52 replies to this topic

[Ronny]

Just had a look, Mattzilla hasn't been active here for over a year but was on ACE yesterday. Maybe ask him there

[Buccal]

Selling privately means fish usually sell for much cheaper than shop price, because of overheads as we all know.
A fish selling at $15 or more at 4-5cm clearly indicates they are around in very low numbers (this means rare).
These Geos are rare.
So so many fish that are rare sometimes were here in large numbers but have dropped in numbers becoming rare, eg, Trimac.
These Geos weren't even around in large numbers really anyway,, and as shown, there was a little rise a few years ago in numbers.
Matzilla has always produced large numbers of what he decides to breed.
Selling privately today they are likely worth a little more than $15 each because of moving up in the rare situation.
Another point is the price of $15 is because there were a lot to move on from that batch.

Tapajos were here in scores and come down in price greatly and then declined in availabilty a bit.
Recently the Availabilty has picked up a little,,, and value has gained a touch.

Personally with a keen eye I always have on the market, i think the Geo Ag is rare. (but not first of few in,, type of rare),,,,,,,,,,,,,,as first in was never implied.

[waxy]

$15 is cheap whether they are rare or not. But when someone breeds in big numbers like said above, the price can only come down making them less desirable to some. Who cares how rare they are really? They look great like most geos.

Ive always toyed with the idea of a tank full of geos, just havent got round to it yet.

[Ronny]

Today, they retail in pet shops for $25.
Regardless, price isn't an indication of how rare a fish is. It's simply supply and demand.
Peppermints still go for $15 @ 3-4cm. Are they rare too lol.

I'd consider something like Balzani or Cupido rare as they have been here but weren't bred in high numbers and still hard to find.

Edited by Ronny, 29 June 2013 - 10:05 AM.

[Buccal]

Yeah, well, at one stage there were quite a few balzani about, and at the peak of most of not a lot of people really wanted them considering.
The discussion of rare between people into fish for 2-5 years and people into fish for over 20 years are always seen in different perspectives.
Until the cycle of popularity is understood, than can one only see the true relavence.
Of coarse price does not dictate wether rare or not,,, but it can serve as a indicator in particular instances as I gave the example of orange heads.
As another member said, the term rare has many levels,,, just because it's not super rare,,, doesn't mean it can't be called rare, and still fetch a good price.
Googling and scouting for 5 minute info is never the total truth of matters. !!!

[Ronny]

There may have been a lot of Balzani around, but they weren't being bred in high numbers like the argyro.

Good thing googling isn't how I get my info then

Still don't consiser it a rare fish.
Especially if I can walk into an LFS on any day and buy a heap right now.
But at the same time, not seeing it in a pet shop doesn't make it hard to find.

Also, I don't have to big note myself or belittle others to make a point

At the end of the day, it's a nice fish but not really rare.

Edited by Ronny, 29 June 2013 - 12:38 PM.

[Buccal]

Balzani, was bred in relative number by a older well experienced breeder a while ago here in Perth.

[Ronny]

Even so, due to the lack of demand, they are now a rare fish.

Argyros are not rare now but could be later.
The fact remains, it's not rare now.

[Buccal]

That's nice.

[Bowdy]

Disagree Ronny it's not commonly available so it's rare. You seen it in one LFS east that doesn't make it a common fish. The fact is its a rare geo fullstop.

And balzani as far as I know were bred by the thousands by a well known breeder in Perth to the point he couldn't give them away as feeders at one point. And now there almost gone.

I doubt Argryo have been bred to anywhere near those numbers.

[Kleinz]

it's not commonly available so it's rare.

 

Or maybe... "uncommon"?

[waxy]

Maybe next time instead of using google we can just ask someone on here.

People who have been into fish between 2 and 5 yrs opinions are not listened to.
Like I said nice fish.
Even if they were $500 each they would still look just as nice.

[knock]

as has been said, fish popularity will have its cycles so each will have its time in the sun, just like the flares do.

 

very very rare is a strong term for an aquarium fish to be labeled with when its all basically swings and roundabouts in the end. 

 

unless of course your trying to pump up or sell one.

[Buccal]

Well said knock.
And waxy, I hope you don't think I as a forum user disregard knowledge or conversation with aquarists of two to five years.
I simply stated the difference between a long time and a short time in relation to actually seeing the cycle of popularity work.
I have learnt much from aquarists in it for a lot less time than myself.
I try not to intervene to much, because I usually come across as a hi-jacker, but being a realist, and getting to the point fast.

And Kleinz, yes, uncommon is a term used to describe the level of rareness.

Sam stuck up a add showing them for sale over east, so he wasn't blind to the level of rareness.

One cannot be just a little bit gay,,,,, can only be fully gay.
Or one cannot not be a little bit of a cheater, once a cheater, always a cheater.
But one can Definetely be a little bit rare, or medium rare, or very rare.
I guess all this is about literacy.

Edited by Buccal, 29 June 2013 - 08:08 PM.

[Ronny]

Disagree Ronny it's not commonly available so it's rare. You seen it in one LFS east that doesn't make it a common fish. The fact is its a rare geo fullstop.

And balzani as far as I know were bred by the thousands by a well known breeder in Perth to the point he couldn't give them away as feeders at one point. And now there almost gone.

I doubt Argryo have been bred to anywhere near those numbers.

 

As you said, it's not commonly available and that's what I'd label it as. NOT RARE.

 

You're just upset cos when you showed me then I told you how much they went for, you thought they worth more lol.

 

There's more than one LFS here selling them and they retail at $25-$30, imagine how cheap they are privately.

 

And as I said, earlier, Balzani may have been common before, but I guarantee you I could find 100 Argyro before you could find a pair of Balzani right now.

 

Also, there's more than one person breeding the Argyro and they wouldn't be considered well known breeders with years of experience, just your average fish keeper.

If the breeder you're takling about is who I think it is, he's bred a number of things a lot of people haven't.

[Buccal]

Keeping it all relative here.
This is Perth, and here the Arg is extremely scarce.
If one wants to buy the Arg in Perth, then it's likely he'd have to have it shipped from over east.
So here in Perth they are considered rare.
Very very massive difference in the market from NSW to Perth.

[Kleinz]

Much as I love to feed the troll or be one myself, I feel this thread is just getting silly now. It's really irrelevant whether this fish is common as gambusia or rare as rockinghorseshit; its enough to say its a rather nice fish and yes there should be more of them.

[Ronny]

Keeping it all relative here.
This is Perth, and here the Arg is extremely scarce.
If one wants to buy the Arg in Perth, then it's likely he'd have to have it shipped from over east.
So here in Perth they are considered rare.
Very very massive difference in the market from NSW to Perth.

 

I'll agree with that but in general not a rare fish as there is a chance to easily get them to there.

 

Rare in WA like a lot of things common here cos no one wants to pay to ship them in.

[Buccal]

Yes Kleinz, so true.

[Peckoltia]

I like these fish.

I'm pretty sure city barn had a couple tanks full of juveniles recently, $25 a pop.

I think the whole debate of what is rare and what isn't is a bit silly. It is all opinion based.