# How much are you willing to pay for a shrimp?



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Assuming you have some experience with keeping/breeding bee shrimp, let's use CRS as an example, how much would you be willing to pay for a high quality shrimp to your breeding base?

I browse some Asian sites quite often and see a single good quality shrimp go for over CDN $500 , sometimes WAY over, and there isn't a shortage in buyers. In fact, people are lined up to buy these. I'm not talking about just Japan, even in China where average income is lower than Canada, people seem to be willing to pay high prices for these things we call a hobby. I understand that shrimping in NA has its own style and progress and can't really compare that to Asia or Europe (not saying which is better). But just curious.

For myself, I would probably pay for $100 for a good shrimp, maybe $200 for something I happen to like and need, assuming shipping cost and risk isn't an issue. *What about you?*


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

I think it's an issue of expertise. If I know that I can keep the shrimp alive and have it breed, then I might be willing to pay 500$ for a high grade shrimp, especially if that means it can give me hundreds of offsprings each worth 20$+.


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## Symplicity (Oct 14, 2011)

I would not pay more than $30 for a single shrimp. 
Just due to how prices drop so rapidly and how difficult some are to keep.

Look at rilli and other mutations. blue rillis are going for a premium. by next year prob $2 ea.

who knows blue bolts may be 1/2 price by years end.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

There is a difference between an expensive shrimp and a good quality shrimp thou. The ones that go for high prices in Japan are still mostly CRS. These CRS show really high quality coluration (not so much on grading). 

I wouldn't pay too much for shrimps like chocolate because it's guaranteed to lose its value. But for a high quality CRS, it's been developed by generations of selective breed to achieve certain quality. That's what I'd be paying for myself.

I myself is also leaning toward the features a shrimp is displaying, instead of just grading. Not all SSS are the same, if the colour is bad, it is worth nothing to me.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

randy said:


> There is a difference between an expensive shrimp and a good quality shrimp thou. The ones that go for high prices in Japan are still mostly CRS. These CRS show really high quality coluration (not so much on grading).
> 
> I wouldn't pay too much for shrimps like chocolate because it's guaranteed to lose its value. But for a high quality CRS, it's been developed by generations of selective breed to achieve certain quality. That's what I'd be paying for myself.
> 
> I myself is also leaning toward the features a shrimp is displaying, instead of just grading. Not all SSS are the same, if the colour is bad, it is worth nothing to me.


Yup, the grading seems to be more for us and our pricing. Over there, it's quality. Looking at wholesale lists, A grades are $2.50, SSS+ are only like $7. But you know their coloration isn't the best and even though they are SSS+, they are still culls to them. On the same list, A grade Ebiten purelines are $20 still. 10x the price for an A grade but that is what they are after, solid whites and reds, nice legs. Over here, the grading is important for pricing. A grade, $3, SSS+ $30-$50 a piece. 10x the price for us here by most sellers because we are stuck in the grading system. Over there, they would take a solid white A grade over an SSS+ that has bad whites where here people look at A-S grades like mehhh.

As for what I would pay, probably TB's for $30-$40 a piece is the most I would go but I'm waiting to setup another tank for them and by the time I do, they will probably be cheaper.


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## CrystalMethShrimp (Apr 27, 2010)

Yup I totally agree, we are too prioritized on patterns rather then color intensity here in the "west". I believe that is mostly due to the fact most "westeners" have never seen how vibrant and vivid a beautiful A/S crs looks like. 

But that's alright we're.in the early/mid stage of the hobby.
I have one SS hino no entry, with intense whites that make it just pop out from the rest of my colony. HIS name is Albert and I think the epitome of success or failure will be solely due in part to weahter he breeds for me or dies. I would choose him over my entire colony, b/c he has the genes to start an entire generation.


