Why Are Discus Fish So Expensive?

[drobbyb]

It's funny though, it seems that "new (insert any consumable)" is generally believed to be better than any older method or product.

You can cure Ich with simple salt and heat, no need for any expensive meds if the old cheaper method still produces acceptable results (with limits of course, don't use this method with salt sensitive species.)

It's the same with fish food. The manufacturers want you to buy specialty foods with the promise that your fish will be more colorful or grow faster if you use their product, for a premium price. You can just as easily feed your fish properly with respect to it's own unique needs and get the same result. Thankfully most fish will be perfectly fine eating standard tropical flakes with a cube or two of frozen or fresh prepared sparingly.

As to the beefheart issue in the hobby, discus do not eat mammal flesh in the wild. Why would they need it in captivity? You can produce the same results without beefheart using readily available ingredients.

 

[jkilby]

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EDIT:

Carlove1

I liked your list as it made me feel slightly better for being a miserable git! As i get to order in fish by my choice and sell them too, your list kind of proved my thoughts too...

The same should happen with Clown Loaches, Bala Sharks/Silver Shark, Blue/Gold Gouramis, Kissing Gouramis, F8 Puffers, Common Plecos, Angelfish, Oscars, Neolamprologus, Chinese Algae Eaters, GSP, RTBS/Rainbow Shark...

Clown Loaches.... as soon as someone mentions them i say... "do you think 3+ 40cm fish would be happy in your tank?"..
Silver Sharks.... See that group of huge ones in that tank down there?.. see that poor bug eyed tiny bent one?... thats what happens...
Blue/Gold Gouramis... bit of a funny one, get big and pretty aggressive but at the same time,i've seen a lot of incredibly peacefull if not timid ones!
Kissing Gouramis... i just wont sell them...
F8 Puffers/GSP... i got so sick of unsuitable customers that i stopped selling them...
Common Plecos... I refuse to buy in small ones but I take in large plecs to spare them... regularly refuse to sell them... daily
Angelfish... big bugbear... a adore angels! The are beautiful devilish fish! I wont sell them to under 200L and i will press how aggressive they are and how if small neons etcare added.... they WILL eat them... etc
Oscars...urgh... shame... im sure they are nice fish but working in the industry... all i get to see is they poor deformed beggers with hole in the head... I wont buy them, give credit for them or sell them if ican get away with it. Got to be the most abused fish along with common plecs!!
Neolamprologus... not entirely sure what your problem is here??? Im pretty sure shops selling malawis to communities are worse!
Chinese Algae Eaters... REFUSE to sell them... same with most species of garra... i just wont get them in... why would i? I may as well give in and stock all the above and a few pangasius and red tail cats for the fun of it!
RTBS... i think i must be a rarity of a shop to refuse to stock them... they are a gorgeous fish in the right hands... if customers bothered to do even the smallest ammount of research first and had a tiny amount of respect for people working in the shop and their advice... i might have them in.. but i got so sick of customers DEMANDING i sold them one... ignoring advise and if ihad them there and refused to sell one... they would go elsewhere and get one from certain big chain store with no ethics. I found if they werent in the shop... less people asked and it was a lot easier to offer alternatives and explain why they couldnt go in the tank when they werent there tempting the customers!

This is the best reply I have seen. Don't get me wrong everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think care for fish is best controlled through knowledge and education, a responsible seller that knows their product. Inflating prices does not make it better for the fish, I know several people with deep pockets, but not an ounce of common sense. Putting prices up might stop a few people, but educated staff will look after the fish and make sure they are housed right. My old animal shelter reserved the right to visit to make sure the environment was suitable, maybe that should be the case with certain 'specimen' fish.

 

[mattshez]

considering taking my friend's tank off him containing 8 large discus. the only thing im worried about is transportation of everything. any advice on what would be best? id be able to collect some large bags from my lfs for water and fish, its just a few miles drive and id be able to collect their tank via van too. Any other ideas, im worried of any casualties

 

[drobbyb]

I use a 5 gallon bucket less than half full for short distances. I wrap the outside in a large towel to help maintain temperature. If it's going to be more than a 15 min drive in the winter or summer, I use a picnic cooler to help maintain better temperature.

 

[MBOU]

JBL Acclimol (almond leave supplement) is sold to help acclimatise fish, it is amazing stuff, I use it when selling neons/cardinals/ clownloach/discus etc because a few sprays into the bag of madly dashing about fish, count to 5 and they are sitting/swimming about sedately.... albeit looking a bit stoned

I refer to it as 'fish valium' which the rep for the company loved! LOL, gets a giggle from most customers too and means chilled out fish on a journey.

I always double bagged discus seperately, they generally cant turn around in a bag and if kept warm, dark and calm they travel better when they arent moving about. Use a coolbag/box or a polystyrene box and put all the bags into the box, any gaps you can fill with a blown up bag to stop movement. Double bag as discus have sharp fins!!

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I have to say, I think responsible fishkeeping has to be promoted by the seller but I think it is also the sellers responsibility to refuse a sale they arent 100% happy with, insist on seeing a water sample before selling fish if they arent convinced... and not stocking unsuitable fish. I got sick of customers making complaints because i refused to sell them a fish, dont stock the fish... dont get the complaints...

Personally I think this is a terrible shame because some of the fish i dont sell are my favourites but if people just cant get their heads round my reasoning and i do take time andgo out of my way to explain my thoughts and if i have evidence like a goldfish returned from a customer with a kinked spine... i will use it...

Just need to stop people getting goldfish at fairs.... bane of my life...

That and ban Finding Nemo. #41#### film