Making a living at keeping fish?

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To be honest, it takes a LOT of time and money to start making money in this field.
You're best bet is to get a degree in something biological and hope to get an entry level slot with an existing company or facility. Don't expect to make much money, and you'll be set.
 
Zoodiver;4146622; said:
To be honest, it takes a LOT of time and money to start making money in this field.
You're best bet is to get a degree in something biological and hope to get an entry level slot with an existing company or facility. Don't expect to make much money, and you'll be set.
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As long as you work for someone else instead of yourself that is!
 
Try getting a job at a LFS first. See if you still have passion for the hobby when its your job to take care of multiple aquariums. That should be a good start...
 
i don't exactly breed fish and sell them off but i've just moved, i'm building my fish room then i'll have an extra section for breeding. if i get any extras i'll just give them away or change them for fish i want to fishkeepers who i know local. much better to get a degree in elsewhere. i was going to do marine zoology but then some of the people on here said there's not much money in it. you start earning 70K + with forensic pathology, thats my area of expertise.
 
I'm about to make the leap, experience in keeping and breeding a variety of species would be essential and some business knowledge would be useful, best gained by trying your hand at some kind of enterprise. Studies are ok but on the ground experience will get you further if you want to be your own boss, I left school at 16 and have rarely actually worked for someone else, and I've always done fine....
 
its not all about fish! I'm asked often how to start a fish business etc.. There is a lot more to it. Overhead cost, insurance, taxes, accounting, marketing, inventory, then Employees as many in any business can be one of the most challenging to get honest hard working & reliable help that you may not able to pay a lot at the same time. Oh public relations/customers too!
Farming can be risky. Back in the day there was a few hundred fish farms in Florida & now less then a hundred that I was told a while back. Many sold during the real estate boom for big money. Farming is basically a 24/7 job with barely any holidays. Just like us with two hatcheries running of a few hundred tanks & 17,000 gallons running. Never a Christmas or any other Holiday ever off! NEVER! & when I want to go on a trip it cost me double or three times the amount to do so. I have had no health benefits or retirement etc.. I have other sources of income then fish + woman has the benefits through her work but now hours cut in half so we went form paying $195 for a family of four to over $750 a month & is going up again they said & this is a local government job! So be prepared for worse case scenarios.
Do your home work. Write a business plan. Start with all the negatives first before the positives & if you think you can take the bad with the good then go for it.

me Dave
 
I own and run my own business its you might want to actually learn the true values of good old fashion Customer Service too.
 
Theres several thread here about starting your own shop/business. Some food for thought, you should have enough capital when you begin that you can run your business and survive for at least one year to get you up and running. I have my own business, not fish realted and, haven't had a vaction other than a weekend camping in 5 years. Not complaining, thats the price you pay to be the boss. And yeah, some of my best friends are my accountant, my attorney, my contractor, my insurance agent and, not by choice.
 
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