-Stott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mysteryman" <bestfish-in-alaweb.com>
To: <nanfa-in-aquaria.net>
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 3:04 PM
Subject: NANFA-- Well, I'm back
> It looks like it's been a slow month around here...only some 580 emails
> waiting for me instead of the usual 1100 or so.
> I guess I'll make some comments on various topics.
>
> I'm finally going to become a full-fledged NANFA member by sending in a
> real paper check.
> I finally got a Shinerscoop, and wouldn't you know its been raining like
> crazy all week.
> One batch of my tank-raised Flagfins went bad, afflicted with some
> fungus when the filter failed and the tank crashed. Good thing I split
> them up into four groups. The others are still immaculate, and now that
> I've finally managed to get some Kordon Breathing Bags, I'll be able to
> start sending them to those of you who have been waiting.
>
> Leo.. "thousands" of Welaka fry everywhere and you didn't nab some?
> Don't you know that tank-raised specimens may well prove prone to
> spawning in aquaria without Longears? ( not to mention be hardier )
> Oh well, maybe next time.
>
> lessseeee....AH! Big Box vs Little Guy. I may have mentioned that I was
> once an LFS owner, and like many, I took real pride in being able to
> provide a huge selection of top-notch fishes, but alas, I too was
> crushed by the idiots-in-the big box store. It really makes me sick.
> Those big box stores are quite literally ruining the entire hobby. All
> they offer are bread-and-butter fish and a few extras, and they
> obviously don't have a clue, but still they wipe out the good guys.
> Don't the hobbyists understand the harm they are doing to their own
> future success and enjoyment when they shop-in-the 'Mart? Once the only
> real viable fish trade is those guys, the supply and variety of species
> will dwindle to only those few species the big stores carry. Why should
> the importers and fishfarms waste precious effort and space on things
> they can't sell?
>
> I have a plan. We need to fight fire with fire. Little fish stores can't
> compete against the big guys, but could a big fish-only store chain?
> Imagine a chain of bigbox fish stores. Each store has some 500-600 tanks
> of fish in it. There are 2 or 3 distribution centers which import/buy
> all the fish and then clean them up with cleansing/conditioning, and
> then send only very high quality fish to the stores. The result is that
> a hobbyist who walks into such a store will be blown away by the huge
> selection of healthy fish and by the expert staff that really knows what
> it's doing, and really works to help the hobbyist succeed. Each store
> could even have some little classroom/learning center in it, and perhaps
> even host local fish club meetings. Eventually, the hobby wouldn't
> dwindle and suffer in a PetsMart/Petco infested arena, but instead
> thrive as never before.
> So, who has a few spare million to invest?
>
> Finally, I'm home all weekend, and it looks like the rain will finally
> stop. Does anyone feel the urge to collect some South Alabama species?
-- > /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily > / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes > / Association" > / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association > / nanfa-in-aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word > / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to > / nanfa-request-in-aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to > / nanfa-digest-request-in-aquaria.net instead. > / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org /----------------------------------------------------------------------------- /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes / Association" / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association / nanfa-in-aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to / nanfa-request-in-aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to / nanfa-digest-request-in-aquaria.net instead. / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org