What is your opinion on the hobby's status?

jorjef · #1 05-26-2015, 03:22 PM

I guess I'm being more livestock specific. Online for dry goods and equipment is easy to access but with me being in the market for livestock at the moment and very picky on what I buy can produce some very long dry spells.

I can't think of 5 or 6 online livestock sites but with sites being so outdated it's frustrating. I just let out a snort of derision when I read "site will be updated shorty"

jorjef · #2 05-26-2015, 03:25 PM

Colby really needs to expand.

Scythanith · #3 05-26-2015, 04:07 PM

Honestly Colby has one of the best livestock supplies in Canada. It never ceases to amaze me at the corals and fish he regularly gets in! I think he ships all the time, just let him know what you want haahaa! From what I understand he is working on his site as well. He knows it needs to be revamped and regularly updated.

The problem with expanding in my eyes is that it's the people that make a shop succesful, and if you don't have the right people a shop won't float! Bayside is what it is because of Colby, without him it's just another shop.

Scott

jorjef · #4 05-26-2015, 04:18 PM

I have Colby ship quite regularly believe me. Lol. But you can't replace buying in person vs. via online. Even your plate you posted that you bought from him recently varies from a posted pic. Don't get me wrong I trust Colby 100 percent, it just speaks to my picky nature when I write about my observation.

I agree, it would be very tough to open another shop outside of Saskatoon. Finding the right person dedicated to the shop would be near impossible, that's why Gustavo needs to move to Regina.

mark · #5 05-26-2015, 04:26 PM

I'll still get some stuff from the LFS but with the prices online for equipment being sometimes a 1/3 off, I'm going to the internet.

Livestock I rely on Canreef members so hope the forum stays strong.

For info, books or the internet but not taking everything as truth. Given and overhead heard from the LFS not overly trusting there either.

gobytron · #6 05-26-2015, 04:53 PM

The trend, in my experience over the last 15 years, has been on the decline.

I can't imagine were more than 10 or 15 years away from only being able to stock captive bred or cultured livestock and paying an incredible premium just for that.

slection is getting worse and prices are going up.

all but the best run lfs can't seem to stay in business.

I'm just enjoying it while I can...

reefwars · #7 05-26-2015, 05:50 PM

Well when it comes to livestock I think retailers and wholesalers as well use the same suppliers time and time again it's sooooooo repetitive it's sad ......customers want fresh items that the other 35 stores don't have lol

Imo selection is better overall sure it cones with a price but the selection is wayyy better just not quite there yet locally unfortunately

Animal-Chin · #8 05-26-2015, 05:57 PM

I've been reefing for 5+ years and what I've noticed most is the massive rise in cost for fish/coral. I spoke with a friend who's a local retailer and he told me it's mostly shipping that kills them. To ship 4 fish in a box you're paying for the cost of the water to be shipped overnight and that's what Wrasses that were $20 5 years ago are now $50.

I've also noticed that LFS's sell fish in days. If a store gets a good shipment of tangs in you better grab one that day. the problem with that is the survival rate at home. The last 3 Tangs I bought all had intestinal parasites. I QT'd and prazipro'd them but they didn't last. That's over $150 worth of cool fish dead before the display tank. That sucks but it seems more and more common. I'd like stores to QT fish before they sell but if you go to JL in the evening after a shipment you can see them acllimating the fish in the shipping boxes and the next morning they are for sail. Roll the dice...

So because of the price and the turn over we have started counting on each other for frags ect. This is great in one respect but it also hurts LFS's which isn't great. If JL, King Ed, ect go out of business we'll have no place to quickly pick up a pump or test kit when we need them.

If I was confident my fish would live I'd have no issue paying $100 for that cool fish I always wanted but lately I just don't feel its a good idea at any LFS in the lowermainland.

Reef Pilot · #9 05-26-2015, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Animal-Chin

So because of the price and the turn over we have started counting on each other for frags ect. This is great in one respect but it also hurts LFS's which isn't great. If JL, King Ed, ect go out of business we'll have no place to quickly pick up a pump or test kit when we need them.

Actually, it is the locally grown hobbyist frags that keeps the hobby alive. Besides expensive, I have found LFS frags to be hit and miss, and always worried about pests from them. I would like to see the LFS buy more hobbyist surplus frags rather than the expensive imports. Would be better for them (margins) and would help support their customers. Win/win for all.

lastlight · #10 05-27-2015, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gobytron

The trend, in my experience over the last 15 years, has been on the decline.

I can't imagine were more than 10 or 15 years away from only being able to stock captive bred or cultured livestock and paying an incredible premium just for that.

slection is getting worse and prices are going up.

all but the best run lfs can't seem to stay in business.

I'm just enjoying it while I can...

I'm not trying to be overly negative but I will say that this is sort of my fear and the vibe I get surrounding this hobby as well. Maybe it's all the Hawaii stuff but my impression is that the wheels are in motion to severely restrict what we can get going down the road. Maybe it's the forum slowdown (at least in my head) that casts this feeling over me. I sure hope we continue to have the ability to get a variety of livestock. No doubt it's going to continue to get more expensive.