Mbuna cichlid pricing

[Sean_Buckley]

In my LFS they have Mbuna cichlids, mainly Yellow Labs, Pseudotrophus saulosi, and one, I can't remember the scientific name, but they were $15.00 for ones that were about 2-3" long, $10.00 for ones under 1", isn't that a little expensive? This is just one shop, but I think, but don't quote me on this, that they are marked as $25 EACH! Expensive or not too bad?
Sean

 

[modernhamlet]

Mbuna are more expensive than your standard aquarium fish, though $10+ for a yellow lab of undoubtedly questionable quality is pretty steep.

I just ordered 26 fish (23 of them mbuna) online from a dealer that sells very good quality fish (much better than an LFS). $220 for the fish, plus $100 or so for packing and shipping comes out to about $12/fish, for the exact fish I wanted.

If you're stocking a decent sized tank, it's probably worth it to order then and have them shipped. Otherwise, you have to take what you can find at the LFS. I'd shop around at least. It'll give you a better selection, if not better price.

 

[MNfishy]

I would highly suggest trying to find a local breeder, I did and now I get my cichlids about 2-3" for 2.50$. And I can trade fry for food and stuff like that

 

[freshmike]

Saulosi always seem to have a higher price to them.....although I have seen them at the "cheap" store for 6 each. Great fish though, and get pretty big for mbuna.

 

[Sean_Buckley]

I would try to find a local breeder, but I doubt I could. I live "in the sticks" I guess, what I mean by this is, a decent size center is 30 minutes away, and a large center is 2.5 hours away. I will ask my LFS's where they get their fish, but I doubt they would tell me. Whenever I buy fish from a couple of them, I get the impression they don't appreciate me being in the hobby of fish keeping. My parents usually aren't with me when I'm buying, so I guess they figure they can basically ignore me and just basically make me feel like I shouldn't be keeping fish , so I doubt they would give me the name of a local breeder. O well, I'll at least try anyhow.
Sean
PS
Sorry about the long post.

 

[yhbae]

Also try to look for a local aquarium society - they often offer auctions where they sell frys. I've seen quite a few mbuna frys on auction...

 

[bob`_your_dog]

Ah Ha ha, you got to love living in africa, i bought a yellow lab for R10 = $1.5 a frontosa realativly large but not quite fully grown for R50 = $7.5 but must mbuna generally go for not more than $2

 

[BlueIce]

"MIXED" african tanks here the fish are priced at 10-15 each..some as small as an inch...
Then there are the tanks that have each type of fish labeled and those can be anywhere from 25-75 each depending on the type...
INSANE...

 

[bob`_your_dog]

DAMBIT! thats expensive. i wish i could ship them over to you guys somehow cuase my LFS breeds and sell Pterophyllum Scalare Angels which i heard were quite expensive over there for R2.5 each = $0.41 plec for R20 = $3. a pair of fully grown parrots i saw going for R90 $15 (not to cheap)

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Ya, in one of the other LFS that I frequent, they had "African Cichlids" for $24.99 each! Crazy! Actually, there is an Aquarium Society near where I live, I just might have to learn more...
Sean

 

[yhbae]

Also, why not look into online ordering? With local prices that high, I'm sure you will come out far cheaper this way, while quality will be higher as well!