LFS with shocking prices

[stellablu]

I am probably just going crazy or delirious, or a combination of the two, but I paid a visit to a store in Jupiter (to avoid gossipy namedropping) to find their inverts and fish were outstandingly high priced.

For instance, the price tag for an emerald crab read like $12 or something. A green brittle star was $20. Even MORE of a shock, or laugh, was a horseshoe crab for $33!!! Um, I go out and catch them for free...we live in Florida! The rest of the LFS's that actually sell them only charge $5 for them regardless of size, and these were pretty small. Also they did not have any fish under $30, including their gobies, clowns, and other normally $15 or so fish.

I don't know, perhaps our stores are particularly cheap up here in Stuart, but I'm pretty sure those prices are extraordinarily high. I won't mention the store, but if you've visited, or shopped there, you know who I'm referring to.

On a positive note, the staff was very friendly and willing to order things for me (which I'm afraid of buying if they can get because they'll charge my first born daughter for) but I'll keep my order if they can get them in. Their corals aren't priced that bad, though. They have a nice selection and a bunch to choose from.

I want to start my own personal site for store reviews so I won't get in trouble for being on the forum talking smack, but we all know of a particular store off Northlake that ALWAYS has at least 2 fish dead in each tank that I think people should be weary of. Not everyone who sees a dead fish put up red caution flags before making those impulse purchases.

I'm sorry, it's late and I'm trying to avoid getting to bed :)

There are some excellent shops out there with honest prices and a love of the hobby, then there are those who don't care for their livestock and are only in it for the money. It truely upsets me.

It would be one thing if we were collecting stamps, but we're talking about live creatures here.

I'm done trying to save the world and salvage honesty in the business industry. Failed attempt admitted. Carry on. :rolleyes:

[xahx]

thanks for the head up! im IN CA so its not a major concern, But good looking out.... I know where your coming from. ridiculous markups = BS

[dgasmd]

Usually bad and overpriced palces get themselves out of the market pretty quickly. Being in business is a very tough thing to do, especially in this section of the market. However, honest, decent, and caring people still can make a good living and provide great service, prices, etc.

By the way, your money does more taking than you think:lol: :lol:

[reefarchitect]

I've been to the store in question, and I just figured that the people up in Jupiter had so much cash that it didn't matter.

As far as dead fish. There's a certain store in Greenacres, where you can usually find at least 3 dead fish in their tanks and a whole row of fish being treated that are missing eyes and such.

It really is a shame if you think about how many Petshops there are around the country who bring in livestock they know nothing about and sell them to uninformed, would-be hobbyists only to have them die a few days later.

Oh well, lets just be glad there are a few of them out there who besides being business owners, are hobbyists themselves.

My 2 cents.

AJL

[KING OF THE REEF]

kimber you are talking about poisidon's reef i set up my first tank there but now i deal almost only with rob. is the store in greenacres marks ark? if so do they have any corals? i have enough fish so lol

[reefarchitect]

Ima,

Your signature says need job at LFS. If that's the case, last week when I was at Tanks a lot in Lake Worth, they had a help wanted sign up.

AJL

[KING OF THE REEF]

ok but they are tooooooooo far south for me. i live about 25-30 miles north of them and am looking for a job more local to me know of any?

[reefarchitect]

Sorry,

Didn't think to look at your location. I don't right now, but I'm always at the LFS so If I see anything, I'll let you know.

AJL

[KING OF THE REEF]

thanks btw is the store you are talking about in greenacres called mark's arc? i have been wanting to just check them out

[stellablu]

Well, Phil, so much for subtly. Yes, I was referring to Poseidon's Reef. $52 for a Blood Shrimp is ludicrous.

[KING OF THE REEF]

hey so what i bash them all the time i go in there and try to find almost dead corals and buy them for like $5-$10 and then nurse them back to health and then frag them and then trade them. thats where my kenya tree came from all droopy and not healthy i got it for about 3 bux and in 1 month in my tank, it grew to over 50 fingers. i just guees that my water is good lol. yes the blood shrimp is so much cheeper at rob's $30. i think i will stik with rob lol how's the pleco and the plants doing?

[reefarchitect]

Yeah, I'll fes up as well. It is Mark's Arc. They are more of a fresh-water/rodent shop. They sell skunks and stuff. They had some really, really nice Galaxia's this week, but I would stay away from the fish.

AJL

[KING OF THE REEF]

lol i will not buy any more fish until i can get my pair of sebae clowns. i will check them out next time i go down there so thanks for the help. do they ever carry any cinamin polyps or other types of polyps?

