River City Aquatics changing priorities?

Let me first say that I have always been a fan of RCA since I first visited the store around 03/04 and usually try to make a trip down there 2-3 times a year especially when they have their sales. The selection of african cichlids has always impressed me and the prices have always been fair as well. They do not have alot of CA/SA cichlids or bread and butter freshwater non-cichlids but there are plenty of other places to find those. The last trip I made was back in december and I was dissappointed in the way they had rearranged the store and confined the freshwater to the room where the new/used tanks used to be. There was a sale going on and it was very crowded and so I did not get to walk back into the area where the freshwater used to be but I think they now have that area dedicated to saltwater fish, corals, etc. Alot of the tanks were really dirty and were in the process of being cleaned when I was there. I am not sure if they had just recently moved them or not but some of the fish did not look too great either. I have not had the chance to go back since but routinely check their website to see what new stock they are getting in. It seems they get about 3-4 shipments of saltwater fish for every shipment of freshwater nowadays. I realize saltwater is probably more profitable and the quantities they get in at each shipment of fish are probably smaller, but it seems their focus has really shifted to saltwater predominately now. Has anyone else noticed this or did I just go in at a bad time last time? I hate to see them bail on their cichlid diversity as their really is no where close to me that had african cichlids like they did. I used to go to Amazonia a LONG time ago and have visted their new store on I-35 at least twice but was not impressed in the least with the service or quality of their stock. Aquatek is a great place for super rare CA/SA cichlids and some tangs, but their prices on malawians are through the roof and most of the fish they sell are very large adults only.

I have never been but I have herd good things.

If you are going to make a road trip to get fish , The only place to go is DRAF.

I agree...DRAF is probably an amazing place (been wanting to visit for years since before Dave had it and it was armke's) but it is I think at least 3 hours from where I live and with the cost of gas these days not to mention most of his prices on adult fish seem to be on the higher end.

I hear ya and don't blame ya.

One day we need to take a road trip and split gas.

Do you plan on going to FOTAS 2011?

Hadn't planned on it.

If the price of a tank of gas makes or breaks your decision to make a road trip to buy tropical fish you're in the wrong hobby! IMHO! If you think about it even with prices sky high the difference for me filling up my expedition is only $20. Normally it runs around $50-60 and now it runs $70-80.
Some advice if you were to join the HCCC (Hill Country Cichlid CLub) at $20 a year. You'd save 15-20% at many fish stores in San Antonio and a few in Austin. That would be the best investment you could make if you're serious about the cichlid hobby. Also keep your eyes on the this site and make sure you attend an auction. You can save hundreds of dollars on fish and make that extra $20 of "expensive gas" seem a lot less expensive! As KMX said another thing is to consider some car pooling. You never know when someone from your area or north of you is headed down south for a fish related hobby!
As for the price of "adult" fish they will always be higher! I started out only buying adult fish because I wanted "pretty" here and now! After getting some fry at much much cheaper prices I learned they will get pretty soon enough and something about raising them from scratch makes em even more special! If nothing Amazonia usually has great service just some people don't like "Live Nude Fish!"

JB

I am a member of the HCCC (non paying...do not have full membership since most of the activities are well south of me). My main complaint was the fact that RCA seemed to be changing format from the time I was last there...the amount of cichlid variety seems to be on the decline...not necessarily to complain about gas prices. I have grown up juveniles plenty of times in the past and it is much more economical but you are then stuck with the females that no one usually wants in this area and I hate to take them to the LFS where they will be sold without a label usually to unsuspecting hobbyists and probably hybridized with something.

I went back to RCA this weekend just to see what new stuff they had gotten in. They had their large summer sale the day before but due to prior engagements, I was unable to make it. The stock they had on hand was decent though in general the tanks appeared to be alot dirtier than they had ever been in the past and several tanks had fish in them that were severely mutilated and beat up and a few tanks were drained and empty. The prices in general, seemed higher than in times past as a nice colored male peacock used to run about 40-45 dollars, it seems they are now priced closer to 55-60. There were several tanks that were unlabeled and in general, the organization and quality of the livestock was just lacking compared to what I came to expect from RCA in the past. I would probably still go visit once a year when the big sale is happening, but there is just not enough there anymore to make the drive down there several times a year. The freshwater section is just too small now as it seems they lost/gave up their lease on the other half of the building they originally had and everything that was in the other half of the buidling is crowded into about a 1/4 of the area it had before.

