Never tell an LFS they have a rare fish!!

[Slocke]

Funny story of how I managed to turn an expensive fish into a ridiculously expensive fish.

If you know me on here you may know me as the weirdo who loves snake eels. I currently have two of these quite rare and underrated in my opinion eels and that Article badge I have is my care guide for them. Anyways I walk into one of my LFSs on Saturday and see one of my dream fish. The very rare Myrichthys breviceps AKA the Sharptail Snake Eel:

So I look at the price tags and see a listing for a Goldspotted Snake Eel, myrichthys ocellatus for 400$. Intrigued I asked a store clerk who told me it was a darker skinned variant of the goldspot and that the 400$ was correct. I informed the LFS that actually they had a totally different and rare species called the Sharptail Snake Eel. For context this is my goldspotted and I got it on Divers Den fully quarantined for 200$:

Doing the wise thing I asked the LFS to reserve it for me and went home to ask on here if buying this fish I'd never seen or even heard of in this hobby before was a good idea. After consulting @lion king I came to the realization that I'd have do resolve my current aggression issues and reduce my total number of fish in order to justify getting the new eel. So yesterday I caught my very bite-y triggers and my bullied chainlink moray and returned with them to the LFS who gave a good amount of store credit. However when I went over to the eel I was Informed by staff who weren't there on Saturday that the eel I wanted wasn't a Goldspotted but in fact the very rare Sharptail and that it cost 1,300$.

Long story short I do not have the Sharptail.

 

[JumpingFlea]

I always wondered what type of eel this was. The LFS I work at sold it for 60 because we just didn’t like the look of it and wanted to get rid of it.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

It’s will probably end up being yours. I would talk to who you originally spoke to and you want the original price you were told.

 

[Zero_Cool]

Honesty will generate good karma. We all need as much good as we can get.

Hopefully someone explained how they came to know the true value of the animal and appreciate you for your knowledge on the subject.

 

[Slocke]

I always wondered what type of eel this was. The LFS I work at sold it for 60 because we just didn’t like the look of it and wanted to get rid of it.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this comment.

 

[Petcrazyson]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this comment.

If that were me I would fight for that eel

 

[lion king]

Funny story of how I managed to turn an expensive fish into a ridiculously expensive fish.

If you know me on here you may know me as the weirdo who loves snake eels. I currently have two of these quite rare and underrated in my opinion eels and that Article badge I have is my care guide for them. Anyways I walk into one of my LFSs on Saturday and see one of my dream fish. The very rare Myrichthys breviceps AKA the Sharptail Snake Eel:

So I look at the price tags and see a listing for a Goldspotted Snake Eel, myrichthys ocellatus for 400$. Intrigued I asked a store clerk who told me it was a darker skinned variant of the goldspot and that the 400$ was correct. I informed the LFS that actually they had a totally different and rare species called the Sharptail Snake Eel. For context this is my goldspotted and I got it on Divers Den fully quarantined for 200$:

Doing the wise thing I asked the LFS to reserve it for me and went home to ask on here if buying this fish I'd never seen or even heard of in this hobby before was a good idea. After consulting @lion king I came to the realization that I'd have do resolve my current aggression issues and reduce my total number of fish in order to justify getting the new eel. So yesterday I caught my very bite-y triggers and my bullied chainlink moray and returned with them to the LFS who gave a good amount of store credit. However when I went over to the eel I was Informed by staff who weren't there on Saturday that the eel I wanted wasn't a Goldspotted but in fact the very rare Sharptail and that it cost 1,300$.

Long story short I do not have the Sharptail.

And that eel will likely die, because the store won't take care of properly. There are very few like us that do understand the care and will likely never pay that amount. The lfs will not tell you it died, they'll likely lie. I've seen this happen many times. I have a rhino, I've seen them being sold for $1200-1600, they usually die in the store before anyone buys them. Snake eels are not for the faintest of hearts and anyone spending that kind of money without proper research, is a fool. I know this happens because I have had many friends in the lfs business over 30 years.

I have had my rhino for over 4 years now, the lfs had him listed at $450. I educated them on how to care for him, they were feeding him live ghost shrimp. He was there for 2 months and I offered them and paid $250.

 

[olonmv]

The LFS should meet you in the middle and let you have it for $800. I mean, you didn’t screw them over. They should reward your honesty if you ask me.

 

[Petcrazyson]

The LFS should meet you in the middle and let you have it for $800. I mean, you didn’t screw them over. They should reward your honesty if you ask me.

If only LFS rewarded honesty

 

[LOVEROCK]

If only LFS rewarded honesty

Heck no they out for your blood lol

 

[lion king]

I would give a week and ask them if they are eating and what they are feeding them. Then I would tell them it was going to die before anyone was going to buy them and offer them $200. And because of the lack of integrity don't offer any information.

 

[Petcrazyson]

Heck no they out for your blood lol

U forgot a arm and a leg

 

[Slocke]

And that eel will likely die, because the store won't take care of properly. There are very few like us that do understand the care and will likely never pay that amount. The lfs will not tell you it died, they'll likely lie. I've seen this happen many times. I have a rhino, I've seen them being sold for $1200-1600, they usually die in the store before anyone buys them. Snake eels are not for the faintest of hearts and anyone spending that kind of money without proper research, is a fool. I know this happens because I have had many friends in the lfs business over 30 years.

I have had my rhino for over 4 years now, the lfs had him listed at $450. I educated them on how to care for him, they were feeding him live ghost shrimp. He was there for 2 months and I offered them and paid $250.

This LFS justifies there very high prices by saying they take better care of their animals and for the most part that is true. However all their long term predators are obviously not in the best of health. For example they have had this zebra eel (listed for 580$ I believe) that is just continuing to deteriorate. As you say they're probably just feeding it krill and would never go to the effort of food like salmon even though they want almost 600 for it.

 

[Petcrazyson]

I would give a week and ask them if they are eating and what they are feeding them. Then I would tell them it was going to die before anyone was going to buy them and offer them $200. And because of the lack of integrity don't offer any information.

Won‘t they catch on what your trying to do?

 

[LOVEROCK]

U forgot a arm and a leg

The local fish store around me be trying to take you for every penny

 

[lion king]

Because of their initially pricing they likely paid less than $150.

 

[Petcrazyson]

This LFS justifies there very high prices by saying they take better care of their animals and for the most part that is true. However all their long term predators are obviously not in the best of health. For example they have had this zebra eel (listed for 580$ I believe) that is just continuing to deteriorate. As you say they're probably just feeding it krill and would never go to the effort of food like salmon even though they want almost 600 for it.

Well how about this…..”This LFS justifies there very high prices by saying they take better care of their animals”. IMO all lfs say that and all they really refer to is coral. Look at TSA and WWC, some of the best LFS out there and have great show tanks set up for fish and coral. But what about the fish they keep in the selling section. I’m sure almost everyone here has seen an out of proportion sized fish for the 5gallon tank they are kept in.

 

[Petcrazyson]

Because of their initially pricing they likely paid less than $150.

Of course they paid less thats what all retailers do by wholesale and charge us an arm and a leg.

 

[One Reefing Boi]

Won‘t they catch on what your trying to do?

Sure but if the eel is going to die, I’d rather make $200 on it rather than $0 with a dead eel

 

[olonmv]

Won‘t they catch on what your trying to do?

They’re either gonna have to watch it slowly die and lose money. Feed it until someone maybe buys it or continually be low balled until they give. I hope op gets the latter.