Captive Bred Fish Pricing

[michealprater]

I am blown away by the number of different species they are now breeding in captivity. Its dumbfounding how far its came in 20 years! It's so cool that there is now way to have these fish without taking them from the oceans precious ecosystem. A major plus is they are so much hardier and adapt to aquarium life so well because it is all they have known. That being said, its a shame how pricey these fish are. I would think captive breeding should drive the prices of these fish down. I completely understand these companies spend a large amount of money on these setups and procedures, but does it justify charging hundreds to thousands of dollars per fish? Maybe with time it will come down in price. I remember when they first started breeding clowns, and now years later they are at very affordable prices, and there is no reason at all to ever buy a wild caught clown. What are your thoughts on the pricing of captive bred fish, such as exotic tangs and angels? Is it greed or does it really cost 40% of the final price to breed a single fish, assuming they use standard business profit margins?

 

[Dom]

I am blown away by the number of different species they are now breeding in captivity. Its dumbfounding how far its came in 20 years! It's so cool that there is now way to have these fish without taking them from the oceans precious ecosystem. A major plus is they are so much hardier and adapt to aquarium life so well because it is all they have known. That being said, its a shame how pricey these fish are. I would think captive breeding should drive the prices of these fish down. I completely understand these companies spend a large amount of money on these setups and procedures, but does it justify charging hundreds to thousands of dollars per fish? Maybe with time it will come down in price. I remember when they first started breeding clowns, and now years later they are at very affordable prices, and there is no reason at all to every buy a wild caught clown. What are your thoughts on the pricing of captive bred fish, such as exotic tangs and angels? Is it greed or does it really cost 40% of the final price to breed a single fish, assuming they use standard business profit margins?

I think the expense for both are equal.

Captive bread fish? Well, they require heat, light, food and husbandry plus a place to set up. All of this translates into COST.

Captured fish? While they don't have the expenses of captive bread fish, they have the expenses associated with capturing fish.

(think gasoline consumption of a BOAT, crew, divers and the expense of diving equipment and the support equipment to keep the fish alive during transport).

So I can see how pricing would be consistent between the two.

 

[michealprater]

I see in a lot of cases where captive bred is higher than wild caught. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places.

 

[Dom]

I see in a lot of cases where captive bred is higher than wild caught. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places.

Again, I don't breed, so I don't know the expenses associated with it. Perhaps captive bread IS more expensive to raise.

 

[zoolan70]

You have to remember that the price of captive bred has to recapture the costs from all along the process that did not end up with salable fish. It is no different than the R&D costs for a new drug or invention. The price you charge has to not only cover your immediate production cost, but all the money that you spend before the first fish ever made it to sale size.

Also, captive raised fish can command a higher price as long as people are willing to pay more for it, for whatever their personal reason.

 

[Opus]

I am blown away by the number of different species they are now breeding in captivity. Its dumbfounding how far its came in 20 years! It's so cool that there is now way to have these fish without taking them from the oceans precious ecosystem. A major plus is they are so much hardier and adapt to aquarium life so well because it is all they have known. That being said, its a shame how pricey these fish are. I would think captive breeding should drive the prices of these fish down. I completely understand these companies spend a large amount of money on these setups and procedures, but does it justify charging hundreds to thousands of dollars per fish? Maybe with time it will come down in price. I remember when they first started breeding clowns, and now years later they are at very affordable prices, and there is no reason at all to ever buy a wild caught clown. What are your thoughts on the pricing of captive bred fish, such as exotic tangs and angels? Is it greed or does it really cost 40% of the final price to breed a single fish, assuming they use standard business profit margins?

On the subject of clowns, you also have to bring in the demand portion of the equation. Yes, I think they are all going to follow the normal business practice. These places will say advancing the breeding program is the main goal but at the end of the day, money is the driving force. Back to clowns, I can remember when ORA would throw in "mutant clowns" for free in orders because no one wanted them. Today they are called designer clowns. Same with gold clams. They used to be dirt cheap, now they seem to demand almost as much as the brightly colored ones, especially if they have any sort of pattern in them.

 

[michealprater]

You have to remember that the price of captive bred has to recapture the costs from all along the process that did not end up with salable fish. It is no different than the R&D costs for a new drug or invention. The price you charge has to not only cover your immediate production cost, but all the money that you spend before the first fish ever made it to sale size.

Also, captive raised fish can command a higher price as long as people are willing to pay more for it, for whatever their personal reason.

Valid points. If R&D is the case, the price will come down with time, and supply and demand will always play a factor.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I am blown away by the number of different species they are now breeding in captivity. Its dumbfounding how far its came in 20 years! It's so cool that there is now way to have these fish without taking them from the oceans precious ecosystem. A major plus is they are so much hardier and adapt to aquarium life so well because it is all they have known. That being said, its a shame how pricey these fish are. I would think captive breeding should drive the prices of these fish down. I completely understand these companies spend a large amount of money on these setups and procedures, but does it justify charging hundreds to thousands of dollars per fish? Maybe with time it will come down in price. I remember when they first started breeding clowns, and now years later they are at very affordable prices, and there is no reason at all to ever buy a wild caught clown. What are your thoughts on the pricing of captive bred fish, such as exotic tangs and angels? Is it greed or does it really cost 40% of the final price to breed a single fish, assuming they use standard business profit margins?

Most of the domestically raised fish species are chosen for their higher margins. For example; breeding longfin clowns over plain ocellaris. The work to raise each type is essentially the same, yet that net profit on the longfin is much higher, so breeders would tend to work with those (or other rare types).

As far as wild caught versus captive raised, wild caught are much less expensive. I'm working on a project to try and track costs of fish out of SE Asia to the US pet trade. Roving fishers are paid an estimated 64 cents for a juvenile emperor angelfish. Local collectors are paid $1.93. Those end up retailing for around $125. Compare that to Biota that just began selling captive raised ones for $225 a few months ago. Since both of these examples would be shipped from SE Asia, the transport costs are fixed and would be identical.

Jay

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Most of the domestically raised fish species are chosen for their higher margins. For example; breeding longfin clowns over plain ocellaris. The work to raise each type is essentially the same, yet that net profit on the longfin is much higher, so breeders would tend to work with those (or other rare types).

As far as wild caught versus captive raised, wild caught are much less expensive. I'm working on a project to try and track costs of fish out of SE Asia to the US pet trade. Roving fishers are paid an estimated 64 cents for a juvenile emperor angelfish. Local collectors are paid $1.93. Those end up retailing for around $125. Compare that to Biota that just began selling captive raised ones for $225 a few months ago. Since both of these examples would be shipped from SE Asia, the transport costs are fixed and would be identical.

Jay

Thank you for pointing out that the classic "everything expensive is that way because of shipping" is nonsense. I don't know why so many people always run to that explanation. Why is an Acanthophyllia so expensive? Shipping of course! That perfectly explains it...not. I've tried telling people that many times along with the fact simply because a coral says "Australian" on the tag doesn't justify any price marked. It's not simply shipping.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Btw, the cost of captive bred fish might be the most popular thread subject on the entire site...