[reefarchitect]

Occasionally I see some dull-colored zoos. Browns and dark greens. They only have PC's on their 180, which is their show/sell tank so the corals don't keep very well. I'm not attributing it to the lights alone, but I'm sure that coupled with the water chemistry isn't helping.

Enjoy.

AJL

[outprowllin]

Originally posted by Imareefer
lol i will not buy any more fish until i can get my pair of sebae clowns.

i bought my two sebaes from kookaburros in royal palm.. the staff is not educated and the tanks are nothing fancy to look at but ive have always had good luck buying fish there..i have fish from that store that are 4-6 years old now and still doing great!!!
i bought my sebaes there 3 weeks ago at 7.99 each. they are doing great and have adjusted to my tank perfectly....when i got them they were already aclimated to an anemone. i couldnt be happier. by the way where is poesidens reef....ive never heard of it.....jaime



http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/8796fishanemone.jpg

[KING OF THE REEF]

poisidons is by hollywood video on indiantown road in jupiter. dont buy from them thier corals are horrible and almost always mislabled. i plan to buy my clowns at oceans below as he will be getting me a tiny pair for my new 20 tall. check your pm about the a/c thing. nice pic. hey btw do you have any corals you are trading? i will have so many zoos that ill have more than enough for the frag swap and a few side trades.

[reefarchitect]

Jaime,

Tank is almost finished. I already have about 30gal's in it and should be done filling it by Friday.

Maybe Saturday I'll figure out how to post pics. So far no luck.

Thanks for evrythnig.

AJL.

[Freed]

I was at Petware house here in Fort Wayne yesterday. They had a completely ich infested 3-4" clown trigger for $135. They had a healthier looking one about 1 inch bigger for $145. Holy outrageousness Batman.

[outprowllin]

Originally posted by reefarchitect
Jaime,

Tank is almost finished. I already have about 30gal's in it and should be done filling it by Friday.

Maybe Saturday I'll figure out how to post pics. So far no luck.

Thanks for evrythnig.

AJL.


pm me and we'll go through how to post pics...no time to explain now ...have to get to work.....glad to hear the set up is coming along well..........jaime

[dgasmd]

Guys:

Some of you are PBMAS club members. I don't know if you remember the second page in your PBMAS application above of where you signed where it says and I quote:

"I agree that by sending this application, I release PBMAS, the Board of Directors, and all of its members from any liability. I agree that the sole intention of this society is for information, education, and camaraderie. I also agree that I will not, under any circumstances, use my position as a member to discredit any institution or person. I will also be solely responsible for any damage, physical, verbal, monetary, or otherwise that I may do to others as a member of this club."

That refers to store bashing in case you don't get it. Please refrain from the public store bashing. It is one thing to complain in general that "some" stores in the area have unreasonable prices and another to call them out by name and go on and on about it. Think about it, if you were a store owner in the area and I came to you asking you for a discount to our club members, some of which are bad mouthing some other stores in the same area, why in the heck would you want to do anything for the club when we can go and do the same thing to you later on when we don't like what you have, how you keep it, and at what price? It is just common sense. Also, we all live in a relatively small community and I can guarantee you just about every store owner reads our forum whether they tell you or not. They know you by name whether they tell you or not. If you are so concerned by the well being of the critters, and I applaud you for it, have a civil conversation with the owner of the store and tell them how you think you can help them improve what they do without costing them an arm and a leg. Any half decent person or remotely concerned store owner will listen. Just don't go with an attitude to tell them how you know better and how they suck. Nobody wants to hear that.

So, once again, please refrain from public bashing of stores. What you and other members do in the privacy of your "personal" conversation is your business and I or anyone else would ever ask, but it becomes club business when you are doing it in the forum that represents the rest of us. I have found over time that the best way to make a statement is with your money. Don't shop there. It is just as simple as that. Shop in the stores that take care of what they have and the stores that support your club. It is a 2 way street.

Alberto
PBMAS President

[stellablu]

I apologize, I started the thread. I didn't mean to start a thread to bash a store, I was trying to address my concerns about a store which I thought would be left anonymous. It was a mistake on my part, sorry about that.

[reefarchitect]

I apologize as well.

AJL

[dgasmd]

No need to apologize. I just wanted to make sure knew what it meant to all of us.

[KING OF THE REEF]

my bad too. didnt mean to bash them. sorry again

[GregM779]

Man I didn't even get a chance to bash, thanks a lot Kimber!
:rollface: