the price of quality livestock

This topic was bought up in another thread yesterday this was written in response to the question

I'm really frustrated in trying to find top quality goldfish. Many hobbyists I speak with express disappointment when they visit aquarium stores in search of goldfish that resemble the quality goldfish they've seen. Someone suggested that I consider importing goldfish from China or Hong Kong. Is this a common procedure with hobbyists? If so, how is it done, and is it worth it?


Although aquarium stores do carry lionhead goldfish, oranda goldfish, bubble-eye goldfish and the like, these goldfish are rarely of the consistent quality — body shape, finnage, color So why can't you find these spectacular fancy goldfish in local fish stores?
Frankly, in most cases, it does not make good business sense for store owners to stock fancy goldfish. First, good quality fancy goldfish are very expensive — even at wholesale prices. Retail prices are correspondingly higher, ranging from $50 to $500 per goldfish. For the cost of a dozen top quality fancy goldfish the store owner could get several hundred tropical fish.
A second, but related, point is that there just isn't a tremendous local market for fancy goldfish. Keeping any livestock is a risky business. In particular, the longer you have to hold the fish, the greater the chance of the fish dying. Where tropical fish tend to move through a fish store in a matter of weeks, high quality fancy goldfish might sit around for six months or longer. Consider that the death of one high quality fancy goldfish represents the same dollar loss as one or more tanks of tropical fish.
Third, despite what most people think, goldfish are not easy to keep. They place heavy filtration and aeration demands on aquarium systems. They are prone to bacterial and fungal infections. They are big fish and take up a lot of tank space. All of this adds up to substantial complications for the fish store owner. Therefore, unless there's a proven local market, a personal interest in goldfish on the dealer's part or a desire to set up a special display aquarium, he or she is unlikely to invest in these fish. Factors I can think of can affect pricing are:-
1) Quality as of known source or bloodline, mass vs selective production
2) Quantity (Rarity)
3) Source location as of distance and transit cost, and the dealer or middle man involved.
4) Seller ways of charging, e.g buffering for unsold or death, their overhead.
5) Supply and Demand
6) Benching marking to certain criteria

If competition in goldfish shows is your goal, one practical alternative is to special order these goldfish. Most good quality aquarium stores have sources for fancy goldfish from which they can order on a case by case basis. with expensive show quality goldfish most suppliers will provide photos so the customer can select the fish he or she wants.
Another excellent option is to contact the Goldfish Society of America. Their publication contains ads by many reliable domestic goldfish breeders of excellent quality goldfish. These can be shipped to you directly. Some goldfish breeders may even be in your area so you can visit them and select your goldfish.

This applies to many different specie of fish not just goldfish

Rick