Is there a Caribbean country out there that doesn't use these drugs to collect fish? I'm trying to locate a reputable exporter out of some of the smaller Caribbean countries but have a hard time discerning whether or not they're clean. They must be clean or I won't import them. Lately, I've been speaking with Cuban (we're Canadian), and Haitian exporters but of course when you ask them you get the same old answer. What do you think?
Quinaldine and Isopropyl Alcohol
- Thread starter DBM
- Start date
I'm out of the business for 5 years and it goes to hell in a hand basket. Now Sri Lanka has drug problems to go with their packing problems, Red Sea, Caribbean, Indonesia are out because of cyanide or quinaldine, and now Hawaii has supply problems and Mary is having disease problems with my old Philippine supplier. I'm screwed, I refuse to compromise my ethics on this one. There's no way I can do this for a living.
I used to use the 2 Philippine suppliers Steve Robinson recommends, and also imported Sri Lankan, Australian and Hawaii. Here in Canada we have 1/10th the population of the U.S. so it's alot more difficult to build volume and loyalty, especially if I'm limited to 3 sources of fish. Freight is too expensive directly from Indonesia into Canada and the volume required to do Fiji is unrealistic since a local store is dumping in onto the market.
It appears that the industry in western Canada is going downhill fast.
DBM":1q0nzsdo said:
Freight is too expensive directly from Indonesia into Canada and the volume required to do Fiji is unrealistic since a local store is dumping in onto the market.
It appears that the industry in western Canada is going downhill fast.
westren Canada is doing a lot better than other parts of canada thanks to the "local store is dumping in onto the market", this store is also the only one with exelent stock for a price that isn't set to rip hobbyests off like other stores on the mainland and on the island. now if we could only get other "stores" to raise the quality and condition of there stock with out over inflating the price there would probably be some helthy compatition.
Steve
I'm only commenting on the fact this company is selling the rock for virtually the same price that the other stores would pay for it. Are you saying the others are ripping customers off? If they're selling crappy fish, sure, but if you look compare Vancouver's prices to the western U.S. you can see as a hobbiest it's much cheaper here than in other parts of North America. Hey, how can the other stores compete on Fiji pricing if J&L is selling it for what the stores would pay for it? I've got news for you, everyone loses money on their livestock here in western Canada. I was told by a very inexpensive store in Burnaby that when they bought their livestock from me 5 years ago, it was the very first time they actually made money on it (they've been it more than 25 years).
These stores pay rent, staff, taxes, etc. Selling rock for wholesale prices to the retail public is dumping.
These stores pay rent, staff, taxes, etc. Selling rock for wholesale prices to the retail public is dumping.
J&L, is marking up the price a little, just not the 100% everone else does. I am not saying everyone else is ripping us off but what i am saying is that pricing has gone through the roof, the only way they are selling there rock for what others would pay is if you buy it from that other local distrubiter, if you are buying it direct it is a buck or two/lb cheeper landed in vancounver, heck after it is flowen or bussed to victoria is it then the same price as J&L so the average price on the island a little higher than J&L on the mainland you woulden't have the second 25.00/box shipping charge, on top of the original..
you talk about how good the prices are in westren canada compared to the rest of Canada and the US, well all over the US, waltsmith rock is being sold for 2.00 us a lb ( about 3.10 cdn even with our horable dollor)
the places in Ontario and winnipeg (that I some times order from) sell fiji for the same price as J&L.
I don't know how you can say no one makes money on live stock, salt water fish are a huge Profit (I see the order lists so I know what stuff costs to order) mind you I will conceed that the real profit to be made is on dry goods, which is why we pay 500.00 for a good skimmer or reactor.
I understan the "want" to make a killing on rock as a person is only going to order a cirtian amount then no more (or very little more).. so stores feel like they have to make the money while they can, so when another company comes in and decides they are not going to depend on mark up for there proffit but rather volume then everyone else has to lower there prices to stay competitive but what they fail to realize that if everyone did that prices would eventualy climb back up as the demand for that item goes down.
