Looking for reputable wholesalers.

[Aquarist20]

Hello everyone. I am looking for some reputable wholesalers. Doesnt really matter where they are located. I currently deal with a couple in LA but would like to expand my possibilities as the ones I deal with have not had much on their lists lately. I would really appreciate any help that you may give.

Thanks,
Dustin

 

[dizzy]

Hello everyone. I am looking for some reputable wholesalers. Doesnt really matter where they are located. I currently deal with a couple in LA but would like to expand my possibilities as the ones I deal with have not had much on their lists lately. I would really appreciate any help that you may give.

Thanks,
Dustin

Dustin,
Were you intentionally using an oxymoron, or was it an accident? :lol: Just kidding. Which ones have you tried?
Mitch

 

[Anonymous]

Doesn't seem like many of the wholsalers have much on their lists other than bread-and-butter stuff. It's very difficult to get large or XL corals and anemones right now, and don't get me started on rare fish.

Why is that?

Peace,

Chip

 

[Anonymous]

Summer.

 

[clarionreef]

Too much ...
....BREAD AND BUTTER, FEW LARGE CORALS OR RARE FISH??
Think real hard....
In the slow season when dealers die...it is a luxury to stock up on cherry items and unsaleable items to much degree.
It takes pie to support cherries...it takes cake to provide substrate for icing and as far as the scarcity of 'rare' fish, Well it must be on account of them being...ahh... rare.
XL large hammers of brilliant green and shimmering ultra green bubble corals are not so easy to ship or profit from. If it were...it would be done. Many die or fade to brown...If you were the importer, how many xl hammers would you import to get the super 3-5 that everyone wants? And if you know how to calculate landed costs on the dead and the unsaleable...referenced to the cost of the really good ones...you'll find that the good ones were a lost leader item.
How much money would you like to lose to ...please someone?

For every ultra...incredible...one of a kind item...a lot of so-so, brown and mediocre items have to move. Imagine telling divers you want them to only catch the ultra cool stuff.
Theres no way you could do that. Nor can people of great experience do it. Divers have to eat and nature makes far more average animals then supurlative ones.
Believe me....There is no paucity of super cool items for lack of knowledge about them....or forgetting to order them.
Their prices tend to be subsidized by the bread and butter stuff.
Buyers who try to just get the cherries are the worst customers we have. They hurt a business badly by denying a fair share of the good stuff to everyone.
Steve
PS. We all get cherries...we just don't put them all on the lists.
Why? Because they are so easy to sell...you don't have to even try. They are 'AWARDED' to the regular customers who also buy bread and butter.
Anyone can pick out the coolest coral or clam out of a hundred. Did anyone ever think that was a talent?

 

[Anonymous]

How much money would you like to lose to ...please someone?

...ask my ex-fiancee. She knows it's a lot.

Peace,

Chip

 

[clarionreef]

Exactly...
Thankless and empty feeling isn't it?
I mean you work your ass off [ can we say that?] and spend all the treasure...and thats all she can say?
After spending 2.5 k on a shipment of coral last week...a walk-in retailer asked me when the 'next one' was coming in so he could perhaps find one or two that were more special.
After selling off this one I guess was the answer.
It was met with that incomprehensed expression....you know like the one that reads..." So? When are the large, mis-priced blinding blue acros coming in so I can buy only those and make a 500% mark-up?"
Leaving...he requested a call when the one of a kind stuff is in...
I guess the ease of volume based, dry goods merchandising is thought to apply on live rare stuff. And these aren't hobbyists...but dealers!
Steve

 

[JT]

Dustin:

The shortages you see on your regular suppliers lists are quite normal for this time of year. I doubt you will find a "pot of gold" at just one supplier. During the summer time, you have to shop around from multiple suppliers.

Who are you currently buying from regularly? Although I work for a major LA wholesaler, I am not bias and gladly point people to other sources when I don't have or can't get a particular product.

Shortage of LG & XL corals? Try a shortage of corals of all sizes throughout LA.

 

[clarionreef]

Now JT,
THE EASE OF WHICH WE MAKE OUR MILLIONS...
IS not regulated by anything is it?
I mean point, select, click and voila...you get it ...right?
Actually;
CITES quotas are being used up and some exporters are shutdown til the new quotas are purchased...I mean issued.
Steve

 

[JT]

Now JT,
CITES quotas are being used up and some exporters are shutdown til the new quotas are purchased...I mean issued.

Issued? No, you were correct with "purchased".

 

[Aquarist20]

Sorry if I offended anyone by saying that there was not too much on the lists. I really did not mean to do that if I did.

Basically I was just looking to broaden my resources for marine fish and inverts.

I was not looking for the "cherries" per say, just someone who I can get livestock from on a regular basis and that usually has a good selection, healthy stuff, and is good to deal with.

