Breeding cichlids

[fishfan88]

I have a 55 gallon tank I want to breed some kind of cichlids in. Anyone know of a good kind of cichlid to breed in a 55 gallon that people would want to buy?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Pretty much anything you can't get at your local petsmart, serious keepers somewhere will want them

 

[SicMalawi]

Agreed you need to visit your Lfs and see what they sell and then take all those fish and cross them off the list

 

[fishfan88]

Really? I thought if I did a more popular fish, like one that a lot of people want, that's not a good idea then? I would like to be able to sell a lot of fry but at the same time I'd like to be able to support the hobby through this. I'm not trying to make a big profit or anything though

 

[Mogurako]

Really? I thought if I did a more popular fish, like one that a lot of people want, that's not a good idea then? I would like to be able to sell a lot of fry but at the same time I'd like to be able to support the hobby through this. I'm not trying to make a big profit or anything though

Rare wild caught/F1 fish are what people that are serious about this hobby want. I say find a nice wild caught pair/trio of cichlids and set up a biotope breeding tank dedicated to them and the raising of their fry.

 

[fishfan88]

Got a totally empty 55 gallon. What types would you suggest?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Personally i would go altolampagus calvus cause they are awesome and not many people keep them.

 

[Mogurako]

Got a totally empty 55 gallon. What types would you suggest?

Personally if it were me I would do some of the smaller Thorichthys or Cryptoheros species which are Central American cichlids or some more uncommon Pelvicachromis from the Congo river in West Africa.

One of the best online resources to purchase these fish is Steve Lundblad via The cichlid exchange/ The Wet Spot.

http://www.wetspottropicalfish.com/

 

[Mogurako]

Personally i would go altolampagus calvus cause they are awesome and not many people keep them.

Tons of people keep those! Almost everyone in my club that keeps Tangs has them. I've had them too in the past and wasn't all that impressed.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Uaru, or geophagus, I haven't ever breed them, but they aren't to common at local places, at least not where I am.

 

[SicMalawi]

So you should do red Severums they go anywhere from 30 to 60 depending on side and they are not that aggressive you would have to do some research to figure out what actually makes them the red Severums and not the common green Severum. Can't remember which fish makes them red maybe someone here can help

 

[fishfan88]

But if I am breeding a cichlid that hardly anyone keeps, how will I be able to sell all of or even close to all of the fry? I was thinking if I do a popular, but not cheap fish, more people would buy them, and even if I couldn't get as much for them, I'd sell more.

 

[Mogurako]

But if I am breeding a cichlid that hardly anyone keeps, how will I be able to sell all of or even close to all of the fry? I was thinking if I do a popular, but not cheap fish, more people would buy them, and even if I couldn't get as much for them, I'd sell more.

Ok let me out it to you this way: I have a friend who several years ago started with a single wild pair of Pelvicachromis taeniatus "moliwe" which back then are super rare and still fairly uncommon now. From that single pair he was able to support his hobby and continually progress. Now he is opening his own aquarium store that sells ADA products and rimless tanks imported from Japan.

Don't under estimate the selling power of rare WC fish, breed something that sets you apart from the rest.

 

[SicMalawi]

But if I am breeding a cichlid that hardly anyone keeps, how will I be able to sell all of or even close to all of the fry? I was thinking if I do a popular, but not cheap fish, more people would buy them, and even if I couldn't get as much for them, I'd sell more.

It is a lot easier to go to a Lfs then it is to make an appointment with you... No offense... That is the reality. You have to make it worth the consumers while to want to make an appointment because they can't get this fish at the big box stores. I know a guy who sells discus like I have never seen before and they upwards of 125. You want to be able to sell one for a lot..not many for a little.

 

[bmarine]

It is a lot easier to go to a Lfs then it is to make an appointment with you... No offense... That is the reality. You have to make it worth the consumers while to want to make an appointment because they can't get this fish at the big box stores. I know a guy who sells discus like I have never seen before and they upwards of 125. You want to be able to sell one for a lot..not many for a little.

Totally agree. I started breeding red zebras (pretty popular), but because they were so popular, all my LFS's stocked them all the time and wouldn't take mine. It took me months to get rid of them. Trust me, don't get a popular fish, the popular fish are what everyone has and no fish store needs them from you when they can get them wholesale. Find a pretty rare one instead that your LFS will always want.

 

[Mogurako]

It is a lot easier to go to a Lfs then it is to make an appointment with you... No offense... That is the reality. You have to make it worth the consumers while to want to make an appointment because they can't get this fish at the big box stores. I know a guy who sells discus like I have never seen before and they upwards of 125. You want to be able to sell one for a lot..not many for a little.

The majority of people who sell high end/rare fish sell them via aquabid or online means. People who are serious about getting a high quality / rare fish aren't going to care if they have to set up an appointment to get a fish if it is indeed that had to find. For instances if I found a person selling T. sp. "Blue Mixteco" or T. callolepis I would bend over backwards to accommodate the seller because of the rarity of the fish.

IMO it's better to sell 40 discus at $60 a pop than 10 or so at $120. If its rare and no one has it by all means build up a large amount sell the first batches at ridiculous prices then once all the people who have to have them do then lower the price to get everyone else that was deterred by the high price then move one to the next project.

 

[Mogurako]

Find a pretty rare one instead that your LFS will always want.

Selling to a LFS you're lucky if you make half or even a quarter of what the fish are worth. Unless you're going to supply them in whole sale numbers then it may be worth your time.

 

[SicMalawi]

The majority of people who sell high end/rare fish sell them via aquabid or online means. People who are serious about getting a high quality / rare fish aren't going to care if they have to set up an appointment to get a fish if it is indeed that had to find. For instances if I found a person selling T. sp. "Blue Mixteco" or T. callolepis I would bend over backwards to accommodate the seller because of the rarity of the fish.

IMO it's better to sell 40 discus at $60 a pop than 10 or so at $120. If its rare and no one has it by all means build up a large amount sell the first batches at ridiculous prices then once all the people who have to have them do then lower the price to get everyone else that was deterred by the high price then move one to the next project.

You are missing the point...it's not about the price of what you sell it's about what your selling and he or she was asking what to breed.. Like I said before you have to make it worth it for the buyer cause I am not going to somebody's house unless it is a big deal fish. And when I say appointment I only meant the buyer has to call then wait for the seller to be available...

 

[fishfan88]

Ahhhh. Ok. I see what you guys are getting at thanks for all of your input. After reading all of your posts I totally get it now. I still have no idea exactly what kind of fish I want to breed, but I will look into some of the more hard to find ones. I just need to find some that I like and will have lots of room in a 55 gallon

 

[Mogurako]

You are missing the point...it's not about the price of what you sell it's about what your selling and he or she was asking what to breed.. Like I said before you have to make it worth it for the buyer cause I am not going to somebody's house unless it is a big deal fish. And when I say appointment I only meant the buyer has to call then wait for the seller to be available...

That's exactly what I've been saying you've just been miss interpreting what I've been saying. That's why I suggested what I did. If it's uncommon/rare/ new/ WC serious fish people will appreciate the fish for what they are and will want to buy some at almost any price (with in reason) wether by appointment or online.

That being said when all you focus on is making money from the fish IMO you loose what the hobby is really about and it will become allot less enjoyable.