What is the most you’ve ever spent on a fish?

[lloyd378]

Genuinely curious about this one…… I have owned many expensive fish that I picked up for pennys on the dollar( bichirs for example) from hobbyist that had lost interest in them, but the most I have ever spent on a singular fish was when I purchased a 4.5” yellow jardini arrowana. I purchased it from blue Sierra right after graduating college and starting my teaching career. This was back in 2003-2004ish and I spent $150 for it as it was a rarer color than the average jardini that was orange and blue in the silver scales and those ran about $50 at the time. We all know now that any jardini will be a minimum of $100 no matter how small. I don’t have any pics of my personal fish, but here is a google image of a yellow jardini for reference….

 

[DMD123]

For me for just a single fish was $185, it was for a wild caught Koliba lap.
This was the fish that didnt make it for even the weekend. It came in on a Friday and had jumped out over the weekend. Even with a full glass top it managed to pop the lid and got out. This was with the thinner style glass tops.

But most I ever spent on a single purchase at one time on fish was about $350 for two wild caught bichirs, my endli and another Koliba lap I had. (includes shipping).

Sadly I dont even flinch to spend $100 on a fish anymore, lol.

 

[clownie]

Is this thread for single fish purchase or total fish purchased?

 

[DMD123]

Is this thread for single fish purchase or total fish purchased?

I would say it seems geared toward a single fish but I posted both ways.

 

[John58Ford]

I know just from visiting some of you that I'm on the lower side here. The first hybrid GBR in my collection ended up costing about $75, but I wanted a specific person's stock, shipped from new York, in December. Would have been a $25 fish otherwise, he even threw in a different hybrid to see if I liked it because the shipping was so high he felt bad lol.

I really personally find the most money I have spent to be on schools, not individuals, 18 fish @ $7 adds up pretty quick.

 

[fishguy1978]

Discus $300 for a pair.

 

[clownie]

Discus also....$425 for a pair.... My biggest fish order at one time was 5 years ago $850 from wet spot.

 

[sir_keith]

Now that I think about it, I've never spent all that much for a single fish, but as the kinds of fishes I keep generally need to be kept in social groups, I usually buy schools (like @John58Ford), and a single order of wild Tanganyikans can easily run $500-600.

The most expensive Tanganyikans that are generally available are Cyphotilapia frontosa and the various Petrochromis species, both of which are pretty big fishes, at least by African standards. I've never been tempted by either of these.

 

[40GallonsOfDoom]

Dang when I was in Houston I got all my fish from other hobbyists. Never spend more than 10 or 15 bucks. Lol

 

[DCcrest]

Two wild caught vampire tetras for $150 each. They refused to eat ANYTHING and died on me two and a half weeks later!

 

[sir_keith]

There are some really weird things that happen when fish taxonomy gets transmutated into common names in the hobby, but calling this monster a 'tetra' has to be one of the all time jaw-droppers.

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[lloyd378]

There are some really weird things that happen when fish taxonomy gets transmutated into common names in the hobby, but calling this monster a 'tetra' has to be one of the all time jaw-droppers.

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So true…. And I’ve never heard of them accepting anything but live feeders

 

[Orthopod]

Genuinely curious about this one…… I have owned many expensive fish that I picked up for pennys on the dollar( bichirs for example) from hobbyist that had lost interest in them, but the most I have ever spent on a singular fish was when I purchased a 4.5” yellow jardini arrowana. I purchased it from blue Sierra right after graduating college and starting my teaching career. This was back in 2003-2004ish and I spent $150 for it as it was a rarer color than the average jardini that was orange and blue in the silver scales and those ran about $50 at the time. We all know now that any jardini will be a minimum of $100 no matter how small. I don’t have any pics of my personal fish, but here is a google image of a yellow jardini for reference….
View attachment 10551

My guess is that fish price tag would currently start at $5000 for a tiny individual of the original ARO posted but looking at the picture I am not so sure it’s not formosus (Asian). The price tag would probably be higher if it’s a true jardini though b/ I have never seen one. It may be a one of a kind fish - which could shoot it into the 6 digit range.

I am avoiding the original question but let’s just say this hobby can be expensive and I like nice fish, lol.

 

[sir_keith]

I am avoiding the original question but let’s just say this hobby can be expensive and I like nice fish, lol.

How 'expensive' for how 'nice'?

Reminds me of that old question one hears when building a race car- 'How fast do you want to go?' And the related question, of course, is 'How much do you have to spend?'

 

[DMD123]

I had to revisit this topic. I realized since the thread started I have now topped my previous total by a considerable amount. July of last year I purchased my group of 8 steiger silver dollars at $89.99 each with free shipping for a grand total of... $719.92. That is the most Ive ever spent at one time for a group of fish. All are healthy and doing very well.

More recently my fancy goldfish addition has been averaging about $150 per fish when you factor in shipping cost. So currently I have 8 of the fancy goldies... dont want to do the math! But what is worse is the fact I had lost 3 recently to sickness, so $450 down the drain, ugh.

 

[DCcrest]

$300 on two vampire tetras…they wouldn’t eat ANYTHING and died about a month later

 

[lloyd378]

My recent purchase was hemichromis fasciatus ( wild caught….

I was part of a group of individuals from around the US that combined money to import them in ( haven’t been imported since 2016).

Anyway, my portion was 300 plus shipping. Total bill for all of them was around $7,500. Each person received about 10 small fish.

I started with 10 spread out over 4 tanks and I’m down to 6.

I did also give one to Madness so he could raise one up to put in his mixed predator 600 gallon tank.

So, that is my most recent high end purchase, but still fails in comparison to before when I purchased a large group of F1 Frontosa (600 for the group) or when I helped import in black umbee ( which were about 200 each).

 

[DMD123]

My spending tends to go in waves. Usually it involves long time inhabitants passing away due to age. I then go through a wave of fish trying to find something new, keep them for a bit and try something different until I can find another long term fish. Thankfully I am in the final phase with the likelihood that the wallet will stay shut for a while.

 

[sir_keith]

I don't know, but it's trivial compared to the cost of keeping my other pets. One of my kitties has been in the emergency animal hospital in Lakewood for the last 4 days, and may require surgery tomorrow, and the cost of that care is rapidly approaching the price of a new Honda. But if he can be cured, it is all well worth it.

 

[lloyd378]

I don't know, but it's trivial compared to the cost of keeping my other pets. One of my kitties has been in the emergency animal hospital in Lakewood for the last 4 days, and may require surgery tomorrow, and the cost of that care is rapidly approaching the price of a new Honda. But if he can be cured, it is all well worth it.

I am so sorry to hear that!