Rocky Mountain Cichlid Association

Auction Rules

 

1. Viewing of items to be auctioned will begin at 9:00 am.

2. A bidder number is required to purchase items in the auction or quick sale tables

• Bidder numbers are free after the proper identification forms are filled out and turned in to the check in/check out table.
• Bidders are expected to pay by cash, check, or debit/credit card when checking out.

3. Bags can be moved up in line for a $2 Move-Up fee

• There is no implied guarantee that a bidder bringing an item forward will be the ultimate successful bidder

4. All sales are final!

• Once fish are sold it is up to buyers to properly keep fish alive!
• In the back we can re-bag fish for a $2 Rebagging Fee that are struggling but it is up to the buyers to recognize and get their new friends help! It’s a good Idea to check on fish every hour at minimum!
• The RMCA is not responsible for dead/diseased fish or faulty equipment.

5. There is a $5 bidder fee for non-club members payable at checkout. If you don’t buy anything, there is no bidder fee. A bidder number can be obtained at the registration table. club members pay no bidder fee. Memberships can be purchased at the registration table for the $15 membership fee.

6. To sell fish at auction you will need to register at mygroupauctions.com and upload information there prior to auction.

• PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS IS UP TO DATE (This is where your checks are going!)

7. Doors open at 8 am

• Auction will start at 10:00 am
• Bidders will not be allowed to browse through the main auction table while items are being auctioned

8. All bags must be cichlids, scavengers, plants, live foods or large dither fish (ie rainbows)

• Dither fish allowed will be limited to rainbow fish, or other unusual dither fish. Common community fish such as guppies, mollies, swordtails, tetras and danios will not be allowed. Unusual fish such as Congo tetras, galaxy/celestial danios, killifish, eels and the like will be allowed.
• Scavengers are identified as Plecostomus, catfish, shrimp, snails, corys, loaches, crayfish, or others whose main function is to assist with the “cleaning” of an aquarium.
• ALL else will be considered donations to the RMCA and sold on the Quick Sale table. Sellers of these fish will have the opportunity to pull the fish off the table and withdrawn from the auction.
• Only donated dry goods will be auctioned off, other dry goods will be placed on the “quick sale” table near back or side.
• Members of the board or their delegates will attempt to review the sell list the night before the auction and notify the seller if something is questionable. This will likely be by email, but we could try by phone if the number is available.
• We encourage sellers to limit bags of plants entered in the auction to the more uncommon species. Common plants like duckweed, guppy grass, vallisneria, etc. should be sold through the Quick Sale table.

9. Fish should be bagged in a professional manner.

• Ziploc bags will not be accepted
• Its important to not feed your fish for 48 hours prior to bagging!
• Highly encouraged to use 100% new water with dechlorinator when bagging except for low pH species
• Fish should either be double bagged or in at least 3mil square bottom bags/taped corners
• Improperly bagged fish or leaking bags will be re-bagged at the RMCA’s discretion with a $2 ReBagging Fee charged to the seller!
• You may place as many fish as you want in a bag but remember they must survive in the bag for longer than the length of the auction
• Fish to be auctioned must be above a minimum length. This is considered to be 1 inch in total length (nose to tip of tail) for most species, 3/4 inch for dwarf or shell-dwelling species.

10. All sellers are expected to have their bags on appropriate tables by start of auction 10am

• Tables are randomly ordered prior to the start of the auction. The order of sale will be posted for everyone to see prior to the auction.
• Tables correspond with the last digit of lot number to the table number 0-9. (lot #342 goes on table 2 and lot #258 goes on table 8, and lot #570 goes to table 10)
• Sellers who arrive late can be accepted with the approval of the RMCA board. If a bag goes on a table that has already been auctioned, those items will be placed on the last table to be auctioned!
• Items cannot be removed from the tables (either auction or Quick Sale) without express approval of the auction committee once auction begins. The registration table MUST be notified if an item is being withdrawn.

11. Maximum of 4 bags per species/color morph

• In the event more than 4 bags of a species or color morph are brought to the auction, you will be given the option to withdraw the extra bags. If you choose not the withdraw the bags, excess bags will be moved to the Quick Sale table and sold as donations to the RMCA. Quick Sale prices will be set by a member of the Auction Committee.
• For example, you can bring four (4) bags of P. Zebra ‘red dorsal’ and four bags of P. Zebra ‘Chilumba’. You cannot bring four bags of P. Zebra ‘red dorsal’ adults and four bags of P. Zebra ‘red dorsal’ fry.

12. Maximum of 16 bags per species/color morph for the auction overall.

• In the event that more than 16 bags of the same species/color morph are brought to the auction, the first 16 bags (order determined by auction software) will be allowed for sale. Sellers of the excess bags will be allowed to withdraw the extra bags or put them on the Quick Sale table.

13. Maximum of 40 bags of fish per seller to be auctioned off

• Additional items can be sold as “quick sale”

14. Maximum of 40 items to be sold on Quick Sale table

• Items suitable for the QS tables are fish, used equipment, food (live or dry), medications, gravel, rock, tanks, magazines, plants, driftwood, etc.
• Must be labeled “quick sale” and include the expected price on the tag.
• Once items have been placed on the QS tables the seller cannot remove them until the first price reduction. The QS table monitor must receive the complete tag for any item removed by the seller.

15. Bags must be clearly labeled

• Printed labels or permanent marker
• Clear packing tape over label will prevent smearing
• Bag numbers unable to be read will be considered donations to the RMCA.
• Descriptions must be honest.

16. No sick, deformed or mislabeled/hybridized fish will be auctioned!

• Any items deemed inappropriate may be rejected by the auction committee and returned to the seller
• Hybrids not already commonly known in the hobby are not allowed.
• Unknown breeds are not allowed for the auction. If you want to sell some unknown fish, they must be sold through the QS table.

17. The split: The first dollar goes to the club then

• Active members get 80% and 20% to club
• Non-active members get 60% and 40% to club
• Non-members get 50% and 50% to club
• Active member is defined as participation in at least one RMCA activity annually in addition to the auction.

18. All unsold items on quick sale table will be lumped together and auctioned off as donation to RMCA at the end of the auction.

• Quick sale sellers beware!