View Full Version : Question about selling fish
Sunny
05-20-2005, 12:58 PM
After having some bad experiences with African Cichlids, we are considering getting rid of them and changing the tank to another type of fish---peaceful and relaxing. We paid quite a bit for these fish and it would be nice to get some money back. We are not big on newspaper ads, etc. So I am wondering if pet stores buy fish from fish owners?
Has anyone sold their fish to a pet store before?
Raskolnikov
05-20-2005, 1:02 PM
I've tried w/ chain stores (petco and petsmart) and with private LFS. The best I ever got was "we'll take them off your hands". Most places, petsmart inparticular, would not even take fish for free.
Ramirezi
05-20-2005, 3:35 PM
some lfs will give you store credit or trade. but i've not heard of anyone actually selling their fish to a lfs for cash. i have in the past traded fish for others because the fish i got was aggressive or didnt work out with the fish i already had.
since you're thinking of swapping them out for peaceful fish, i'd see if a lfs near you would trade. my lfs will even hold the fish that i wanted until my tank was ready for them.
if not you could always post a classified ad on fish boards such as this one and see if anyone would buy them and pick them up.
or you could do aquabid.com
Aqualung
05-20-2005, 3:49 PM
When I was a kid, I used to sell my platy fry to a small chain store. I got fifty cents a piece for them, which was great considering how many they bought at a time. They were a unique color, and I had to agree to only sell my stock to them. I probably had an advantage being so young and all - but I still wonder what I could get for them today. I've never seen platies with similar coloration since then.
If you have a rare or valuable species and/or a unique strain, then you are in a better position to negotiate. If the fish you have are fairly common, then don't expect much in the way of cash.
nursie
05-20-2005, 4:04 PM
If there are any fish clubs in your area you might check them out. The one I'm in had auctions twice a year, and I know others in the area do too. It's a great chance to get a little cash for that pleco or loach that's grown too big, or those fry you don't have room for.
If you are in the club and go on a regular basis, you may even find members looking for what you have to get rid of and maybe something to trade, or buy outright.
Thanks for all your comments, guys! It looks like we are out of luck. All we have here are Pets Mart and Pet Land, and both don't buy from individuals, though Pet Land will take them "off your hands". The sad part is that most of them are nice looking fish, plus we also have some Kenyi babies. I am thinking of keeping one of the fish. I wonder if a 10g tank will be okay for just one grown Cichlid?
You ever thought about an add here in the buying and selling forum? People ship all the time with a lot of success .
hth
chris
musky48in
05-24-2005, 7:30 PM
Shipping may be a bit tricky or at least risky for the first time shipper. I'm sure that Texas has a cichlid club or two that is operating on the internet. Those state specific clubs are great for selling fish and usually you can find soemone in driving distance. 10g tank is too small for the kenyi. They grow pretty quick and become very aggressive, even for cichlids.
Sunny
05-25-2005, 10:23 AM
10g tank is too small for the kenyi. They grow pretty quick and become very aggressive, even for cichlids.
Agression wouldn't be an issue if I kept just one fish in the tank. As much as I would love to keep the Kenyi, it is the blue adult Johanni that I am having a hard time parting with. He is the culprit of all the agresion in the tank, but he is the most beautiful fish in there, so I am thinking of keeping him alone in the 10g. and selling or giving away the rest of the fish to clean the big 80g for something less agressive. We are seriously considering going with salt water Clown Fish and Tang for the 80g where the cichlids live right now.
I'll look into the clubs if we have any around here. Thanks for your advice.
mooman
05-25-2005, 2:21 PM
I would (as always) encourage you not to give up on cichlids. maybe try planning a SA community tank around a couple of keyhole cichlids. Medium sized, very peaceful.
I would (as always) encourage you not to give up on cichlids. maybe try planning a SA community tank around a couple of keyhole cichlids. Medium sized, very peaceful.
I wish so much we could at least keep a few of them in a medium tank. But we have 4 tanks in the house already and in the process of moving to another home. The tank right under 80g is where I keep three Goldfish with whom I would really have a hard time parting. The only tank available is the 10g, and the two Cichlids I'd have liked to keep are a Johanni and a Kenyi, both agressive males. I know the 10g will be too small for the two of them, and they'll kill each other, which is the reason why we are getting rid of them to begin with---their killing sprees. It is very sad though, because I have grown attached to them and gave each one a name. :sad: