Look at some of the related costs associated with setting up an aquaculture facility. Firstly you need a farily sizeable operation to make it commercially viable. ORA grows out the clowns for 8-9 months before they are marketable. With ten different varieties of clowns you can imagine the space to hold all the grow out and brood stock. Add operating costs, labour, and a bit of profit, it starts to add up quickly.
The flip side is that this product is a far superior product. A. ocellaris and P. biaculeatus (gold stripe) are about 1.5" and A. clarkii are about 2". The fish travel much better and obviously adapt to aquarium life very easily, since this is all they have known. They will eat almost anything, although I suggest Vibragro food in the diet to help maintain colour.
Quite a few retailers have discontinued carrying clowns based on high DOA rates. I have witnessed entire batches of clowns die within two days of arrival. This is not uncommon. I much prefer to leave the clowns out in the wild where they belong. I have no problem stepping up to the plate and buying captive bred/tank raised product where it is available.
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