Currently I get most of my livestock from Sea Dwelling. And maybe twice a month I get stuff from MSI. I have and order coming today from Pacific Aquafarms which I have not really done much business with in the past.

That was just an accident mitch.

Once again thanks for any help.

 

[Fish_dave]

If Jakarta is your main source of coral product then the unavailability of cites and quota from Indonesia will definitly affect stock lists at present. Not much variety is coming from Indonesia right now. That will probably change soon when as Steve says "quotas are purchased".

If Jakarta is not your main source then there is still good availability around. There are other sources out there that are not from Indonesia. It takes a little more work to deal with the other sources as they are not "cookie cutter" consistent like Indo corals. They also do not tran-ship well which wipes out a lot of the Indo trade which is tran-shipped out of L.A. (over 60 % of indo corals are tran-shipped out of L.A. I believe). We have a full stock of product available now and have had through the summer. Our sales numbers for June and July are better than for February and March this year. That is certainly not typical for the industry. Maybe I just had a terrible February and March.

The wholesale operations that are not heavily Indonesia dependant seem to be having a very good summer so far. The ones that I talk to (mainly in L.A.) are surprized at what a good summer it has been so far sales wise. There are plenty of large, xlg, and unusual corals available in L.A. if you look in the right places. Blue zooanthids, bright green clavularia, Blue teardrop clams, gigas, Acroporas of all sizes are all available right now and have been for most of the summer. Just shop around a little.

Dave

 

[Aquarist20]

See thats just what I am trying to do Dave is shop around and find some more wholesalers to buy from. Like I aready stated I am not looking for those L or XL pieces or just "cherries", I just want to find more people to buy from. Why must it be so hard to do?

 

[JennM]

I just want to find more people to buy from. Why must it be so hard to do?

Could be because it's a relatively finite resource.... once a buyer lands on a good source of livestock we aren't as apt to share it. If I tell you where my best stuff comes from, you effectively become my competitor for it. It's not like who has the best price on Maxi-Jet Powerheads... there's a virtually unlimited supply of those... but there are only so many corals and fishes imported each week, and when a shop has a good supply line established, at least speaking for myself, since I deal with smaller wholesalers, I'm a bit selfish I love to give a plug for my wholesalers, but at the same time I don't want to shorten my own supply.

Jenn

 

[dizzy]

See thats just what I am trying to do Dave is shop around and find some more wholesalers to buy from. Like I aready stated I am not looking for those L or XL pieces or just "cherries", I just want to find more people to buy from. Why must it be so hard to do?

Sounds like you already are getting stuff from some pretty decent ones. From the sound of Dave's post you should be fairly happy with your order today. You might try Quality and Underwater World too. I think too much shopping around can sometimes work against you. I think wholesalers generally reward their biggest and most loyal customers with the better stuff they get in. But what do I know?
Mitch

 

[Aquarist20]

Maybe it is not such a good idea to "shop around" but thats what I would like to do.

I will look into Q&UW, what city are they in that way I can find contact information.

And I do agree that the suppliers we currently purchase from have wonderful stuff and it is always in good condition. We have had great success with Sea Dwelling and MSI. I was supposed to get a shipment from Pacific Aquafarms today but it seems our flight has been bumped and may not arrive until tomorrow now, or late tonight.

I know there has to be more, I just dont understand why no one would like to help. I understand your point Jenn and that may be why no one else is helping either. Maybe there is I place I can go to look for this information myself rather than someone giving out there prized wholesaler?

Once again Thanks,
Dustin

 

[JennM]

Pick up any FAMA. Many wholesalers are listed there. That or Pet Product News or Pet Business has ads too.

The information is out there... and in plain view.

Q and UWW are in LA - 104th street I believe - there are dozens of wholesalers on 104th street.

Jenn

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe it is not such a good idea to "shop around" but thats what I would like to do.

I will look into Q&UW, what city are they in that way I can find contact information.

And I do agree that the suppliers we currently purchase from have wonderful stuff and it is always in good condition. We have had great success with Sea Dwelling and MSI. I was supposed to get a shipment from Pacific Aquafarms today but it seems our flight has been bumped and may not arrive until tomorrow now, or late tonight.

I know there has to be more, I just dont understand why no one would like to help. I understand your point Jenn and that may be why no one else is helping either. Maybe there is I place I can go to look for this information myself rather than someone giving out there prized wholesaler?

Once again Thanks,
Dustin

ever hear of google ?

 

[Anonymous]

fwiw, between places like sdc, and msi, you just about have the sources for everything typically availabe anyway

 

[Anonymous]

there are also small operations that operate out of places like hawaii, 1-2 person type ops... but there not the most reliable people to deal with


most stores have invested many years/work finding those places, building relationshios, etc., so i doubt you'll get the info volunteered to you, as jenn alluded