Why do 90% of vendors exaggerate fish sizes

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

Having recently considered buying fish from an online vendor for the first time, I hope I get fish smaller than advertised by the vendor.
The species I intend to buy are pretty slow growers, so every little bit they grow takes a significant portion of their lifespan. In my eyes, that makes smaller fish worth more, so if I get fish smaller than the 6.4cm size I intended to buy them at for the same or lower 6.4cm price, it will be a real bargain.

 

[GolemGolem]

Having recently considered buying fish from an online vendor for the first time, I hope I get fish smaller than advertised by the vendor.
The species I intend to buy are pretty slow growers, so every little bit they grow takes a significant portion of their lifespan. In my eyes, that makes smaller fish worth more, so if I get fish smaller than the 6.4cm size I intended to buy them at for the same or lower 6.4cm price, it will be a real bargain.

Interesting, and from my reading it seems like smaller fish ship better too. Less chance of of "50$ of fish DOA, vendor wants to make right, just another 100$ of shipping." that sounds aggravating as hell for all involved.
Maybe if I was a more serious breeder of fish that took years to get to maturity, or had a job making display tanks for others who would not pay me to put something together that won't fill in for months. . .
But yeah, I don't do those things, I'm with you juvies are easier and equal more time with my pets.

 

[jjohnwm]

Agree completely regarding the desirability of smaller, younger specimens.

My favourite place to buy fish is at an aquarium club auction or swap meet, where you can frequently buy a bag of fry. Growing them up is half the fun

 

[esoxlucius]

I'm wagering that the vast majority of members on this site are in this wonderful hobby for the long term, even if we have to come away from the hobby for a while at some point, as I did for a few years, it still eventually draws us back.

That long term commitment affords us time, plenty of time, to buy fish small, nurture them, and over the years take great pride in watching them mature into the end product.

I don't understand why some hobbyists want bigger specimens from the get go, and understand even less the puzzling phenomenon which is power feeding. There's no rush.

As jjohnwm said, "growing them up is half the fun."

 

[GolemGolem]

Oh I get it, I've just gotten back in after over five years out. The fact that even with seeding material, danios, and plants it took a month and a half to cycle my first tank back in was a bummer. Store had young-adult rainbow kribs, and albino kribs that judging by my fry could not of been more than a month old. I got the rainbows and it worked out in the end which came pretty quick. One mama krib and no rams, I don't think mama krib lost any of her fry yet a month in and starting to let the swordtails and convict back down to the bottom of the tank.
Could of gone slower and might still have the rams, now I can chill though and enjoy watching the fry grow.

 

[JasonsPlecosCichlids]

I import and as each fish come in, I measure each and every one UNLESS I order say 100 L333's, I will measure a few of them to get a general length and if most are say 3", some a tad smaller, some a tad larger, I will put on my website as 3" Approx. If it's 2.5" or smaller it will be a different price, or say 3.5" it will be a difference price. Also, I take new photos as new fish come in, I don't use the same photo to represent new fish as some fish look totally different than the last batch based of colors, patterns, location catch point, etc.