Peacock Cichlid Growth rates

[thatfishguy0815]

Hey everyone,

Long does it take for Peacock Cichlids on average to get to 1-2 inches after losing their egg sacks? I realize water changes, quality, and space all make a difference and because of that Ill lay out my plan. If I have a holding female, I would either strip her or relocate her into a 10G tank, once the fry are either spit out or are free swimming, they would stay in the 10G tank until I either feel it is getting too cramped, or I have a new batch of fry. Let's say the batch is 25 fry. 30% water change twice a week at 78 degrees. I would then move the fry into a 20 or 29G tank. How long would it take the fry to reach 1-2 inches? At this point, I would sell the fry. I understand many would say that 20-29G is not enough for a grow out, I still want to hear any opinions on the process or if there is anything I can do better. Hope everyone is staying inside and safe!

 

[ryang85]

Here what I do for breeding an selling,


Strip females of eggs after about 2 weeks of holding and put eggs into a breeder net or tumbler if necessary. This keeps the females in better health long term.

Breeder net with Eggs go into a 15 gallon until fry are free swimming and showing little stripes.
They stay in the 15 gallon for about 3 months and I remove the largest fish at about one inch and put them in a 25 gallon tank.
I cull about half of the smallest fish. And leave about 10 fish in the 15gal and about 20 fish in the 20. As they grow I cull weekest as necessary to keep good genetics. Then at about 4 or 5 months they all go into my 40 gallon if its available.
And I sell at about 6 months when they are 2 inches or larger. I generally try and wait until they are larger so I can get more money and often hold onto few males for a year and that's where most of the money comes from.

If you can put them in as many tanks as possible then do it, more fully colored males means more money.

 

[thatfishguy0815]

Here what I do for breeding an selling,


Strip females of eggs after about 2 weeks of holding and put eggs into a breeder net or tumbler if necessary. This keeps the females in better health long term.

Breeder net with Eggs go into a 15 gallon until fry are free swimming and showing little stripes.
They stay in the 15 gallon for about 3 months and I remove the largest fish at about one inch and put them in a 25 gallon tank.
I cull about half of the smallest fish. And leave about 10 fish in the 15gal and about 20 fish in the 20. As they grow I cull weekest as necessary to keep good genetics. Then at about 4 or 5 months they all go into my 40 gallon if its available.
And I sell at about 6 months when they are 2 inches or larger. I generally try and wait until they are larger so I can get more money and often hold onto few males for a year and that's where most of the money comes from.

If you can put them in as many tanks as possible then do it, more fully colored males means more money.

If you don't mind, could you go into more detail about your profits and setups? What are your margins? Similarly, if I wanted to sell all the fry, even the small ones, or ones with relatively poor genetics, would I be able to get around $2-$3 per fish at about an inch? What do you do with the fry you decide to cull? Are those worth anything? I appreciate the replies and I would love to hear more!

 

[ryang85]

If you don't mind, could you go into more detail about your profits and setups? What are your margins? Similarly, if I wanted to sell all the fry, even the small ones, or ones with relatively poor genetics, would I be able to get around $2-$3 per fish at about an inch? What do you do with the fry you decide to cull? Are those worth anything? I appreciate the replies and I would love to hear more!

First I'll say your not going to profit overall, overall my income on one batch fry is about 120 dollars at absolute best assuming you don't flood your local market. That pays my food for my adult male and female tanks for about 2 months so in the end I loose less money on the hobby.
I don't sell the fish until they are 2.5 inches preferably closer to 3 or 4 inches. I generally say 6 dollars per fish, 5 for 25, 10 fish for 40. Your cost to raise 5 fish or 10 fish is similar and your not going to get a lot of people so bulk is best. Youl get a ton of lowballers but keep your prices reasonable unless they want a ton of fish. Your supply is nearly endless but you have to keep demand high so don't flood everyone's tanks with peacocks super cheap. Its a fine balance and you can't screw it up.

I'm going to expirement with online sales this summer through eBay and this forum.

Overall the key to success is variety of species and really good looking parents to show off before they purchase. Or at least hood picture, I'll attach some of mine to show you what people like. I always walk people to my 180 gallon display tank and show them the fully colored father to show them the genetics and potential and increase the excitement. Also selling those year old males for 25 or 30 dollars is where your money is, take your best male in the tank and let him grow.

