Kahuna Tuna
Active member
Yea, if it makes one happy I suppose. I like my yellowtail damsel.
TRUE Western Australian Personifer Angelfish on LA tonight!!!
- Thread starter mapleredta
- Start date
Yea, if it makes one happy I suppose. I like my yellowtail damsel.
michael_cb_125
New member
I really wish some people would stop bashing LA's pricing on fish. Also, if a fish does not appeal to you.....great, but do not trash others for their willingness to acquire spendy fish.
IMO these are a stunning species and if I had the space, you better believe that I would have one.
~Michael
IMO these are a stunning species and if I had the space, you better believe that I would have one.
~Michael
Sardaukar
Premium Member
I think its important to keep in mind that plenty of people would call you a rube for having spent thousands (and in many cases tens of thousands of dollars) on a reef tank to begin with. If someone has already spent 20k on a 300g reef tank, are they any more of a 'rube' for spending another 1k on a fish for that tank? Reef keeping is a luxury hobby and arguing that one aspect of that luxury hobby crosses some luxury line seems rather silly imo 
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people get ****ed because it makes every other store up their price too.
i dont get upset about high priced fish that cost alot to capture. i get upset about wholesalers screwing over people. its like with purple tangs, were you here when they were overpriced? i bet so.
again i want to point out, fish that are hard to catch for w/e reason deserve a high price. fish that are easy to catch and plentiful should be cheaper.
take it however you want. im just glad some people here dont rule the world or Drs and farmers would bend us over. " need an apple to feed your kid? give me your house."
i dont get upset about high priced fish that cost alot to capture. i get upset about wholesalers screwing over people. its like with purple tangs, were you here when they were overpriced? i bet so.
again i want to point out, fish that are hard to catch for w/e reason deserve a high price. fish that are easy to catch and plentiful should be cheaper.
take it however you want. im just glad some people here dont rule the world or Drs and farmers would bend us over. " need an apple to feed your kid? give me your house."
Kahuna Tuna
Active member
I teach high school, I get called a rube and a lot worse every day.
BTW, I love Drs F & S and yes their WYSIWYG section is what I would call pricey but their fish are top notch and their service cant be beat IMO. I am simply amazed however when somebody spends a fortune on a rare fish that looks nearly identical to one that is cheap by comparison, but hey, this is America, knock yourself out.
Sardaukar
Premium Member
I guess my point is that many of us are already spending a fortune on reef tanks, so whats the big deal with a 1k dollar fish, even if it looks like a 300 dollar fish? Its kinda like saying "Man that guy spending 1k on rims for his his porsche is such a rube, I got identical looking rims for my porsche for only 300!". Either way, you both have a porsche
Mental1
New member
I don't think the retail side of this business is a walk in the park. Pricing is based on a lot of things -- not just cost of collection. Just think about the losses that all of them absorb. I mean really, they get the fish from the collectors for very little money. I don't know about your LFS owners, but I don't see them driving bentleys!
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I used to work for a company that shipped fish all over the country for science education (you probably know it Kahuna Tuna )
Keeping fish healthy, and shipping them by FedEx is a very labor-intensive, difficult business. Customer service is a major challenge when you have a highly perishable product, and many customers that are not the best informed.
F&S/LA does an awesome job of shipping out healthy animals and standing behind their product. AND they come with a guarantee!
Their business practices may have caused some prices to rise, but they have also raised the bar on customer service, selection, education and fish health care by competitors. Anyone remember several years ago, you were lucky to get an arrive alive guarantee from any e-tailer? And besides the Marine Center (which appears to be no longer in business) the selection of fish was never what it is now.
For common fish, I think LA and DD is quite reasonable. And often very reasonable for rare fish that are not in high demand. For the rare fish in high demand, I think their prices are fair, when you balance cost AND health. With their guarantee, they are taking a bigger risk shipping you a rare/expensive fish. Consider it a fish with a life insurance policy.
I have never been treated wrong by LA. If you don't want to pay the price for a fish, don't. If enough are available, the price will come down. I have never found DD to be way out of line in their pricing for the fish I wanted, given the fact that you know exactly what you are getting and the chances of it surviving long term are much higher than from other sources.
)Keeping fish healthy, and shipping them by FedEx is a very labor-intensive, difficult business. Customer service is a major challenge when you have a highly perishable product, and many customers that are not the best informed.
F&S/LA does an awesome job of shipping out healthy animals and standing behind their product. AND they come with a guarantee!
Their business practices may have caused some prices to rise, but they have also raised the bar on customer service, selection, education and fish health care by competitors. Anyone remember several years ago, you were lucky to get an arrive alive guarantee from any e-tailer? And besides the Marine Center (which appears to be no longer in business) the selection of fish was never what it is now.
For common fish, I think LA and DD is quite reasonable. And often very reasonable for rare fish that are not in high demand. For the rare fish in high demand, I think their prices are fair, when you balance cost AND health. With their guarantee, they are taking a bigger risk shipping you a rare/expensive fish. Consider it a fish with a life insurance policy.
I have never been treated wrong by LA. If you don't want to pay the price for a fish, don't. If enough are available, the price will come down. I have never found DD to be way out of line in their pricing for the fish I wanted, given the fact that you know exactly what you are getting and the chances of it surviving long term are much higher than from other sources.
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jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
I dont undersytnd this criticism at all. Im 100% positive, that if you listed to me the things youve purchased over the past year, I can EASILY find things which are "extravagant", and cheaper alternatives can easily and quickly be found. Yet Im sure you prefer the premium one. In example, jewelry, clothings, automobiles, TVs, etc etc etc. I, personally, wont spend money on those things, when the cheaper, similar-if-not-identical ones, are a fraction the price.
Secondly, this is a reef fish and aquarium forum. Finding people who are passionate and will spend money on these things shocks you? Really?! If I went to the Diamond ring forums (if there exists such a thing), Im sure people on there wouldve spent A LOT more for a ring than I would ever even consider, when, hey, all diamonds look alike, right?
Yurivd
New member
i have send you a pm of what i think
kirkaz
Jade
No doubt, or we would all be wearing "Winner's Choice" shoes from K-Mart.
Advising people how they should spend their hard earned money (or otherwise earned) is a good thing to avoid.
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jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
Ive replied.
These fish are by no means difficult to get. I have personally brought them in on 3 occasions in the last 6months alone. They are cheap direct from the diver.. cheaper than their eastern Aussie counterparts(meri's). They are even available discounted in 6 lots!
All of this means nothing. The fish is not imported very often, and people obviously want them, even if they look the same as something 1/6 the price. Like Jmaney said, people spend a lot more on much more ridiculous things(and everyone's idea of ridiculous obviously varies.)
All of this means nothing. The fish is not imported very often, and people obviously want them, even if they look the same as something 1/6 the price. Like Jmaney said, people spend a lot more on much more ridiculous things(and everyone's idea of ridiculous obviously varies.)
Kahuna Tuna
Active member
And I dont understand why anyone would pay the better part of two bills on a fish that looks like the ugly little sister to a $200 meridithi so we are even.
Iwishihadgills
New member
Nicely stated. I feel if you arent obssed with this hobby your just not doing it right.
jnc914
Active member
Sooooooo.........If that's the case, are your prices comparable to DFSLA? Don't know if you are able to discuss that since you are also a sponsor on the site. I only ask because there are constant arguments over DD specimen prices. Some I feel appropriately reflect the care they put into the fish, it's rarity, beauty, etc.; others are questionable at times......
jnc914
Active member
:worried:
How dare you openly express your opinions here on a message board. For shame, for shame. Run away, Run away......