On the otherhand, I did stop by aquatek after getting a few fish from RCA and just like every other time, I was impressed with the selection they offered and how well laid out the store is. They deal with alot of european brands and high end reef and planted tank equipment and parts of the store are definately beyond the realm of the beginning aquarist. There planted display tanks are unbelievable and as always, they have an amazing selection of CA/SA cichlids, rare cories and plecos, and a large assortment of common and rare FW fish. They sometimes have a decent assortment of tanganyikan cichlids but their malawian selection is very poor and consists of full grown males only most of the time and they are not cheap though it seems they have lowered alot of their prices on the larger fish some. The staff there is good (marcus is the best!) but the owners have always ignored customers and sit behind the desk and talk most of the time. RCA as a whole has alot better customer service.

I'll take a road trip with yall, would love to go check out Dave's place

yeah if you get the chance go down to San Antonio (Windcrest) actually and see Dave's store. Make sure to call him in advance before you go because he may switch to an appointment only store since most of what he does is online.
JB

I have never been to RCA so I can't comment about them,but I have been to Dave's(DRAF) store and I talked to Dave and one of his employees and they were really nice people.The store was big and had a great selection of fish and great prices!I could of spent hours in his store!

you guys are lucky to have places to choose from that specialize in unique fish, in kansas city, we do not have very many options, other than the big box know nothing type retailers, as for price, YOU ARE NOT RAISING FRICKING GUPPIES, be mature adults, and do not bicker over pricing, walmart caused all this cr@p over who can have the lowest price, lets all remember, that the mom and pop store has to make a decent living too, advice, clean places, knowledge, overhead, utilities, and a place a customer can take a occaisional dump, are not free.....mike

It's ok to bicker about over pricing if you feel that the fish are over priced.... I know for a fact most fish stores have a 200-400% mark up on fish. Take an adult male cichlid to the fish store and you may get a small store credit, but they will turn right back around and sell that same fish at full retail price (and then some!). I took an adult male Red Empress to a fish store because he was getting his butt whipped in my tank. The store (Unnamed) gave me $7 store credit. I was in the store about an hour just hanging and low and behold they sold that same fish for $69 while I was in the store!!! I didn't want the fish anymore so it was ok with me, but I was like dang... Anyway most fish stores get fish at wholesale price usually very cheap from fish farms and then mark the fish way high to make profits.
That being said NOT all of them try to take you to the cleaners.... there are some very good fish stores out there and the good ones are the ones that keep customers coming back. I think Daves fish is one of the best retailers out there. Good price, great information, honest and a friend on top of that.
JB

MonteMike72... How does Kansas City not have good LFS? Yes sure we have petco and petsmart, and those stores, but I actually feel privileged to have a great local stores. Maybe you missed some of them. I would say we have better Saltwater options then freshwater but we def. have some great stores here... Just to name a few; Brothers Pets, Aquariums Wholesale, Paradise Aquatics, Aquariums Etc..., Daves Fish Tank, Picasso Exotic Aquatics, Olathe Pets... Those are just a few. There are tons of great stores here in KC. I have no idea what your talking about. While all of those are great stores if your looking for more of the hard to find fish and rare fish, and good quality fish then you need to join the local HAAS forum. I get almost all my fish through members of HAAS or trade or order from some of the LFS.

yeah, you know what i think is that you do not understand basic economics, retailers do not buy at retail, they buy at wholesale, which is what they paid you, as if you were one of their suppliers, if you thought so much of your fish, you should have tried selling it on ebay, or craigslist and then you would be the retailer, retailer after buying the products they sell at whole sale, then sell the item, for whatever the market will bear, some use a strict mark-up on cost policy (gproi), gross profit return on investment, i am in the printing business, do you think just because i get a lower price on paper, that i then, lower my book prices to the customer, heck no, i think people that think they would be a better retailer, take the leap, go into business for yourself, all markets need competition, you know when i was younger, i never really understood, what my dad used to tell me, " no one ever went out of business because his price was too high", and after the better part of 30 years in the printing industry, that is very true, but several competitors have gone out of business, because their prices were too low.....mike

montemike72 right on. Great statement about business. As someone that owned a fish farm and now sells fish wholesale you got it. Thanks I couldn't have said it better.