reefgeek84 Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Ok, so I am in no way dissing any LFS, but how come it seems like so many LFS charge an extreme dollar amount for anenomes? Most charge 90-100 bucks for rose and carpets and not sure on bubbles, but on Marine depot and Liveaquaria they are much cheaper? I understand you have to make up shipping and some loss, but that seems like such a steep number considering most other prices are very comparible to on-line vendors...Can some help me out with why this is, it is purely curiosity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAVES Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 for me it is because of demand. For a while I couldnt even buy RBTA from my normal vendors, I was relying on a few customers who had them regularly split. Since then they became available, VERY available. They had discounts for buying 12 lots etc. I would guess Liveaquaria Marine depot etc purchase hundreds when they flooded the market (like 2-3 months ago). As far as demand, I was selling 12 a week for a while at $100. If I am moving that many, why charge less? Sales on them has since slowed down (after selling about 40 of them) but I dont want to make them cheaper simply because it could be months and months before they are resonably priced for me. I rarely lose them, so Ill just wait for people to buy them at this price since they havent even been on my lists (I dont look hard either) in the past month or so. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 for me it is because of demand. For a while I couldnt even buy RBTA from my normal vendors, I was relying on a few customers who had them regularly split. Since then they became available, VERY available. They had discounts for buying 12 lots etc. I would guess Liveaquaria Marine depot etc purchase hundreds when they flooded the market (like 2-3 months ago). As far as demand, I was selling 12 a week for a while at $100. If I am moving that many, why charge less? Sales on them has since slowed down (after selling about 40 of them) but I dont want to make them cheaper simply because it could be months and months before they are resonably priced for me. I rarely lose them, so Ill just wait for people to buy them at this price since they havent even been on my lists (I dont look hard either) in the past month or so. HTH. Wow, first you are up late, LOL...that makes sense...thanks Joel. P.S. I do not blame you either! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishyman1957 Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 I don't think many hobbyists realize he costs involved in operating a store. I have to sell $500 per day just to break even. The typical guarrantee I get is none at all, called a 30/30 sometimes (thirty feet or thirty seconds - whichever come first). There have been over a hundred different tropical fish dealers go out of business in this area since I started in 1957. Most were opened bu well meaning hobbyists. Rose are featured several times per year ar $29.99 or 4 for $100. Bubble much lower. Neon Green Carpets of 10 to 14 inch diameter are often priced at $29 from the bag on bag days, $49.99 from the tank. The Condys are often loved by anemone fish and most often of a good size (4" plus) and sell for $2.99 to $6.99 if with great colour. I buy a gross and have a 33% margin on the whites, more on others. I aim to double my price. Just as frag trades are one for two of same value. I have to have a margin or I will not be here next month. I also have to draw from a hundred miles to carry what I do. It is somewhat of a juggling act. Some hobbysits wish an LFS that is as cheap as a mail order discounter, yet get shipped in merchandise repaired free at the LFS. The LFS should be a showplace, yet have every used part ever desired. Our shops policies are set by the hobbuists that answer questions on our website. Hours, retail prices, policies and so on. They normally get a two dollar credit for answering those queries. Rog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefboy Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 well said guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UPSCALES Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 People need to realize that all roses aren't the same and all carpets aren't the same. The cheap roses you are seeing come from the south China sea which is actually cooler water. They are flooding the market with these cheap roses. They cannot be compared to the real ones that come from Indonesia or the ones some customers bring in. True Indo roses should cost from $100 to $150 depending on color and size. The china sea roses don't do that well in tanks because they prefer cooler water. As far as carpets go they can range from $30 to $500 depending on color and species. You really can't lump them all together. Carpets do not ship well at all, I would say half are DOA and of the ones that make it alive I would say half of those die before they are sold. There is a very high mortality rate in anemones which in some way drives the price up for the healthy ones. Also it is always nice to be able to see what you are buying before you buy it. My Two cents Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 Wow, I did not realize that about "true" roses... See this is why I asked, because we all now have a much better understanding of how things affect you (LFS owners). Thanks everyone for chiming in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAVES Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Travis am I correct the China roses have the green tint on the body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UPSCALES Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Yes Joel, the China sea roses do usually have a green tinge to them, but I have seen some that don't. Your best bet is to ask the wholesaler where particular ones are from. Typically China sea wholesale for 1/3 of a true Indo rose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Obviously I don't know what the guys up north are charging but I have always been able to sell anemones for below what Live Aquaria sells them for in fact most of the stuff at live aquaria is pretty high even before the cost of shipping. This is a supply and demand market sure you can buy stuff online but you never know what it might look like or how it will ship. I think most of the retailers around here do a fairly good job of keeping there prices low. There was a store in Oklahoma City that sold Astraea snails for $4.49 ea. Obviously people that are on the buying end want to buy it as cheaply as possible. Heck I beat my suppliers up about it all of the time. You wouldn't be a good consumer if you didn't want to pay the lowest price for the highest quality but I think you need to consider in all of the factors. Shipping animals in is rough on them. They will generally be in much better shape with less chance of loss the less time they have to be out of a tank. It doesn't do you much good to save 10-20% if the animal ends up dying. We sell a lot online and there are a lot of people that don't have the access to the variety that is available locally and for them buying online makes sense but stores around here do a good job of bringing in large volumes of quality animals at a reasonable price. I guarantee there are not too many store owners around here that are out buying vacation homes and yachts on what they