How do you make a profit from breeding?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
tvbbnumber41

tvbbnumber41

Dovii
MFK Member
Nov 5, 2008
470
338
102
Over the rainbow
I was getting my weekly lecture from my mom about how keeping all these fish tanks were a waste of money and how i should keep only one... yadayadayada.. Then my mom mentioned "If you can make money out of this then i wouldn't be talking". Then something hit me. Can't I make money breeding fish and selling them to local people and fish stores? So I was curious for you experienced people what kind of fish can breed and make me some money? How should i do this, appropiate tanks, etc? And lastly where and how would i approach selling them? to tell you the truth would this even work out? If anyone can help thanks
 
cichlids are easy breeders
 
If your mom is uptight about a few tanks, think about her reaction to a full blown hatchery. You can suppliment your hobby by breeding popular fish that spawn readily at a young age but even one pair of breeders would require 3 tanks. One for the pair, one for the fry, and one for the 1"+ babies.
To make a profit you need to breed several species, have a multitude of tanks, and, most importantly, be able to 'set the mood' by knowing how to keep your fish happy. This requires a tremendous investment of both time and $, along with lots of experience and know how.
I don't know what kind of resources you have but if it were me, I would figure out the types of fish that you are interested in breeding then post adds on craigslist stating that you are selling 1" babies of that given species so that you can get a feel for what people want to buy (a bit unethical considering that you don't really have anything to sell but whatever, you're doing market research). Once you know what will sell, grow out a group of juvies to maturity. When you start to see courtship behavior, start doing massive (40%) water changes every other day until a pair forms. Sell the rest and hope for a successful spawn. Good luck.
 
tvbbnumber41;3231142; said:
theres only about a million different species can u be more specific?
Click to expand...

well u said what fish so i told u cichlids. i noe theres alot of cichlids
 
Okay to start, visit your local mom & pop shop if there is any? Box/chains will usually will not take fish even for free!
Cichlids are a good start. Find out what the LFS would be willing to buy or take in trade for supplies? Some of my breeders I give two options more in trade value or cash sale which is lower. Typically quarter of retail value is what most fish will get you?
Angels are good but more work & need more tanks for just one pair that can produce up to a 1000 fry per month!
Rift lake cichlids as in Malawian are pretty easy to breed but not all. Electric Yellows, Electric blues, red zebras are good but do not demand much $ as in some Tangankians like Frontosa which take time/age & good ratios in sex & 5-6 foot tank but the fry get better $ but also do not get the numbers as in Malawians.
Centrals Amercans are & need more attention because of inner aggression among themselves so a larger tank with a bonded pair only with a divider handy in case male turns on mate. But some of these attend to have huge spawns of hundreds if not thousands. So it comes down to supply & demand. Sometimes more supply then you can unload unless there is a middleman wholesaler that would take large quanitys but at a much less price.
South American can be Discus which get a good dollar value but needs need to be met. Back to angels as noted above.
Some of the Dwarfs like Apistos, Rams etc. needs are less demanding & can be bred in 10-20 gallon tanks & get a couple bucks each?
Info needed? Tank sizes, how many, water type, & can you feed 3 times a day plus water changes a couple times a week. I would try to make a $100 bucks a month goal & give mom half toward the utilities & she would would be happy?
It does become some work. Eventually could end up like me with 400 tanks & 15,000 gallons running plus 20 tanks at home. ugh.

good luck.
me Dave
 
theres alot more to breeding and selling fish than fish make babies, and you sell them. for it to be profitable, you would need several tanks, with different stages of breeding/sizes of fish to start off. at minimum, 3 like was said. 1 for breeding, one for fry, and one for ready to sell.

if you really want to do this anyway, you need to let us know what size tanks you have available to you, so we cna narrow down what will easily breed in your set ups
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom