Nail on the head INXS.
It's a competitive world we live in and the little zebbies are worth what people are willing to pay for them, plain and simple.
Zebra Cost Debate (Moved Froms Sales & Wants)
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Plastic Mac
- Mentally Certified!
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- Location: Hertfordshire, UK
No-one is denying it's supply and demand...that's economics day 1, tell us something we don't know.
When you are in the position to supply you have the initial choice on price, you can sell it for £10 or 10,000...whether it actually gets sold for £10,000 is a different matter.
I do not have any issues with people recouping some of the expenses that they have encountered looking after their fish either...to not do so would be dumb.
What I am saying though is I believe there is a limit (what that limit is is no doubt personal choice) to what is a sensible price is and what is just a right rip-off because people are abusing this fish to make money, when we should be keeping it 'expensive' enough that people have to think very hard if they want one but cheap enough to allow people to purchase them if they want to breed them but i understand this is a personal opinion and one not held by everyone else...as you've made quite clear.
I'm not sure why INXS you felt the need to tell us about people in the aquarium business....we're not, so our livelyhood does not depend on these fish...I have a job for that and neither are the people on ebay who have one single zeb and are demanding 200 odd quid for it and can't even be bothered to supply a photo.
Maybe I did not explain myself terribley well the first time. If I was to sell zebra's on ebay I would sell them at market price, period. However selling on ebay would be my last option. I would firstly sell to other breeders who wished to expand their stock and then sell to other people wanting to breed....for these people I do not see why I should be charging the full amount and therefore preventing the potential breeding success that someone could have just because I want another 50 quid in pocket, at the same time I never said I would give them away free....i do expect to make a little back like you on my expenses. I would like to think that I am trying to help a species from extinction and not using it as excuse to screw people over for more money. But hey as it's been said many times before, it's your choice so do what you like.
When you are in the position to supply you have the initial choice on price, you can sell it for £10 or 10,000...whether it actually gets sold for £10,000 is a different matter.
I do not have any issues with people recouping some of the expenses that they have encountered looking after their fish either...to not do so would be dumb.
What I am saying though is I believe there is a limit (what that limit is is no doubt personal choice) to what is a sensible price is and what is just a right rip-off because people are abusing this fish to make money, when we should be keeping it 'expensive' enough that people have to think very hard if they want one but cheap enough to allow people to purchase them if they want to breed them but i understand this is a personal opinion and one not held by everyone else...as you've made quite clear.
I'm not sure why INXS you felt the need to tell us about people in the aquarium business....we're not, so our livelyhood does not depend on these fish...I have a job for that and neither are the people on ebay who have one single zeb and are demanding 200 odd quid for it and can't even be bothered to supply a photo.
If you don't like haggling and commenting on a product your thinking of buying then that's something for you to resolve...but that's day to day business for half the worlds population.I find it kindof rude of people to openly haggle and tell someone that their fish isn't worth as much as they are asking or that they are greedy for asking too much just as much as people asking outrageous prices - but they can quietly be avoided and ignored so the person will hopefully get the message.
So you find it rude for people to openly haggle and tell others their fish isn't worth that much (something I very mcuh believe if you can't even be bothered to supply a photo...which is what started this conversation) but it's fine to tell us your getting tired of seeing the same nonsense posts. Well as much as you believe all this is down to supply and demand...these posts come under freedom of speech. So instead of telling us 'if we're into preserving the species we should post under more appropriate topics' it's just as valid to say if you don't like what you read here then find another topic to read in the forum. This is after all only one topic amongst several.Sorry for the rant but I am getting tired of seeing the same haggling and nonsence going on in too many for sale posts.
Maybe I did not explain myself terribley well the first time. If I was to sell zebra's on ebay I would sell them at market price, period. However selling on ebay would be my last option. I would firstly sell to other breeders who wished to expand their stock and then sell to other people wanting to breed....for these people I do not see why I should be charging the full amount and therefore preventing the potential breeding success that someone could have just because I want another 50 quid in pocket, at the same time I never said I would give them away free....i do expect to make a little back like you on my expenses. I would like to think that I am trying to help a species from extinction and not using it as excuse to screw people over for more money. But hey as it's been said many times before, it's your choice so do what you like.
My computer is not compatible with my phone which is what I take pictures with. If I could supply pictures then I would as obviously the ad is going to do alot better with one.
You are clutching at straws now Plastic mac INXS said everything that was of interest and your overly long post does not really aid this trivial situation.
You are clutching at straws now Plastic mac INXS said everything that was of interest and your overly long post does not really aid this trivial situation.
I'm just about done with this but I would like to point out one tidbit:
If people are posting zebras for sale in this forum where there are many others who share their interest and get told that their fish is not worth it and that they are asking too much it will surley discourage others from posting them for sale here. I know I would be hesitant and is that really a positive development here?
If people are posting zebras for sale in this forum where there are many others who share their interest and get told that their fish is not worth it and that they are asking too much it will surley discourage others from posting them for sale here. I know I would be hesitant and is that really a positive development here?
This is NOT a forum where it's going to be ok to publically shred sellers. I'm sorry if something gave anyone that impression. If you do not like the price for a zebra offered, you have the freedom to not purchase it. If we allow people wanting to sell their zebras to be abused by posters that insult them for asking more than they personally are willing to pay, soon noone will post openly about having them for sale at all! That would completely defeat the purpose of getting these fish into the hands of people that would really value them, wouldn't it?
I have sold 30 zebra fry so far to people that I met on the net. I have NEVER offered one for sale publically, because I refuse to be judged by people that think I should do something differently. I pick and choose who my children go to and I will continue to do so as long as there are enough people that I feel confident will take care of them, mainly due to threads like this one. I would personally be unable to set a price for any of my female zebras, as I wouldn't sell them. Does that make me a hoarder? Probably. Do I care if people think that? Not one bit. I was told the ban was coming, and I bought what I could afford and I'm doing my best to perpetuate the species with them. People with zebras don't want to sell them for any price, and people that want them think it's ridiculous that anyone would pay the ungodly prices that it would take to get one purchased. It really IS supply and demand, in it's most basic form.
Everyone has an opinion, and they're more than welcome to it. You can all make a post in general chat, or any of the other forums on the board to argue this topic to death, but as for now, it's done in this thread. If you'd like to see pictures of a fish, ask for them, without browbeating people for not doing something the way "you" would do it please. It's quite important to us here that people continue to feel free to post with their precious zebras for sale.
Barbie
I have sold 30 zebra fry so far to people that I met on the net. I have NEVER offered one for sale publically, because I refuse to be judged by people that think I should do something differently. I pick and choose who my children go to and I will continue to do so as long as there are enough people that I feel confident will take care of them, mainly due to threads like this one. I would personally be unable to set a price for any of my female zebras, as I wouldn't sell them. Does that make me a hoarder? Probably. Do I care if people think that? Not one bit. I was told the ban was coming, and I bought what I could afford and I'm doing my best to perpetuate the species with them. People with zebras don't want to sell them for any price, and people that want them think it's ridiculous that anyone would pay the ungodly prices that it would take to get one purchased. It really IS supply and demand, in it's most basic form.
Everyone has an opinion, and they're more than welcome to it. You can all make a post in general chat, or any of the other forums on the board to argue this topic to death, but as for now, it's done in this thread. If you'd like to see pictures of a fish, ask for them, without browbeating people for not doing something the way "you" would do it please. It's quite important to us here that people continue to feel free to post with their precious zebras for sale.
Barbie
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NetsuaiAngel
- Obsessed!!
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- Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:04 am
- Location: Las Vegas, NV - USA
Uhhh.. I had to go back and re-read this forum twice. We're a bit off topic here...
It doesn't look like ANYONE was in dispute of "probable" price that gtp was pretending to ask for. gtp stated that he wouldn't sell his female unless someone offered a high price for it.
Plastic Mac was just pointing out if he could please see photos of the zebra because he was interested the possible female.
gtp retracted and said his female is not for sale.
The original creator of this post is asking if any females are for sale. I don't think anyone here has actually focused on their request except for three posts out of this entire topic. And I stated and I was unaware of any females on sale at the moment.
I jumped on hamish99 because he made an analogy that made no sense in my OPINION.
gtp, I'm sorry your phone isn't compatible with your computer, perhaps a friend could loan you their digital camera if possible to help your sale. However, if you are selling a zebra, I would create a separate post.
Barbie, I agree with you and I think we're all off topic
hamish99, I'm sorry if you are having second thoughts on selling your zebras to the great keepers and breeders on here. Sometimes we fight like brothers and sisters, but we all love our zebra plecos.
It doesn't look like ANYONE was in dispute of "probable" price that gtp was pretending to ask for. gtp stated that he wouldn't sell his female unless someone offered a high price for it.
Plastic Mac was just pointing out if he could please see photos of the zebra because he was interested the possible female.
gtp retracted and said his female is not for sale.
The original creator of this post is asking if any females are for sale. I don't think anyone here has actually focused on their request except for three posts out of this entire topic. And I stated and I was unaware of any females on sale at the moment.
I jumped on hamish99 because he made an analogy that made no sense in my OPINION.
gtp, I'm sorry your phone isn't compatible with your computer, perhaps a friend could loan you their digital camera if possible to help your sale. However, if you are selling a zebra, I would create a separate post.
Barbie, I agree with you and I think we're all off topic
hamish99, I'm sorry if you are having second thoughts on selling your zebras to the great keepers and breeders on here. Sometimes we fight like brothers and sisters, but we all love our zebra plecos.
jeez id like to see what posts you guys make when you see a 3cm zebra come up for $1000 in Australia 
In my opinion general discussions should be kept outside the sale and wants sections. Whatever happened to the original posters request? He didn't ask for opinions, he asked for female Zebs for sale.
I'd like to apoligize to carlwhybrow230480, and wish you good luck in finding the fish you're looking for!
I'd like to apoligize to carlwhybrow230480, and wish you good luck in finding the fish you're looking for!
I have to agree with both sides on this issue.
One side will say " for the betterment of the hobby and the survival of these fish, we should only exchange fish with potential breeders at a lower cost than what the market will support. This will greatly support stronger genetic diversity"
The other side will say " If you have a rare commodity, then you should take the maximum value your investment will attain"
The first side will see the second side as a bit callous, and the second side will see the first side as too "idealist" , but I think there is a compromise where you can sell or trade a few fish to people that you know at less than maximum value, and then auction some off to strangers to really pay for your hobby and time
One side will say " for the betterment of the hobby and the survival of these fish, we should only exchange fish with potential breeders at a lower cost than what the market will support. This will greatly support stronger genetic diversity"
The other side will say " If you have a rare commodity, then you should take the maximum value your investment will attain"
The first side will see the second side as a bit callous, and the second side will see the first side as too "idealist" , but I think there is a compromise where you can sell or trade a few fish to people that you know at less than maximum value, and then auction some off to strangers to really pay for your hobby and time
