Understanding Zebra prices

[Jakob]

This fish has always been interesting ever since it got in the hobby. It was (dont know if still is) the most popular fish on the internet, with the commonly called RTC or Ret tail catfish following.

plec123:
The thing about this fish is that you may think that the panaque (L-190/royal pleco) may look better, but the zebra pleco is one of the most respected and fancyest fish in the world.
I, myself would like to breed them in a year or two when i have the tanks and money i would need.
Here in Iceland they go for $120 but since our currency is very low against the dollar at the moment, its would be like if you would pay $200-$250.

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

I saw a grpups of 40 zebras on aquabid today for $24000! But, i suppose anyone who breeds them makes good money.

its not good moolah i'm telling you man, I shell out so much in feeding those piggies good quality stuff: (they're carnivores) , they grow SUPER slow, they like to give me high electrical bill due to high temp requirement and they love their tanks changed often hence the high water bill.

not including the time I have spent in taking care of those guys.....and to make it worse, their clutches number are not high so do the math.


super super duper slow growing guys they are indeed-

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

its all about supply and demand

people do not want to own them, the price goes down people want them so bad the price goes up- its that simple. The supply is low due to the brazil ban....so people gotta either breed them (very long process) or smuggle them making the price high.

Same concept with other species or other pleco numbers.

 

[Burgess]

How about this...found on local classidieds"


"I have a new batch of L46s,
fry go for 20$ each, (got 200)
3''s go for 120$each (got 25)

to be honest, i only feed them a variety of roots (potatoes, sweet potatoes, watermelon, etc.) NO SUPER FANCY FOODS

I am also willing to let go of my breeders for 300 each. 1 male, 1 female.

no camera.=no pictures, deal with it. "


"selling 10 newly hatched fry, (5 days old) now that i know the prices of these fry. I'm never going to sell them at 20 each again. those fuc9ing scammers. these L46 used to be my grandpa's...and now you so called "hobbyists rip me off"

they're going for 150 each. buy them all and I'll charge 145 each.
no haggling

2 weeks later, they're going for 175 and 170 respectively."

Are ou still selling for 20 each ?

 

[Warborg]

Are ou still selling for 20 each ?

You quoted it but didn't read it

How about this...found on local classidieds"

 

[MonsterMinis]

I paid around 100$ for my L49 almost 10 yrs ago now? prolly less.. but I remember it being "expensive" It was a beautiful lil' fish and very hearty, but had a short life span iir these fish live less then 5 yrs? If I woulda known that when I bought it, no way. They really are spectacular in a set-up. If they drop back down to 50$ I'de consider it. but a small (though attractive fish) w/ a short life span is not worth that amount of money to me.. I am glad though they are worth that to someone so that it keeps the species in the hobby. and not extinct.

 

[Allan01230]

I could never get zebras. That much money for a 3.5" fish? Nope.
Id pay that much for a zebra plec if they got like 10".

I agree I would rather have an L-25 or L-24 that gets to 18 inches and is just as expensive but impossible to find now.

 

[jr monster fish]

I saw a grpups of 40 zebras on aquabid today for $24000! But, i suppose anyone who breeds them makes good money.

At that price I can get 2 regular zebras and still have $6200 left, enough to upgrade my current horse enclosure. And they're only 20 hrs away.
http://www.spotsnstripes.com/ZebraSales.htm
Well, they only have 1 available right now, but that price is not hard to find.

But I find the zebra pleco to be a awesome fish (without keeping lol). I might get one eventually, but I might get a real zebra(ya right). No, but seriously im thinking about getting one, if I can find it at <$200

 

[COL]

"its not good moolah i'm telling you man, I shell out so much in feeding those piggies good quality stuff: (they're carnivores) , they grow SUPER slow, they like to give me high electrical bill due to high temp requirement and they love their tanks changed often hence the high water bill.

not including the time I have spent in taking care of those guys.....and to make it worse, their clutches number are not high so do the math."

Not to nitpick, but when one fry goes for 100+ bucks, you cover more than a month's worth of utilities with just that one sale, and so you're netting a pretty hefty profit on a bimonthly basis---maybe less, depending on your breeding cycles. I thought about it, and if I were to sell my hypan fry as opposed to distributing them, I would be making near 500 bucks a month, minus the fraction of utilities that go towards the fish--maybe more with the ban in place.