If you try and sell through LFS you won't make money unless you have really good owner who is willing to pay you decent, they buy in bulk for usually 2 dollars a peice for 1.5" fish. If you can sell 2" fish for 2.50 a price sell a few and don't flood your local market.

 

[thatfishguy0815]

First I'll say your not going to profit overall, overall my income on one batch fry is about 120 dollars at absolute best assuming you don't flood your local market. That pays my food for my adult male and female tanks for about 2 months so in the end I loose less money on the hobby.
I don't sell the fish until they are 2.5 inches preferably closer to 3 or 4 inches. I generally say 6 dollars per fish, 5 for 25, 10 fish for 40. Your cost to raise 5 fish or 10 fish is similar and your not going to get a lot of people so bulk is best. Youl get a ton of lowballers but keep your prices reasonable unless they want a ton of fish. Your supply is nearly endless but you have to keep demand high so don't flood everyone's tanks with peacocks super cheap. Its a fine balance and you can't screw it up.

I'm going to expirement with online sales this summer through eBay and this forum.

Overall the key to success is variety of species and really good looking parents to show off before they purchase. Or at least hood picture, I'll attach some of mine to show you what people like. I always walk people to my 180 gallon display tank and show them the fully colored father to show them the genetics and potential and increase the excitement. Also selling those year old males for 25 or 30 dollars is where your money is, take your best male in the tank and let him grow.

If you try and sell through LFS you won't make money unless you have really good owner who is willing to pay you decent, they buy in bulk for usually 2 dollars a peice for 1.5" fish. If you can sell 2" fish for 2.50 a price sell a few and don't flood your local market.

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Thank you for all the amazing information, it really helps to hear all this coming from an experienced person! I was wondering what you feed your adult cichlids, which seems like an expensive diet. I think I'm willing to sell my fry at around $2 per fish at 1-2 inches. How often does one female have fry? I can keep a spare larger grow out tank to house my males and see how that goes to see if that is more profitable. Thank you for all the help!

 

[ryang85]

Thank you for all the amazing information, it really helps to hear all this coming from an experienced person! I was wondering what you feed your adult cichlids, which seems like an expensive diet. I think I'm willing to sell my fry at around $2 per fish at 1-2 inches. How often does one female have fry? I can keep a spare larger grow out tank to house my males and see how that goes to see if that is more profitable. Thank you for all the help!

I buy 2 5 gallon buckets of NLS 3mm pellets off Amazon, its by far the cheapest for decent food but I have a lot of large and growing predator haps that can eat.
If you have more tanks use them. Separate male as soon as they show color and youl get way more money for them.
And if you strip after a week they usually will hold eggs within 2 weeks if they are good breeders and your set up is right. So your supply is endless. Get a egg tumbler off Amazon for 12 bucks if you don't have one.

 

[thatfishguy0815]

I buy 2 5 gallon buckets of NLS 3mm pellets off Amazon, its by far the cheapest for decent food but I have a lot of large and growing predator haps that can eat.
If you have more tanks use them. Separate male as soon as they show color and youl get way more money for them.
And if you strip after a week they usually will hold eggs within 2 weeks if they are good breeders and your set up is right. So your supply is endless. Get a egg tumbler off Amazon for 12 bucks if you don't have one.

Thanks so much for all your help, I hope your online business suceeds, excited to see whats availible!

 

[thatfishguy0815]

I buy 2 5 gallon buckets of NLS 3mm pellets off Amazon, its by far the cheapest for decent food but I have a lot of large and growing predator haps that can eat.
If you have more tanks use them. Separate male as soon as they show color and youl get way more money for them.
And if you strip after a week they usually will hold eggs within 2 weeks if they are good breeders and your set up is right. So your supply is endless. Get a egg tumbler off Amazon for 12 bucks if you don't have one.

do you think you could post fry at different ages? 1 month, 2 month, and 3 month if you have any photos available that's be awesome, I aspire to at least break even through breeding and selling cichlids, I appreciate every amount of information I am getting, it is people like you who inspire us, newbies, to get into the hobby.