all the Bluelines he had (7 total), that he would cut him a break on shipping. Apparently alot of overseas wholesalers do this just to move as much fish as possible. If I remember correctly he paid a couple hundred dollars on the shipping, which was peanuts in the grand scheme of things.

 

[flying53brian]

I also bought my Blueline for a great price from a LFS. I ordered it and when it came in and I was quoted the price ($70) I thought something was wrong. Nice size too, about 3" and he eats everything and is very healthy. I have had him about 1 year now.

 

[melanotaenia]

Lol at DD price.

 

[Iwishihadgills]

If indeed they were bought at that price, I would be very hesitant. When fish like taht show up SO far off teh market price, there HAS to be a reason. Maybe it was a clerical mistake, or maybe they are unhealthy, or maybe they are illegal, or maybe the source just has a connection. IMO, fish like that iat the price mentioned are too good to be true. JMHO.

Whats wrong with a fish store trying to give their customers good prices. There doesnt always have to be a catch. Just my two cents

 

[pecaco34]

Glad you were able to pick a couple up Don. I really was tempted to buy 2, but figured I was already gonna be pushing it with my Regal Angel and now the Blueline in a 150. I almost didn't even ask how much they were. Ended up asking out of curiosity because they had so many. The had probably at least 10 bluelines in stock, at least one in every tank. They just said they were on sale because they were trying to move them.

 

[michealprater]

At St. Louis LFS's, the price for a single blueline is typically 400-500. Man I wish I lived in LA or had a good hookup. I am super freaking jealous of those of you that got them for 65 bucks. That just seems crazy to me, but apparently it is more common than I thought.

 

[jnc914]

At St. Louis LFS's, the price for a single blueline is typically 400-500. Man I wish I lived in LA or had a good hookup. I am super freaking jealous of those of you that got them for 65 bucks. That just seems crazy to me, but apparently it is more common than I thought.

You don't necessarily need to live in Cali in order to get good deals on fish. If you are on this forum long enough you meet enough people that have connections. Some of us happen to luck out and have LFS's and or friends that own fish stores that help us out finding fish we want. My recommendation would be to make friends with some of the LFS in your area.
:beer:

 

[michealprater]

Considering I have been on the boards longer than you, I would say I have been here long enough and I do have some pretty good connections, but it is for basic common fish. I consider fish such as bluelines slighty tougher to come by, they are not exactly on the basic wholesalers list if you know what I mean. St. Louis is the closest LFSes to me, and they are an hour away. Makes it tough to hang out in the store and develop the type of relationship that you are speaking of.

 

[jnc914]

Considering I have been on the boards longer than you, I would say I have been here long enough and I do have some pretty good connections, but it is for basic common fish.

:lol: Your not talking to the right people then.....Bluelines in general are not a rare fish, it is just rare to the states due to Japan's willingness to pay and get top $$ for them. If your able to find someone who has direct connections to Vietnam or Taiwan they are actually quite easy to come by, especially this time of year. I imagine you will be seeing these offered more often now and throughout the summer. IME, their availability becomes more scarce in the fall and winter months.

 

[michealprater]

How exactly does one get a fish shipped to them from a foreign country and it live?

 

[jnc914]

Typically, there is a stop over here in the states (LA)where the fish are rebagged and oxygenated before they are sent to LFS/online retailers, etc. The company that shipped my Bluelines from Taiwan have a private wholesaler/holding company in LA that they contract with. The fish were then sent direct to the LFS I deal with. Surpisingly all 7 fish survived the long trip. Another example is when fish come from Australia, they hit Hawaiian wholesalers/private holding facilities first, and then they are rebagged and oxygenated for their trip to the states. It sounds like a PIA, but the fish that come from HI and Austrailia tend to be very healthy because they can be sent direct from HI to LFS/private fishkeepers without additional, unnecessary hold times with at LA wholesale facilities. It is obviously somewhat difficult to acquire a fish from overseas without having someone "in the know". If you or I would attempt to get a Blueline shipped to us privately, it would cost $$$ in shipping and it will still need to hit a wholesaler facility in LA or you will be getting a dead fish. You may get the Blueline for $50, however you will pay $800 to get it shipped from Taiwan to the U.S. And that may be a low shipping estimate....