Calgary Saltwater Market: Your thoughts?

[BMW Rider]

Originally Posted by kwirky

I've wondered what it would take for canadians to start keeping canadian saltwater livestock? In europe, coldwater tanks are a lot more common than here. I'm assuming fish caught in vancouver would ship much better than those routed through vancouver coming from the states.

Mmmmm, raise your own salmon and maybe some fresh prawns too.

But seriously, I'd like to see better availability for inverts too. Also, some more interesting fish (reef safe please). Yellow tangs and damsels are pretty common in all the shops, as are large angels and such for FO tanks. Small wrasses are nearly impossible to find other than the common six lines.

[kwirky]

I agree, and there's some stuff I would like to just walk in and buy. More space would do well for that.

I think an existing store has the best chance to do that, since they already have a large sum of the investment made in their existing stores. And I forsee older stores as those that could be successful in such an investment, because they sport working business models (being in business for so long).

I think a cool idea for an item would be a "nano plug" I guess it could be nicknamed. A predrilled nano tank, that comes with a small return pump, about maybe 5 gallons, that can just be "plugged" into our existing setups. It could be sold with/without fancy lighting. How many of you would like to keep a mantis shrimp, and would do it if you could buy a little 5 gallon tank that you just hook up to your sump, that includes a little 13w PC light? How much would that cost, really? $100 retail at the most? single 13W PC light, 5 gallon tank, 25 feet of hosing, and a little 100gph submersible pump (to cover head of long hose). Mantis shrimp included for $110 lol. I could see Dennis and Albert going "want to keep a mantis shrimp, too? $110! just plug it into your setup!" hah

(watch somone steal this idea of mine. silly me not hording IP)

Instant satisfaction items like that would be a great thing for Calgary's disposable income, impulse purchase market.

[Delphinus]

Who really has this disposable income I keep hearing about?? Seriously! Man, I gotta go dig me a deep hole and strike oil. I've got a shovel, how hard could it be? Anyone with me?! Let's go!

[albert_dao]

I have disposable income... I spend it on a can of pop everyday, Ha! Ha!

[BMW Rider]

I have disposable income. I dispose of it all.

[kwirky]

Yeah, rent's been going up. I still sponge off my mom, being in school.

no, I don't live in the basement

I do think that most reef aquarists are older becaue of the sheer $$ that is thrown into the hobby. Unless they're like me, and don't have much of a social life, don't smoke, don't drive, and therefore have extra money to blow on something (while not letting the girlfriend know how much I've blown on this hobby).

How come most of us are guys though? You'd think there'd be more women involved in this hobby. I see more women on the nano-reefers forums, but on Canreef, I'd have to say it's mainly guys.

[albert_dao]

Yes, you've raised a very important concern Sean; where are the ladies?