Prices?

[TMoct]

I am wondering what to make of the wildly disparate prices for on-line octo suppliers.

As a quick example:
caribbean_fish_collectors (Ebay listing) of unknown species, perhaps Briareus: $15 + $40s/h.
another Ebay listing for Octopus Briareus: $45 + $70s/h.
coldwater marine listing of Bimac (when available): $350 + s/h
liveaquaria, unspecified species (claim from indonesia): $60 + s/h

Is this just a function of species, in that Bimac's are just a lot more expensive? Is a price of around $50 typical for an octopus with a somewhat unknown species type?

Just trying to get my bearings here.

 

[CaptFish]

$40-$60 seems to be the most common price. and IMO the most fair price considering the short lifespan. Liveaquaria seems to be the most consistent supplier, lately they rarely don't have them in stock. They do also get octos that are a lot more expensive in the "Divers Den"

Bimacs are very cool and do typically live longer, but they do require a coldwater system. $350 for an octopus is too much IMO.

 

[DWhatley]

I agree with CaptFish $40-$60 (plus shipping so you can count on about $100 if you buy on-line and around $75 in a LSF outside of FL) for a Caribbean or common Indonesian species is both common and reasonable with an arrive alive guarantee.

The reason you pay more for something else is availability. Bimacs are restricted in California and are not found much of anywhere else so if Stu gets one north of there it is by chance and would be one of very few legally available to sell. IF you locate someone who has hatchlings and can pick it up (rare but it does happen) then the cost of the drive may make a bimac closer in price to something from another area. If an individual has to ship an animal without a business account, the shipping cost alone will exceed $75. The exotics can be as pricey, live for a much shorter time and need to remain in the wild at least until we can successful tank raise them. Domestic propagation is not something in the foreseeable future and not something many will be able to accomplish even when we do figure it out as it won't be a simple solution.

I have often wondered why we don't seem to be able to trade livestock with Mexico as it would seem like an opportunity for both parties. I suspect the reason we can get animals from Indonesia and not our closer southern neighbors has to do with drug trafficking problems. It looks like Live Aquaria has an O. maya available (the one you posted appears to be this species) and I have wondered about its suitability for a home aquarium. I asked Roy about it some time ago and he said his in situ observations made him think they may to too large but these are being grown for food and I would like the opportunity to try one (I have a 140+ that I could use if it turned out to be necessary). Since octos come in a variety of sizes within species, it would seem like an ideal opportunity for the octo farm to sell the slow growers to the hobby community. Pie in the sky thinking probably but it has crossed my mind several times. This species is large egged so there is interesting aquarist opportunity .