Coral/Fish database Plus prices

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Hi,
I was browsing the net the last couple of days searching for some baseline prices on corals/fish.
I've found a couple sites, but all of them was indicating the prices in $ or pounds.

We all bought something at a LFS before, only afterwards realising that we've paid way to much for the specimen....
Our sponsors are all (well the ones that I've dealt with) are reasonable with their prices.

So can't you guys include a +- price that one is expected to pay in the coral/fish databases?
I know that size, import rates, the Rand/$, and other factors will have an effect.
But a some sort of a base line will be able to give you a good indication.

With this information i'll know that paying R400 for a cabbage coral is just not right! (just an example...:whistling:)

This will also aid people like me who want to start selling coral frags in the future with setting prices..:thumbup:
 
I reckon a price guide (even if min/max parameters are set) will help us new guys to protect us against being exploited. This hobby is expensive enough as it is, and being taken by unscrupulous LFS's just makes it even more dificult to get going.

With set parameters we will not only have a guide as to the top prices, where you would then expect a large very healthy specimen of show quality, but you will also have the bottom dollar, which will tell you that if someone is charging less than that, you should be asking questions about the health and history of the piece to make sure it's not going to die on you in a week.
 
But there are more to that. Is the beautiful creature you see at the LFS compatible with your other inmates? Some LFS just want your money there and then. And will sell you 5 yellow tangs knowing that they will fight like mad one day. Always go home first and google the hell out of it.

Also some LFS sell livestock very cheap the day it lands, and then next day it is more expensive, and the day thereafter... You take the risk for it dying after its trip. They actually do not even unpack properly. But it is cheap. Nothing wrong with this.

(May I name somebody???).
It is cheaper if you are willing to risk it.

Others will keep the new livestock a number of days and only sell it when it settled. They take the risk and you pay for that risk. Nothing wrong with that either.

But still I would like to know that a quoted price of R300 for a mushroom is OK price, good price for me or a good price for the LFS.
 
The plan with the fish/coral database is that people can log when they've bought a specific thing and this way an average can be built up (even by province etc etc).
 
yeah great idea

im not sure if some of you read my post in the wanted thread about the hermits
i know LFS selling Blue hermits for R182 each and a Single Brown mushroom for R300
 
Guys, why didn't the above catch on?

I for one would love to start a thread with averages?

One LFS wants to sell you a brown fan worm for R150 and the next sells you the same one in a better condition for R60.

How can you justify this?
 
Some fish prices down here in East London

Paracheilinus carpenteri: R200
Genicanthus melanospilos (Black-spot angel): R500
Chromis viridis (Blue/green chomis) : R75 (can go for anything between R50-R75)
Cleaner shrimp: R150
 
I phoned Durban yesterday to find out about cleaner shrimps, one shop was R220, the other R140

Bicolour angels, I bought from a bad LFS (only knew of that LFS in durban at the time) for R350 each (lost them both), checked an LFS in capetown selling for R80.

Imo the cheaper fish are the most expensive, eg, my queen that was cheap at R750 died about 2 months ago, and I am still having problems from it, where as a quality fish will cost R1200-R2000 pending size and less problems and more chance of survivel
 
lots of factors are involved
1- is the fish from a collector or a wholesaler
2- is the fish from a cheaper country (example if the LFS buy a regal tang from Indonesian it will be cheaper than one from Australia)
3-is the fish from a country with cheaper shipping
 
No LFS must make a rule to keep fish till they eat, DON,T support LFS that sells fish as soon as they arrive as we are the loser in the hobby , i only purchase fish from mi fellow hobbyist
 
So what are the median prices on these Juveniles:

FISH
percula Clown:
Ocellaris Clown:
African Clown
Dotty Backs:
Cleaner shrimp:
Hermits:
Regal Tang:
Yellow Tang:


CORAL( Lets say avg size is about a 10cm LR )

Zoa:
Mushrooms:


Please add to the list and lets see what the avg prices are
 
FISH
percula Clown: R350
Ocellaris Clown: R200
African Clown: R220
Orchid Dotty Backs: R280(bred) R350 (wild)
Cleaner shrimp: R150 - R220
Hermits: petrol to get me to the local rockpools
Regal Tang:
Yellow Tang: R525
Powder Brown - R220 (oh boy if had to calculate the real cost probably about R2000:()
Carpenters flasher wrasse - R260
Iridis wrasse - R200
Macrophyryngodon bipartitus - R150
Marrophtryngodon ornatus - R220
Pajama Cardinal - R50
Bangai Cardinal - R150
Mandarin - R190


CORAL( Lets say avg size is about a 10cm LR )

Zoa: local pools
Mushrooms: R300-R350, R400 (hairy)
Big pin (sarcophyton): R490
Small pin: R300-R350
RBTA - R500 (private sale, lucky)
Xenia - R250
Colt (small) - R250
Plate coral (heliofungia) - R250 (one of my best buys, given the quality of the 2 I managed to aquire)
Orange & green Open brain - R420
Doughnut coral - R300
Euphillia (various) - R250-R400
Sun coral - R200
Singularia (finger coral) - R300
Clam, small crocea - R350
Clam, medium squmosa - R650
 
i must say those prices are way higher than east london prices
 
yep AOR thats a pretty good sumary of what we pay here, you didnt list the regal tank, small ones go for about 450
 
I got a Regal from Durban, from Julies at R350, was eating the next day, I enjoy Julies, never had a problem with Cassims fish.

Geee wizz but their corals are really really expensive, and when i go there the tanks are always empty, i guess i miss it
 
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