Suggestions for selecting breeds to sell?

[drgold]

albino bristlenose fly around here. I am the only local breeder and I couldn't raise them fast enough. I probably sold $1000 worth in 8 months at $3-4 each. I eventually sold my adults because I ran out of time to keep harvesting young. Each female (3"+) will drop about 50 eggs and mortatility is very low because the male guards the fry. Three females = lots of fry. I sold the babies at 3 months and 1.5". Not everyone needs an angel or discus but everyone needs an algae eater (at least everyone seems to think they do!) My .02

 

[gaines]

Why not actually ask the store you might wish to sell to? Perhaps they want certain species that they never get their current breeders or suppliers to give them. I knw locally chocloate gouramis are hard to get ahold of.

I live just down the road from the Aquatic Critter. They are, by far, the most reputable LFS in my area. I asked them what types of fish they would be interested in purchasing and they basically told me they don't buy from locals. I know this is false since I have spoken to locals who have sold to them.

That kind of took the wind out of my sales when it came to asking LFS what breeds to look into, so I figured I'd ask around on the forums for some general suggestions. Whether the LFS decide to buy or not, I'll still be able to sell on Aquabid and to locals.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

there are always places like craigslist to sell local also. it will be nice if get some money back but i dont think ill be able to make money. i wish you the best of luck.

 

[pugwash]

electric blue jack dempseys

This is probably the best suggestion so far, dependent on your available tanks. If you have a large enough tank and manage to have a reasonable fry survival rate, there is massive demand for these at the moment. They are quite easy to breed, but are more prone to poor water quality than normal JD's, which seem to then lead to secondary internal parasitic infections. You don't have to sell them to LFS either, but advertise your fry on forums like these.

Here's a thread you may find interesting: EBJD breeding experiences

If I was in the US, I'd buy some!

 

[coupedefleur]

If there are clubs with fish auctions within driving distance to you, go to a few and see what fish are selling for. Up here, very high quality livebearers and goldfish have gone for more than $30 a bag. Almost any catfish sell well- even tank-raised bronze corydoras don't go dirt cheap. Same with bristlenose. Killies also do very well.

At least in NE Ohio auctions, African rift lake cichlids have been really cheap. Bags with 8 1-1/2" Frontosas going for 5 bucks or less. Same with a lot of other species. S. American cichlids do slightly better, but at the same auction I got 8 blue acaras for a buck (1 in long), and lifalilli jewels at the same price. Might as well raise guppies!

Many stores will only take fish from customers for trade credit (i.e. to buy other fish with). That might suit your purposes. Be careful about picking a new variety that's making a big splash right now . By the time you're set up to produce them, the people who got an earlier start will bury you.