Do you guys think the aquarium hobby is growing or dying out?

[RD.]

.......... and along came the big box stores to fill in any gaps. Those stores, that still sell live fish, the sales from fish is typically less than 15% of total store sales. Again, dry goods make up the bulk of sales. There is a reason that a giant like Walmart got out of the live fish game, yet they still stock fish keeping dry goods on their shelves.

 

[aussieman57]

Exactly. This store also has a point system you accumulate as you buy stuff that equates to $$ off your next purchase based on how much you spend. That's why I emphasized GOOD shop. 30 years ago I had a good friend who ran a pet shop called Aqualife. He started out maintaining aquaria in doctors offices and other businesses. He also did a radio show once a week as the "Fish Doctor". At the time I was the secretary for the RI Tropical Fish Society and met him at one of the local meetings. Learned a lot from him. I no longer live there but I hear he is still up and running because he ran a good shop. He would go out of his way to get you that harder to get fish and bred a lot of species in his home basement. Occasionally I would supply him with Rift lake progeny. It pays to support the good guys who support the hobby.

 

[SharptoothBass]

Then I guess you just answered your own question, as to why the good stores in your area are no longer. The hobby itself is growing, there is plenty of data to support that for anyone that wants to track it down. The pet industry is a multi billion $$$ industry in the USA, but live fish, especially the odd & unusual niche species, do not make up the bulk of the sales for pet stores that sell live fish. The fish bring the fish keepers in, the sale of dry goods and equipment keep the stores open.

The bulk of the money in the pet trade is from dogs and cats. Once again the question was about the hobby I don't consider everyone who keeps fish a hobbyist. The petco across the street from me sells out of Oscar's, red devils and Jack dempseys almost every week I don't consider the people buying those fish hobbyist. My aunt has a tank with three fish in it and I don't consider her to be a hoobyist. I'm speaking about the stores who really sell quality fish, rare and new fish. I'm talking about people who buy fish and go to extremes to keep them around, people with real hands on experience who's information is not regurgitated from a bogus internet care sheet. I never questioned why the good stores are gone. The trade may be booming but the hooby is not the same.

 

[tlindsey]

The bulk of the money in the pet trade is from dogs and cats. Once again the question was about the hobby I don't consider everyone who keeps fish a hobbyist

Totally agree with this because corporate for big box stores are focused more on dog and cat products. Believe me I know personally had to stock shelves with dog and cat food.
Years ago I was the keeper of fish and not the hobbyist I am now.

 

[RD.]

The bulk of the money in the pet trade is from dogs and cats. Once again the question was about the hobby I don't consider everyone who keeps fish a hobbyist. The petco across the street from me sells out of Oscar's, red devils and Jack dempseys almost every week I don't consider the people buying those fish hobbyist. My aunt has a tank with three fish in it and I don't consider her to be a hoobyist. I'm speaking about the stores who really sell quality fish, rare and new fish. I'm talking about people who buy fish and go to extremes to keep them around, people with real hands on experience who's information is not regurgitated from a bogus internet care sheet. I never questioned why the good stores are gone. The trade may be booming but the hooby is not the same.

Yup, that's right. Big box stores cater to the dog/cat people of the world. As far as the hobby being the same, I agree, it has evolved in to a different beast, but being 60+ yrs of age, it would be easier for me to list what hasn't changed, than list all things that have. lol No kidding the hobby is not the same.

 

[RD.]

If you want to complain about everything in society that has gone to **** over the past 50 years, it's going to be a long discussion. lol

 

[Krismo962]

If you want to complain about everything in society that has gone to **** over the past 50 years, it's going to be a long discussion. lol

Since you've lived through it,was life 50years ago much simpler than it is today?

 

[RD.]

Don't get me started .....

 

[FahakaPapa]

Here in Winnipeg there aren't too many fish stores... couple of the big box (Petland, Petsmart), but your LFS is hard to find. I'd say there are probably 3. 1 is mainly saltwater, second is old (including the owner) and doesn't want to change a thing, so I can't see them staying in business much longer. The third is probably the best - a lot of variety, knowledgeable staff and decent prices. I don't often buy anything form them unless I need something NOW and don't feel like waiting for delivery. I do however like to take a drive every couple weeks to checkout their stock, which I find kinda fun ?

 

[aussieman57]

Since you've lived through it,was life 50years ago much simpler than it is today?

At age 64 I can honestly say life was a lot simpler years ago and IMHO a lot better in many ways. Of course there are also a lot of good things about the progress we've made. Life is one long (hopefully) strange ride.