Drs Foster and Smith and LiveAquaria.com Promoting the Hobby

[Raskal311]

If the wholesalers don’t stock them and only special orders them then what would their supplier do? Send a diver out to catch a fish to fill a special order?

It works for us because we are fairly local to a dozen wholesalers and most customers don’t mind waiting a day or two if the incentive is right. They can also trust us to pick out a good fish sigh unseen once we build a good relationship with them.

 

[sdcfish]

Guys,

I don't consider Carnation Corals and Blue Streak Cleaner Wrasses a problem......not sure what the criteria is here, but we have minimal loss, and don't have a high number of reported doa's or daa's from customers.

If you notice, we have 90% or more of the cleaner wrasses coming from Africa now.....they are much hardier and we have been having great results. They are more expensive, but don't have the mortality issue that the Philipine ones did. We did not import cleaners wrasses for a long time, but now have been lucky enough to find a great source for them. Customers are reporting good success. We keep them seperated in cubes, and feed daily.....no problems.

Carnation corals are no problem at all. We can keep them here indefinately without any problems. All you have to do is make sure you have a good practice of feeding any of the many available foods that are now on the market, and had not been available years ago. Since DT's, Liquid Life, Reid, and others (sorry if I left you guys out), what use to be difficult is basic now. Food source is everything!

I think we still keep a very low inventory on O/Spot filefish, Moorish Idols, and we never buy blue ring octopus, ....can't think of any other items we stay away from, but I know there are a few more.

Best regards,

Eric

 

[Anonymous]

Carnation corals are no problem at all. We can keep them here indefinately without any problems. All you have to do is make sure you have a good practice of feeding any of the many available foods that are now on the market, and had not been available years ago. Since DT's, Liquid Life, Reed, Algagen, Phyto2 and others (sorry if I left you guys out), what use to be difficult is basic now. Food source and flow are everything!

Here's a great article on just what you speak of.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/feature/index.php

Report on a Successful Husbandry Method for a General Azooxanthellate Reef System including Dendronephthya
by Charles Matthews M.D.

 

[sdcfish]

Here's a great article on just what you speak of.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/feature/index.php
Quote:
Report on a Successful Husbandry Method for a General Azooxanthellate Reef System including Dendronephthya
by Charles Matthews M.D.

Awesome! And Gresham is making successful food sources available in stores everyhwere! I love those Reef Nutrition Refrigerators!

 

[dizzy]

Great information and begs the question: With all the advances in nutrition what percentage of carnation corals are living long lives in captivity? In other words are the people buying these also buying the proper food for them? I'm not sure cleaner wrasses are a great fish even when they live. In the absence of parasites they have a tendency to relentlessly pester certain types of fish. It can be very irritating to watch.
Mitch

 

[JeremyR]

That's fluff.. hobbyists are NOT keeping carnations alive long term in any #'s. I would bet the farm it's less than 1%. I'm not saying the article is bogus, just that people aren't setting up carnation only tanks, the people who buy them are noobs for the most part anyways and are just going on color.

Just because people will buy something down the road doesn't make it ethically right for you to sell it to them. It comes down to your personal ethics.. mine say that if I can't keep it alive, I know my customers aren't going too.. so I'm not going to even offer the item. You guys have to make your own decisions, but continuing to sell things that just go in the trash is not good for the hobby. There is plenty else on the list.. moorish idols, sweetlips, etc... when are people going to stop giving "we do the right thing" lipservice and actually do it? Never, because there is money involved and that makes everything ok.

 

[sdcfish]

That's fluff.. hobbyists are NOT keeping carnations alive long term in any #'s. I would bet the farm it's less than 1%. I'm not saying the article is bogus, just that people aren't setting up carnation only tanks, the people who buy them are noobs for the most part anyways and are just going on color.

Just because people will buy something down the road doesn't make it ethically right for you to sell it to them. It comes down to your personal ethics.. mine say that if I can't keep it alive, I know my customers aren't going too.. so I'm not going to even offer the item. You guys have to make your own decisions, but continuing to sell things that just go in the trash is not good for the hobby. There is plenty else on the list.. moorish idols, sweetlips, etc... when are people going to stop giving "we do the right thing" lipservice and actually do it? Never, because there is money involved and that makes everything ok.

Jeremy,
I would agree with you, except we have no problems keeping them alive here, and the customer I personally sell them to, and order them regularly, know exactly what they are doing. I am just not buying into the "uniformed newbie" stuff. Not in today's age of technology. Reminds me of the song from Napoleon Dynamite...."I love technology....but not as much as.....bla bla bla"...

Moorish idols we do carry, but only a couple, or 6 at the most unless I have a special order. Actually...next time you are in Los Angeles, take a ride over the the Aquarium of the Pacific where they have the fattest idols I have ever seen swimming in their touch pool tanks. It's really cool. I also have a friend in San Diego that has been really successful with idols also. I have a customer in Florida that ordered 20 idols, and he also knows what he's doing.

If the industry were being blantantly irresponsible, we would carry 10 times the qty's, but we don't sell that many, and know that only a small percentage of customers can handle an idol.

I am happy to adjust our buying if we feel we aren't doing something right or responsible.....but what we see really guides us. We don't like throwing away fish...that's for sure! It's basic economic's really....but also with the powers of ethics behind it.

Happy to change if necessary.....no fluffinutters here. That's peanut butter sandwich with marshmellow spread. Mmmmmmmmm good.

 

[sdcfish]

Ok....so today I met with the production crew for the new TV Show "Green Planet". Coincidentally, they are getting ready to do a "Pet" segment on their show, and they are very interested in doing a segment on the aquarium industry.

After showing them the warehouse and discussing some industry issues, as well as environmental issues, I feel really positive that we will have a chance to promote the industry through their show which will air on Discovery Channel.

I will meet with their writers soon, and discuss the important issues, and mainly try to promote a "greener" industry and how hobbyists can choose wiser, get more involved in important issues, and know where to look for information on the hobby.

Thanks Race for giving me the idea to make a few calls. Maybe this will pay off.

Eric

PS....I plan on bringing other important people into the story-line, as I feel a good representation of the industry would be best. I am thinking a few wholesalers, aquaculture company's, retailers and etailers. I think everyone brings something different to the table.

 

[naesco]

Eric I had a chance to read the article on carnations.
At best it could be said that there is progress in keeping them in an expert species tank.
The low temperatures, lighting and high phosphate levels as well as the equipment necessary is not what hobbyists have.
Like I posted they should be available by special order and not sold willy nilly to unsuspecting hobbyists who are attacted to them by their colour.
It is great that you have taken steps to mimimize offering them and Moorish Idol. But how are we going to educate the others?
Any chance I could go on the show :wink:


HAPPY EASTER everyone
Wayne

 

[shred5]

Any chance of sharing some photos of the facility when you can manage Kevin?

And welcome, I enjoyed seeing your tv spot that was posted here last week.

Is this the one you were talking about?

http://video.intheloop.ivillage.com/pla ... oid=222740

oh look its Kevin...

There is some video of the place in that segment...

I was at their place and like Sanjay said it is really a nice place.

Dave