Personaly I think that opening another salt water store in the Van area is going to be a hard go as there are alreay quite a few, Maby you should open a good one in Victoria whare we need one
Steve
you talk about how good the prices are in westren canada compared to the rest of Canada and the US, well all over the US, waltsmith rock is being sold for 2.00 us a lb ( about 3.10 cdn even with our horable dollor)
the places in Ontario and winnipeg (that I some times order from) sell fiji for the same price as J&L.
I don't know how you can say no one makes money on live stock, salt water fish are a huge Profit (I see the order lists so I know what stuff costs to order) mind you I will conceed that the real profit to be made is on dry goods, which is why we pay 500.00 for a good skimmer or reactor.
I understan the "want" to make a killing on rock as a person is only going to order a cirtian amount then no more (or very little more).. so stores feel like they have to make the money while they can, so when another company comes in and decides they are not going to depend on mark up for there proffit but rather volume then everyone else has to lower there prices to stay competitive but what they fail to realize that if everyone did that prices would eventualy climb back up as the demand for that item goes down.
Personaly I think that opening another salt water store in the Van area is going to be a hard go as there are alreay quite a few, Maby you should open a good one in Victoria whare we need one
Steve
You know what, I just found out what our local importer sells his live rock for. I stand corrected, J&L isn't dumping the rock, but they are selling too cheap. In my opinion they should sell it for a little less than the going rate and sell the remainder to other stores at wholesale prices. I do know they were coming in way too high when the first got started - they were trying to sell the stuff for more than $5.00 wholesale. With the whole $2.00 live rock in the U.S., I'll bet you it's the bottom of the barrel or it has just become too competitive down there.
I have to tell you that stores in the lower mainland do not make money on livestock. If there was money to be made, don't you think someone would have come out with a livestock only retail store? Fish die, staff need wages, rent needs to be paid, interest and depreciation have to be accounted for on product, salt needs to be used, hydro needs to be paid, etc etc etc. You have to remember that having a store front is much more expensive than manufacturing skimmers and calcium reactors out of your home. How many reactors would you have to make per month to pay off the $11 000 rent on an 8000 square foot store, let alone your own wages. How many yellow tangs, or coral beauties do you have to sell to cover just the rent on 2000 square feet of holding tanks? If I account for a 10% death rate on yellow tangs which cost $9.00 and sell for them for $24.99 you would have to sell more than 200 yellow tangs a month - just to pay the rent on this space. Take in all the other costs of running a business and I hope you can see that livestock is not a money making commodity.
I'll also agree with you on the high costs of buying marine fish on the Island, I can only attribute this to the lack of any real competition for your major retail store over there.
I should have said we have it good here in Canada. Go down to Seattle and visit some stores. After the conversion to the Canadian dollar, and if you look at how much less our american retail friends pay for their livestock you'll see we're considerably less.
I have to tell you that stores in the lower mainland do not make money on livestock. If there was money to be made, don't you think someone would have come out with a livestock only retail store? Fish die, staff need wages, rent needs to be paid, interest and depreciation have to be accounted for on product, salt needs to be used, hydro needs to be paid, etc etc etc. You have to remember that having a store front is much more expensive than manufacturing skimmers and calcium reactors out of your home. How many reactors would you have to make per month to pay off the $11 000 rent on an 8000 square foot store, let alone your own wages. How many yellow tangs, or coral beauties do you have to sell to cover just the rent on 2000 square feet of holding tanks? If I account for a
10% death rate on yellow tangs which cost $9.00 and sell for them for $24.99 you would have to sell more than 200 yellow tangs a month - just to pay the rent on this space. Take in all the other costs of running a business and I hope you can see that livestock is not a money making commodity. I'll also agree with you on the high costs of buying marine fish on the Island, I can only attribute this to the lack of any real competition for your major retail store over there.
I should have said we have it good here in Canada. Go down to Seattle and visit some stores. After the conversion to the Canadian dollar, and if you look at how much less our american retail friends pay for their livestock you'll see we're considerably less.
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