Today's auction finds

[OldMan]

Well I went to the Circle City club auction in Indianapolis today and came home with both some Characodon lateralis and some Skiffia lermai, both with location information. It was a day for bargains for the buyers and I couldn't resist some Corydoras sterbai and even some Corydoras paleatus. Even the equipment was a severe test of character, and I was found wanting. Now I have 3 new tanks that need a stand built before I can use them. As is usual I spent most of the day running fish for the auctioneer so I am sitting down for a few minutes before the next fish move. My endlers have officially lost one of their breeding colonies to the Characodons. My latest group of molly fry are also destined to join their older brothers and sisters to make room for the Xentoca eisenii that spent the summer in a camp out, which will make room for the Skiffia.
I just had to tell someone and this is a friendlier place for nonsense posts like this than most places.

[Pamelajo]

Sounds like you enjoyed your day bidding on fish and equipment. Glad to hear that I am not the only who has a hard time resisting cories.
Around here we like to share in peoples purchases etc. it is all part of the enjoyment of fish keeping. And it is not a nonsense post!

[blainep]

Sounds like a great day !

Now, as we like to say here at CAC, where are the pictures ? :yes:

[susankat]

Sounds like auction day for several today. We had a zoo tour and auction today. Brought home several fish. A colony of Badis Rubra, Apisto Cacs, 9 more bristlenose and someone brought me another koi angel. Also made arraignments for a breeding colony of c. sterbi that will be brought to me as soon as the tank is ready.

[CACAdmin]

Oldman and Susan, it sounds like both of you have fuller tanks and emptier pockets.:laugh: That's a good thing in this hobby. Great finds, both of you. We'll be awaiting pictures.

Oldman, now I know why you were trying to deter me from giving people ideas to tempt buyers in the Auction Tips thread. :twitcy:

[GaryofMontreal]

The Characodon are quite a pick up - I wish we had stuff like that in the auctions here. I've always been a sterbai fan too. I have two old wild-caughts here that must be six or seven years in captivity here. They're really beautiful and hardy corys.
I got a spoon to start my tunnel to the USA so we can get some of those fry you'll soon have...

[OldMan]

I won't have any sterbai fry soon Gary. I no longer even try to get my water suitable for cory breeding. The livebearers are a fairly common thing around here, although those particular ones are some that I have not had before. The club I went to is the one that hosted the ALA convention last spring and has several livebearer fans. In my own club it is just me and the club president that are nuts for livebearers. If the two of us don't have something, it is not available in our own club. The variation is all over the map as you go from club to club.

[GaryofMontreal]

Our local clubs are an interesting study - we have two - one in each language. Both have been in serious decline, although the English one is apparently stable and the French one is turning things around, slowly. We went from an easy 100 to 150 members per meeting, with at least a hundred lots per month 12 years ago, down to ten attendees and zero lots a couple of years ago in the francophone club. It took the local hobby close to ten years to begin the rebound from a natural disaster (a mid-winter ice storm that wiped out almost all the larger fishrooms).
Two hours away, there's a dynamic club in Quebec City that never had its continuity broken and probably has more consistently interesting fish in the auctions than in the much larger Montreal area.

The keepers with Goodeids locally almost all lost their set-ups to ice in 1998, and almost all left the hobby.

[susankat]

I didn't have to empty my pockets to bad, I only spent $5.00.

[CACAdmin]

You came home with quite a few new additions, Susan. That's great when you sales pretty much cover your purchases.:thumbup:

[susankat]

Thing is I didn't take anything to auction. Most of the items were going pretty cheap and most of mine were mercy bids of $1. There were several people at the auction but no one was wanting fish I guess. Plants went real high though.

[CACAdmin]

It's strange how that happens sometimes. Plants always see to go for a good price but fish are unpredicatable, sometimes getting a good price and other times going for a song. I guess it was your lucky day, Susan (if somewhat disappointing for the sellers of those fish... however, I'm sure they're pleased that they've gone to a good home.)

[Ursus sapien]

I've never been to a club auction... or even a club. Sound like fun.

[Pamelajo]

You should check out and see if there is one in your neighborhood. We have them listed here http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=69.

Usually every meeting has a program on something fish related. Then there is a mini auction. Then usually once a year they have a big auction, where all clubs and public are welcome.

[fishclubgirl]

I would not recommend going to a fish auction ever!!!! They are highly addictive and habit forming even requiring long distance travel to satisfy that craving!!! Do not start or you will become like me, travelling around North America for fish!! All kidding aside, I have a great time at auctions and it's great to meet new friends and see old ones too. And a few extra fish or plants never hurt anyone.

[Melody]

Nice scores indeed :yes: , very exciting to find some of the more rare specimens. It's all relative, a few people get a species in an area, the market gets saturated quickly and something that is desired elsewhere becomes "can't give it away". It goes in cycles though, as people get out of breeding them when they can't move them, or they simply get bored with them. If we could convince more people to ship, it would be better, but eventually everything in North America will be everywhere in North America.

What we should be organizing is club trades, if the border officials weren't so damned ornery. We can do it in Canada though, it wouldn't really take much for each club to compile a list of what is there, then take orders. The designated shipper could get some bonuses for the job, free fish or whatever.

Y'all go do that, I'll wait here. ::D:

Now get breeding, you two! I'm waiting for you to have enough for me to justify next month's grocery money in FedEx fees! Everytime you post about your fish, I'm counting on my fingers to see if you have enough for me yet. :ChargeIt:

I wonder if it wouldn't be better to have all Fall auctions before the end of October? Once we hit November, people are crunching numbers for Christmas.