How to start a fish store?

[Benfica]

Totally AGREE! They are commerical secrets, you can't just share them around



You dont need a large store, just cramp them all in a small tank with lot of filtration and they will be fine... Because if you got a large quantity, you will want them to go quick, then your price would be low... and people will come and clean them FAST... ^^

and if you have extra in stocks... you can always sell them to me as 10cents.. I got some large predators that always like a few fish as treat

understand that now

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But if they dont go quick then your introuble.


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You be first to know lol

 

[Benfica]

I'm a mom & pop shop & been in business for 17years & in the business for 25 years & hobbyist for life. In todays world you have to be a nich in your area & market. It may take some time to get there & will not get rich over night. Most of what is left (shops)do it for the love of it or should be doing it for the love of it & not plan on making a boat load of money. From the manufacture, exporter, wholesaler to the retailer & even the customer are in it make a living & provide for their familys etc.. I pretty much have seen all fases of the business. Directly bringing in livestock is risky & expensive. I know pretty much what everything in this business cost but I still buy from the middle men knowing they are taking the risk more then me. Its how you want to spread the money or tie it all up on a few fishes. My last import/collecting trip I lost over a $1000. in fish in less then 12 hours right down the toilet! Lost more over time also. So in turn I could have bought some of this stuff from a importer/farm etc.. & actually paid the same or less after the losses added up.
As a m&p you need to focus on something either all salt water & thats it or odd ball store with a side of everyday stuff. We are known all over for cichlids. We have our own hatchery & produce much of our own. I tried salt a couple times but never worked for us. Tried selling some rare cats Stingrays but not working plus many right now do not have money for the high end stuff. I always say in business you have to keep reinventing the wheel to go forward. Or two steps back to go a step forward. Have a plan & then a back up plan just in case.
Customer service & knowledge will go a long way also.

gotta go work (everyday of the year) it never ends.

Dave

Thank you so much!!!!!!! Heard about your store quite alot of times already. Wish i could check it out but to long of a drive.

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Since you have a lot of experience. CAn you asnwer of these questiosn if you dont mind?

-What size tank is better/ easeier to work with?
-Since i knwo most stores dont selll there fish directly once they get a shipment in, how long do they quarantine there if fish for?

- And do you provide any other services? such as tank maintainence,set up etc? and is it even worth it?

Thank s again.

 

[snaggle]

Thank you so much!!!!!!! Heard about your store quite alot of times already. Wish i could check it out but to long of a drive.

--------

Since you have a lot of experience. CAn you asnwer of these questiosn if you dont mind?

-What size tank is better/ easeier to work with?
-Since i knwo most stores dont selll there fish directly once they get a shipment in, how long do they quarantine there if fish for?

- And do you provide any other services? such as tank maintainence,set up etc? and is it even worth it?

Thank s again.

Some of your questions answered, http://somethingfishyinc.net/index.html .

I bought all of my tanks from a belly up pet store they where all 40 breeders, 50 breeders, and 75's, all made with thick glass and no bracing. You can put a 3' tank on pallet racks side ways and only have a 18" frontage on the tank, that way you can still see the fish but cram in more tanks.

 

[Benfica]

Some of your questions answered, http://somethingfishyinc.net/index.html .

I bought all of my tanks from a belly up pet store they where all 40 breeders, 50 breeders, and 75's, all made with thick glass and no bracing. You can put a 3' tank on pallet racks side ways and only have a 18" frontage on the tank, that way you can still see the fish but cram in more tanks.

Ya found that website after posting, thank you anyways.

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I have had alot of people say different things so really not sure lol. I have heard to go with 20 longs since you can catch the fish easier with out them swimming away. 15's.

____

About the putting tanks sideways that is actaully a really good idea never though of that. But do u think it would be appealing?

Thanks for your post.

 

[Somethingfishyinc.net]

No problem.

10 gallons are the best to start at least. I can fit 96 tens in a small amount of space. Set them up side ways & you can do a 2x4 wood notched with 8 ft boards with less cutting. kinda of hard to explain. You can incorporate 20 longs in this setup also? I have did several different racks. I use a Gast Blower to run over 300 tanks. Remember with shallow tanks you can push a blower farther in more tanks.

I can setup up a shop right now up & running for about $30,000. Not sure how far you are actually but if you could get down my way it maybe worth the trip in cost & savings opening your shop?

Depends on where the fish come from is how long they sit before selling them? Good sources we can sell the next day, others longer.

Note we do not use central systems & I'm totaly against them in a retail or whoelsale enviroment.

later
me Dave

 

[packer43064]

No problem.

10 gallons are the best to start at least. I can fit 96 tens in a small amount of space. Set them up side ways & you can do a 2x4 wood notched with 8 ft boards with less cutting. kinda of hard to explain. You can incorporate 20 longs in this setup also? I have did several different racks. I use a Gast Blower to run over 300 tanks. Remember with shallow tanks you can push a blower farther in more tanks.

I can setup up a shop right now up & running for about $30,000. Not sure how far you are actually but if you could get down my way it maybe worth the trip in cost & savings opening your shop?

Depends on where the fish come from is how long they sit before selling them? Good sources we can sell the next day, others longer.

Note we do not use central systems & I'm totaly against them in a retail or whoelsale enviroment.

later
me Dave

I see that you live in Ohio. Where's your shop located and what it's called. Might have to visit it.

 

[Somethingfishyinc.net]

Somethingfishyinc.net Cleveland/ Old Brooklyn State Rd & I480 exit.

 

[Benfica]

No problem.

10 gallons are the best to start at least. I can fit 96 tens in a small amount of space. Set them up side ways & you can do a 2x4 wood notched with 8 ft boards with less cutting. kinda of hard to explain. You can incorporate 20 longs in this setup also? I have did several different racks. I use a Gast Blower to run over 300 tanks. Remember with shallow tanks you can push a blower farther in more tanks.

I can setup up a shop right now up & running for about $30,000. Not sure how far you are actually but if you could get down my way it maybe worth the trip in cost & savings opening your shop?

Depends on where the fish come from is how long they sit before selling them? Good sources we can sell the next day, others longer.

Note we do not use central systems & I'm totaly against them in a retail or whoelsale enviroment.

later
me Dave

Ya i understand stand what you mean. Do you think this would look good. Someone told me this before on this thread but forget the gallon tank they said but. 2 10gallons is 24inches x2=48inches and a 40gallon long is 48inches so i could use them with the 10's and it would look nice?
30,000 thousand dollars? I had estimates of about 125-150thousand. about the tanks do u think its looks better the way it is suppose to be or sideways like u and few others stated?

Thanks for your post.

 

[Somethingfishyinc.net]

You can not get a 48 1/2" tank on my rack of 96 10 gallon rack. I utilized full length 2x4's without cutting them down. 8'x8' with support in the middle. there is several ways of doing these racks. But I try to use as much as the wood without waste? Depends on layout & room you have? 10ga 20x10x12 is typical length. You need about 6 inches above each tank for ease of access.

I will try to take a pic or two here & post later.

gotta work
cya

 

[Benfica]

You can not get a 48 1/2" tank on my rack of 96 10 gallon rack. I utilized full length 2x4's without cutting them down. 8'x8' with support in the middle. there is several ways of doing these racks. But I try to use as much as the wood without waste? Depends on layout & room you have? 10ga 20x10x12 is typical length. You need about 6 inches above each tank for ease of access.

I will try to take a pic or two here & post later.

gotta work
cya

ya i understand now. And that would be great. Thank you