Make no mistake, when professional breeders fork out hundreds even thousands of dollars for a high QUALITY crs, he is buying the genes so he can produce more. There is definitely a market for crs from $50-$500 a pop. If there wasn't then their price would have dropped a long ago. (Supply and demand)


They are expensive b/c unlike the "trends" (chocolate,rilli,bolts) CRS is unique in that they are constanly refined, genetically, with extensive effort and resource to produce the best and vibrant colors. People have devoted their lives to this shrimp, which is why the hobby has flourished in asia and most parts of the world. The max I would spend when I'm making +$100,000 annual and in my mid 30's is probably about $2000. The best part is I will sell the offsprings to the rest of the GTA much cheaper.


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

At the moment, I just can't accept the fact that shrimps have short life. 

$25 max for now 

In the other hand, by paying $25 per shrimp in the pet industry can get very very high grade!


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## brianc (Mar 19, 2007)

I personally don't have the courage to spend $500 on a shrimp just yet. The day I do however. I would like to bring higher quality strains of CRS to Toronto and breed them myself. There needs to be higher quality genetics here. I only find the same few guys selling CRS. And I don't see much quality SSS+ often. 

If someone were to bring some very high quality shrimp in and breed it themselves they could make some nice $$$ selling it in GTA.

If anyone knows where I can get some higher quality CRS let me know 

Want to start a new CRS tank.

Where are all you CRS keepers getting your shrimp from?


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Brianc, I have heard a few people planning to get some high grade CRS in, I'm sure a few stores have source to do so. But TBH, I am not sure if there is a market big enough for that.

Most people here still can't get over with the thought of paying $100 for a SS+ when you can get a SSS+ for like $20 somewhere else, but in my book the two shrimps are in no way in the same league. I actually like SS+ more than SSS or SSS+. Like I say, I wouldn't mind paying $100 to $200 a pop even when I know the offsprings may not sell. But having them and breed them makes me very happy, I make a living with something else to support my hobby.


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## brianc (Mar 19, 2007)

For sure. The enjoyment is the ultimate reasoning. I'm just worried I wont be able to keep them alive. My shrimp skill level is still low


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I had the pleasure to spend a few hours at novice's place this evening when I picked up a few CRS from him, see buy & sell section if you're starting. His price is unbelievably low (don't tell him that ;-), I bet you can't even buy higher grade cherry with that price, and chatting with him was such a pleasure. Then the thought came to me -- maybe we should have a shrimpist get together (SG2G), anyone would be interested in that? I'm biased if I'm to pick a place, it will be in or very close to Markham. We can have people talking about their experience and we can all learn from each other.


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## arc (Mar 11, 2010)

20 is the max I will pay/paid. The thing you have to realize is that you HAVE to breed them just to keep the colony going.

You can get PRL from a local in Toronto and even order them from BC(also KK, panda, blue bolts, TT, Aura Blues). Use the search feature to find the seller if you are interested and the prices fairly good.

A friend picked up some PRL last year and its amazing how thick the colours are compared to the normal ones. The price was under 15/piece for the PRL but he didn't get many to breed and its past the breeding age for most of the colony. Big reason we don't see higher end shrimps here, the time frame for you to breed enough so the colony can survive let alone have enough to sell is about a year or less.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

ARC, not all PBL are the same, if anyone is selling high quality ones (PBL or not), I'm definitely interested. PM me if anyone has any for sale, price depends on quality but $15 ea is about the going price for regular SSS among hobbists. You pay more from stores but that's just understandable.

The seller in BC now works with AI to serve GTA customers. They have nice ones but unless you get the K14 line, I don't consider them as very high quality. You can definitely breed them to get good ones, that's the fun part in shrimp keeping and very rewarding.


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## brianc (Mar 19, 2007)

Does AI sell CRS and CBS? Never seen any there.


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## Fishyfishyfishy (Mar 3, 2008)

randy said:


> Assuming you have some experience with keeping/breeding bee shrimp, let's use CRS as an example, how much would you be willing to pay for a high quality shrimp to your breeding base?
> 
> I browse some Asian sites quite often and see a single good quality shrimp go for over CDN $500 , sometimes WAY over, and there isn't a shortage in buyers. In fact, people are lined up to buy these. I'm not talking about just Japan, even in China where average income is lower than Canada, people seem to be willing to pay high prices for these things we call a hobby. I understand that shrimping in NA has its own style and progress and can't really compare that to Asia or Europe (not saying which is better). But just curious.
> 
> For myself, I would probably pay for $100 for a good shrimp, maybe $200 for something I happen to like and need, assuming shipping cost and risk isn't an issue. *What about you?*


The people that buy them are the well off people in Asia. If you ever go to Asia (any big city), you will see. I think they live much better than North Americans.


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

It depends on what shrimp, for some of the fancier shrimp like OEBT I'd probably be upwards to 20-30$ each and that's on the super cheap range of those shrimp.

I'd never even try to go towards BKK or pandas, imagine one of those dying on you? Arg...


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

splur said:


> It depends on what shrimp, for some of the fancier shrimp like OEBT I'd probably be upwards to 20-30$ each and that's on the super cheap range of those shrimp.
> 
> I'd never even try to go towards BKK or pandas, imagine one of those dying on you? Arg...


BKK/panda's/WR's are only 30-50$ now, they have come down a lot. A black tiger is that much and 10x harder to find. lol.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I myself don't really like Taiwan Bee Shrimp such as BKK, BB, and WR. I may eventually get some and try them out but my main goal is still CRS.

I haven't seen any CRS pictures from Canada that is worth more than $100 yet, granted, I haven't seen too many. And I'd like you to challenge me and I will pay $100 for your shrimp if it looks good.

What I'm talking about is shrimps in the pictures in the following link (a Taiwanese breeder's blog), for those, I'm willing to pay for high prices.

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/aquaplant_master/article?mid=1444&prev=1451&next=1383&l=f&fid=15

So, if you think those shrimps look like the SSS/SSS+ in your or your friend's tank, compare the intensity of the white and red And, a tip for grading -- look at the legs. Whole red legs are good, most people like whole white better (not transparent !), and red + white covering entire legs is the ultimate.

I've been looking at these Taiwanese, Chinese, Japanese breeders' shrimps... it hurts my eyes, it will eventually hurt my wallet ;-)


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

getochkn said:


> BKK/panda's/WR's are only 30-50$ now, they have come down a lot. A black tiger is that much and 10x harder to find. lol.


Oh really? I remember them being like 200$ ea lol. Very interesting, I may expand my collection then.


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## Jaysan (Dec 19, 2011)

brianc said:


> Does AI sell CRS and CBS? Never seen any there.


I believe they do.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

splur said:


> Oh really? I remember them being like 200$ ea lol. Very interesting, I may expand my collection then.


Crystals are one of the few shrimp that seems to stand the test of time in terms of pricing. All the new fancy colored neo's start off expensive and drop to 1/10th their price in a year. TB's now that they are breeding well and not so fragile, have come down as well. I don't see them getting much cheaper though for a while still. Wholesale price lists from Asia still show them at 30-50 a piece depending on 1 bar/bkk/panda, etc and those prices are around what we can get them for as well, so their prices are pretty stable for now. I'm deciding on whether to tear down my neo tanks and go more for crystal and eventually tb's. I love the colors and patterns of crystals and honestly, seem to have better luck breeding them than neo's. lol. I can't get a tank of cherries if my life depends on me. People breed the things in totes, ponds, tanks in a basement left unplugged for 5 months and have thousands, mine don't. My crystals are rocking though, so I should stick with them. lol.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Jaysan said:


> I believe they do.


They are low in stock. Maybe 2 or 3 SSS CBS and no CRS when I checked yesterday. I believe they're waiting for some OEBTs to be available before they make a new order. Novice has some A/S grade CRS for sale at bottom price as CRS goes, I got a few from him last Thursday and got the first berried female yesterday, definitely a good starting crew.


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