Cheap fish in SF

[berkdog]

I was in SF at this 6th Ave LFS, and they have a huge 300-400 bag sale every Sunday morning. At 10am on Sundays, they sell fish for the price they get them (whole sale cost), so they're really cheap, and the fish never touch the store's (probably contaminated) water, so that's an added plus (even tho the water source is unknown, it's just better to have been contaminated less I think). I was there after 10am (later afternoon), so there were only about 10 bags left. I saw some Anthias for $9 a piece, and pairs of pink skunks for $10, and some dust feather worms (?) for $5. By the time I left, someone had come in and purchased all of those bagged (supposedly whole-sale priced) items. I'm guessing they were from another LFS stocking up on their inventory! ha!

Anyway, I don't think I'll be shopping there much (it felt dirty to me), but they had such a variety of fish for sale. To choose and purchase a fish, you're handed a net and bucket... and you go catch the one/s you want. It's really an interesting place! I'd definitely go back for a fun visit. The store workers are friendly, but they just sit up front bagging and collecting money--not any other assistance from what I noticed.

I also visited a few other fish stores in SF. There are a lot, and most are friendly and not too pushy, and surprisingly priced LESS than fish stores elsewhere int he bay area.

Too bad I haven't seen a single fish store that doesn't have obvious signs of Ich. I've asked about it, and people say they sometimes treat fish-only tanks with copper, but I guess that has to be bad for the fish b/c who knows how long it will be sitting there.

[leebca]

The price to an importer/wholesaler price of the Anthias (unless rare) is about $.50 -- 50 cents. After shipping and handling and import, the fish can be sold for $1.50 or less to a LFS and still give the wholesaler a comfortable living.

[berkdog]

Wow! leebca, we should go into the distribution business together! ;)

[reefplayground]

Not really. Almost all importers/wholesalers in Los Angeles sell anthias (healthy and properly caught) between 8.50-45.00/per depending on species. You can find cheaper prices (about a buck or two less)at places like All-Seas Marine, that is if you're looking for fish that will be dead in 2-3 days

[berkdog]

How do you know reefplayground?

Anyway, Leebca was saying the cost they get them for (the wholesalers/importers). And the wholesalers can then sell them to the LFS for whatever cost they want... and then the LFS store sells them to us for $$$$$$$$.

Anyway, it'd be awesome to be part of a wholesaler/importer group! Leebca?

[reefplayground]

Considering the cost of running a proper importing/wholesaling business (the rent of building, the filtration maintenance issues (water changes, replacements of uv and all other bulbs, energy consumption, etc etc etc).

Anthias, depending on where they come, can run anywhere from .50 to a few dollars. That is correct. But selling a fish purchased for .50 for a dollar more will not cover the costs and expenses associated with a real importer/wholesaler. There are importers who are simply transhippers. They have nofacilities for holding fish, but simply repackage the boxes if needed after arrival in the states. With these, you will never be able to hand pick your items, or wit to see which have adapted to aquarium life. They will connect you with a gathering station directly, and will sell fish for almost what the catchers are paid (damsels for .15 for example, lyretail anthias roughly 3.25-4.25), but you will need to pay the transshipping costs. Generally a box shipment, which can contain up to 250/300 damsels or so will run $150.0-$175.00 per box after all the taxes and fees via Airport to Airport. The fish will be pckaged in low ph solutions as well as in very very very tiny bags in order to pack in as much as possible per box. During the ph drop and following rise, you will generally lose about 25% to 50% of the shipment depending on distance traveled and how they were caught over the next week.

A reliable wholesaler (QM, Pacific Aqua, Underwater etc etc) will have proper facilities with proper equipment and staff that know how to operate and take care of very large systems. QM for example has a huge facility including a research team and lab, properly trained equipment managers, livestock handlers, etc etc. Their handling and acclimation procedures can't be beat and their prices reflect that.

So after considering the costs and liabilities or operating a fish wholesale business, a dollar mark-up on a 50 cent fish will not come close to covering the expenses.

[berkdog]

wow, it'd be awesome to intern or work at one of these places part time!

[reefplayground]

Quality Marine used to take on interns a while ago, but I'm not sure if they still do.

Just checked, they have an " Volunteer Husbandry Internship Program"

go for it

[berkdog]

that's too far... SF bay area only... or asia

[reefplayground]

haha.

Not sure if there are any in the Bay Area. But Asia, thats a hell of a commute

[berkdog]

there's gotta be some around here. i've found places online that are wholesalers only... but no information about them.

yes, asia would be awesome.

[Ninong]

Bay Area stores.

SEABay.org

[berkdog]

thanks... but most of those aquariums are closed, and that club hasn't been updated in years. :-\

[Ninong]

thanks... but most of those aquariums are closed, and that club hasn't been updated in years. :-\

Well, at least they have the new address for Aquatic Concepts in Dublin. How long have they been there? I visited them when they were in Livermore and later after they moved to Hayward. Now it looks like they have moved to Dublin.

I used to like Lance Blankenship's Reef Science store in Danville but it went out of business. He had a very nice selection of everything.

[peasofme]

aquarium concepts? all their stuff was diseased in hayward. atlantisaquarium.net has nothing but healthy stuff.

[berkdog]

I have found that almost every LFS in the bay area has diseased fish in their tanks... including atlantisaquarium. Some do take care of these diseased fish better than others... true. For example, I don't know how a store could rid their tanks of ich and other diseases if they plan to introduce fish into tanks with invertibre without prior treatment/long (11 week) quarantine.

[peasofme]

yea, but atlantis is still the best out of them. they use copper on their fish.

[berkdog]

i've read from many sources that a constant copper treatment is not good for fish, and treatments too long can cause longterm effects and shorten lifespan. since quarantine should happen at home (after purchase) anyway, personally i think the QT is the place to find, treat, and care for possibly sick fish. if a store wants to treat sick fish, that's cool, but if they want to chemically treat non-sick fish as well... that might overdo it.

[shazane]

Connies Tropical Fish

• (510) 733-5553

2520 Castro Valley Blvd, Castro Valley, CA 94546

Not the biggest but Great place check it out.