A Good Selling Price For A Complete Setup?

I'm at a college, where a lot of folks tend to get bettas as dorm room pets. I've got a 2.5 gallon Topfin betta cube that I happen to not need anymore and I'm thinking of selling it, along with what's in it right now. Mostly, I want to clear space and offset the cost of an unrelated purchase.

I got it about 2 years ago but it's basically good as new. It's got a modified filter, a preset heater, black sand substrate, about 5 marimo moss balls of varying sizes, and a freshly propagated pothos cutting. The lid has a built in light, though it's too dinky to grow much of anything. I'm also planning on gluing a small cave of slate rocks together soon. It is cycled as well, though the only things living in it right now are some pest snails.

The tank itself cost me about $45 back when I got it, I think. They don't make the model anymore so I can't check to be sure. I'm thinking of putting everything listed at $50. Considering the tank's cycled and all it's missing is fish food, water conditioner, and a fish, it doesn't seem that unreasonable, but I don't know. Any thoughts?

 

I know I'd pay extra for an already cycled tank. $55 seems like a good offer, maybe even $60 considering the extras.

 

I know I'd pay extra for an already cycled tank. $55 seems like a good offer, maybe even $60 considering the extras.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I'm just wondering if most of the potential buyers around here would understand that, since $60 up front seems like a ton when you're convinced a betta is happiest in an unheated $10 plastic quart of filthy water... it'd probably be smart to explain how having all these "extra" things is beneficial, huh?

 

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I'm just wondering if most of the potential buyers around here would understand that, since $60 up front seems like a ton when you're convinced a betta is happiest in an unheated $10 plastic quart of filthy water... it'd probably be smart to explain how having all these "extra" things is beneficial, huh?

Yep it'd be good to school them on it. They'll leave with a good deal and some knowledge.

 

While your points are valid, it's hard to justify to the average used-equipment-buyer $60 for a 2.5 gallon tank when you can buy a "brand new" one (albeit un-cycled) for $30, or even worse, during the dollar/gallon sale where you could theoretically set up an entire ten gallon for about $60 right now. If you're selling at an aquarium club or something it might make sense, but if you're talking about Craigslist it might be a tough sell. Sorry to be negative. I have three bettas in 2.5 to 5 gallon tanks. The 2.5 has a rooted pothos in it with Ecocomplete and a heater along with java fern and moss...all in a free tank with a free plant cutting and leftovers from my other tanks. I guess my point is that the value of an aquarium is greatest to its owner...

 

I don't see many people even paying $45. Maybe $30 . . .

 

While your points are valid, it's hard to justify to the average used-equipment-buyer $60 for a 2.5 gallon tank when you can buy a "brand new" one (albeit un-cycled) for $30, or even worse, during the dollar/gallon sale where you could theoretically set up an entire ten gallon for about $60 right now. If you're selling at an aquarium club or something it might make sense, but if you're talking about Craigslist it might be a tough sell. Sorry to be negative. I have three bettas in 2.5 to 5 gallon tanks. The 2.5 has a rooted pothos in it with Ecocomplete and a heater along with java fern and moss...all in a free tank with a free plant cutting and leftovers from my other tanks. I guess my point is that the value of an aquarium is greatest to its owner...

Ye, true. I was factoring in how the extras would pile up if you bought them yourself, most stores sell moss balls for like $5-10 each so it adds up a lot when you include other stuff like decor, substrate, and a heater. if each thing listed cost only $5 each, you're still looking at $40+ not even including the tank itself... anyways that's beside the point unless someone knows that. Which they probably won't unless I mention it.
And it's fine to be a little negative! I need to know what people will realistically buy.

And ye, I know one could realistically set up a 10 gallon for $60, but a lot of folks looking for a 2.5 gallon betta tank either don't have the space (dorm rooms lol), or they're intimidated by the size or think it's excessive for one betta. Or it'd just be more convenient to buy one that's set up and ready, rather than having to do everything themselves and wait for a month. Folks are busy and sometimes impatient, right?