are making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 Obviously I don't know what the guys up north are charging but I have always been able to sell anemones for below what Live Aquaria sells them for in fact most of the stuff at live aquaria is pretty high even before the cost of shipping. This is a supply and demand market sure you can buy stuff online but you never know what it might look like or how it will ship. I think most of the retailers around here do a fairly good job of keeping there prices low. There was a store in Oklahoma City that sold Astraea snails for $4.49 ea. Obviously people that are on the buying end want to buy it as cheaply as possible. Heck I beat my suppliers up about it all of the time. You wouldn't be a good consumer if you didn't want to pay the lowest price for the highest quality but I think you need to consider in all of the factors. Shipping animals in is rough on them. They will generally be in much better shape with less chance of loss the less time they have to be out of a tank. It doesn't do you much good to save 10-20% if the animal ends up dying. We sell a lot online and there are a lot of people that don't have the access to the variety that is available locally and for them buying online makes sense but stores around here do a good job of bringing in large volumes of quality animals at a reasonable price. I guarantee there are not too many store owners around here that are out buying vacation homes and yachts on what they are making. No I totaly get that... I just asked cause everyone up here seems to be very competative when it comes to prices and competing on the internet, but when it comes to anenomes there is a much higher price and I was curious about why that was is all...I am sorry if anyone took that as a hit to LFS, I just was curious why, so I asked. And I think we all have a little more enlighten ment on the whole subject... What brought up on the subject is because I want a set of ture perc and an anonome for them, but prices are so steep, so I just wanted to figure out why and now I understand , just need to save some more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ahbrit Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 How are wild anenomies captured? In display tanks we're always careful not to cause undue stress when removing etc.(powerhead trick) if they're attached to the reef are they just yanked/ripped off the rock? Trying to figure out why theyre are notoriously bad shippers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2R2 Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Wild anemone capture... Giant herds of wild anemone are driven into shallow water by bare breasted native girls and captured as they swim frantically, one at a time, into the shipping bag. Once bagged, a small lump of hobbyist excrement is placed into the bag so that the wild anemone might begin the long and often terminal process of becoming a captive anemone. After being used for several rounds of "cargo agent hacky-sack", your prize anemone is now worth $100 and ready to go home with you for what is most likely more of the same treatment, until its untimely death at the impeller of a pump some 3 weeks later. Hope this clears up a few things. R2R2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I remember my first Anemone Roundup fondly The feel of the salt spray on my face, the melodious calls of the anemones, the smooth tanned flesh of the nati... (nono) Anyways, it was wonderful. Highly recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spayne Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Giant herds of wild anemone are driven into shallow water by bare breasted native girls and captured as they swim frantically' date=' one at a time, into the shipping bag.[/quote'] And now it all makes sense! rofl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I remember my first Anemone Roundup fondly The feel of the salt spray on my face' date=' the melodious calls of the anemones, the smooth tanned flesh of the nati... (nono) Anyways, it was wonderful. Highly recommended.[/quote'] Is there a sign up sheet somewhere for this??? (drooler) (drooler) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Giant herds of wild anemone are driven into shallow water by bare breasted native girls and captured as they swim frantically' date=' one at a time, into the shipping bag. Once bagged, a small lump of hobbyist excrement is placed into the bag so that the wild anemone might begin the long and often terminal process of becoming a captive anemone. After being used for several rounds of "cargo agent hacky-sack", your prize anemone is now worth $100 and ready to go home with you for what is most likely more of the same treatment, until its untimely death at the impeller of a pump some 3 weeks later. Hope this clears up a few things. R2R2[/quote'] (laugh) (laugh) (laugh) (laugh) (naughty) (nutty) (laugh) (laugh) (laugh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nu2reef-n Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 GEEEZ. I've never seen that ad at the travel agency. The mere thought of all those anemones makes me.......OOPS. Wrong forum. Never mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 GEEEZ. I've never seen that ad at the travel agency. The mere thought of all those anemones makes me.......OOPS. Wrong forum. Never mind. \\ This has somehow made a turn for the worse. DOH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Popeil Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 as far as i know, long tenticles and haddonis are simply scooped up, since they typically reside in accessably shallow sandy areas and are easier to collect. ive been told this is why long tenticles are particularly hardy, since theres very little chance of damaging them during collection. im sure magnifica anemones are fingernailed off the rocks, but more than likely they are peeled off with haste. i really have no idea how a diver would collect bubble tip anemones, theyre feet often reside deep into rocks, and to remove them would necessitate destruction of the rock...which isnt too far fetched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishyman1957 Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 Many divers use small rocks already drilled with nice holes. Anemones often rush into the new rocks, not realizing they can be picked up and moved. The rocks are then hing upside down, which they don't seem to like much, so they leave. The curator of the Rarotongan Marines Zoo was doing that in Raro when we were there on '85. He is known as a 'turtle wrangler' and managed turtles for the movie 'The Silent One' filmed when we were on Aitutaki. Many fish instantly flee into little shells to hide, not knowing we can pick them up and shake them out. Old bottles are collected and used to catch octopus. PVC tubes are also used. They are sunk to the bottom. Anemones soon crawl into their ends. Simply remove that tube, and blow the anemone out with air from the airtank. Rog 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ahbrit Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 thx for the insight. Interesting way of doing it. So lots of preparation and time is needed to catch anenomies. Better than the visual i was having of divers yanking them out of the rocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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