Guppy breeding for profit

[Colin_T]

We have pet shop chain stores here and they won't buy or take fish from customers even if the customer bought the fish from the shop. The shop says they don't want to take any sick fish from customer and customer's fish pose a high risk of introducing diseases into the shop tanks. I told them the fish they get come from 2 suppliers in Australia and both have TB and numerous other diseases in their tanks. And the only diseases their customers will have in their tanks, will be diseases that have come from their shop. I was then asked to leave

 

[PheonixKingZ]

We have pet shop chain stores here and they won't buy or take fish from customers even if the customer bought the fish from the shop. The shop says they don't want to take any sick fish from customer and customer's fish pose a high risk of introducing diseases into the shop tanks. I told them the fish they get come from 2 suppliers in Australia and both have TB and numerous other diseases in their tanks. And the only diseases their customers will have in their tanks, will be diseases that have come from their shop. I was then asked to leave

That makes sense. They don’t want to buy sick or dying fish.

 

[Colin_T]

Yes it makes sense except that any diseases in their customer's tanks will have come from the shop. Plus if the shop looks at the fish, they should be able to see if the fish are sick or not.

We used to take fish all the time from customers. A quick look would tell us what the fish were, if they were mature and how healthy they were. Normally fish coming from people's home aquariums were healthier than the fish we got from the suppliers.

There's no reason at all for shops to refuse to take fish back from their customers. The shops sold the fish to the customers and the shops should take the fish back if the fish are too big or the owner can no longer look after them. And the shops should pay the customer some money for the fish.

 

[emeraldking]

To be able to make a decent profit you would have to have a whole breeding operation going with a bunch of tanks: male tank/s, female tank/s, and multiple tanks for growing out the fry

Agreed. Well, you certainly need a decent number of tanks to establish this.

guppies are fast breeders, and more or less easy to look after. making them a low-profit fish. sorry if you had to find this out the hard way. more work means more profit. as well as higher risk.

best of luck cheers

Well, this goes only if you're considering the commercial strains.
There's a serious number of guppy strains that are more expensive and when you breed them, you'll be having a good profit when selling them. I've got some cheaper strains and more expensive strains overhere. In general I'll sell them at vivaristic events where most visitors are serious aquarists who are specifically looking for specific strains that aren't commercial.

One time I had an angel fish and it hadreally rare markings and was large, tried to get 3 dollars for it and they said nope. I had to get rid of it because it was eating my neons so I just gave it to them. They sold it for $50!

So, you've got ripped off by them? It must have been a special one which they probably knew...

 

[PheonixKingZ]

So, you've got ripped off by them? It must have been a special one which they probably knew...

That’s were they’ll get you. I once had a friend who had a really nice Leopard Pleco, that he couldn’t keep because he was moving. He took it to this store and they dish they’d give him $12 for it. He needed to get rid of it fast, so he agreeded. A couple of days later I saw it for sale at $50. I was almost as mad as he was.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Agreed. Well, you certainly need a decent number of tanks to establish this.

Well, this goes only if you're considering the commercial strains.
There's a serious number of guppy strains that are more expensive and when you breed them, you'll be having a good profit when selling them. I've got some cheaper strains and more expensive strains overhere. In general I'll sell them at vivaristic events where most visitors are serious aquarists who are specifically looking for specific strains that aren't commercial.

So, you've got ripped off by them? It must have been a special one which they probably knew...

I dont think it was anything special just a petco angel fish. Its possible though, I am pretty sure that they sold it by size. The small ones were $15 medium sized were 25

 

[Freshwater Sucker Fish]

Guppy fish sticks precooked fish sticks might sell XD

 

[Velatelen]

Everyone talks about many tanks to set up breeding. I wonder if you found a used 40 gallon long and split it to four tanks with dividers that would cost $100 to setup. This would allow you to have three broods with the parents removed and still house the parents in the fourth section where I’m sure some offspring would still be produced. The fry could be segregated into male and female at age and then grown out. I’m. It trying to suggest this would make you a millionaire just a way to get started that doesn’t break the bank.

 

[emeraldking]

Everyone talks about many tanks to set up breeding. I wonder if you found a used 40 gallon long and split it to four tanks with dividers that would cost $100 to setup. This would allow you to have three broods with the parents removed and still house the parents in the fourth section where I’m sure some offspring would still be produced. The fry could be segregated into male and female at age and then grown out. I’m. It trying to suggest this would make you a millionaire just a way to get started that doesn’t break the bank.

Using dividers in an exsisiting tank happens quite often. It´s really an outcome if there´s a lack of space.

 

[LarsB]

I have three LFS Within 30 minutes of where I live. also have twice that many BIG BOX pet stores.
I raise guppies and bn plecos "for profit" This term cracks me up! All three of the LFS said when I started out, they will buy from me. One shop stinks and I will sell them nada! (worst thing in my life is walking into a pet store and it smells like a dirty cage. I know animals have odors,,, big difference!)
I told one friend, if all goes well, in a year I will be selling enough of the stock I raise to the LFS to pay for the extra electricity and water that is used each month! LOL "Breeding for Profit (insert joke here)"! I would rather deal with other hobbyist to get my best fish that I can not retain as breeders

Now, I do understand that thing I bought that pair or trio for $25... they had 2 or 3 drops of (guppy) fry and you end up raising 100 babies from that ,,,, You cull some for defects, some die, you keep the best for breeding, and end up with 50-70 fish you sell to LFS for $1, most often NOT at the same time, but over months, the same way the guppies were born.
So $25 fish get you 60 (?) in sales to LFS,,,, Great,,, Not really breeding for profit, but getting paid back a bit of the investment you have put into them, the hobby, Great.. parents paid for themselves WONDERFUL! You meet some GREAT People working in a thing like this, some will be your friends for life. some you run into them, pointing at each other saying "I know you..... ?" Again, wonderful!!
But let me point out another aspect. I did a similar thing years past, built a stable of breeders in several species, upgrading from what I could get in pet shops and from friends, other hobbyists. I had whole room built to spec and equipped for my hobby. In or years, I had a reputation, was working with several stores (even a small local chain) around the state. I had breeders from several other states seeking my stock and breedings , , , I was working almost as much on my hobby as I was at my full time job. Building up to 5th year, fr every $ i invest, i made 3... sounds great and was truly breeding for profit. But unless you have a large family and/or group of friends to trust in the care of your stock AND can rely on their dedication, well.... you hit the wall and just DO NOT want to NOT do it but start thinking about NOT taking it on at the level any more. And the market, loss of Ma&Paw pet shop places, I thought for about a year, and that old story, some one comes into your life and she changes it (no! she did NOT tell me I had to get rid of that stuff), but I made the jump. Decided to get out, passed a great bunch of lines of one species to a family that wanted to take them forward. (they got SUCH a deal, and though a state away, filled my niche for part of my state) Same with a few of my other species, but as scattered to the wind as it was or seemed.... I could now DO things like LEAVE home, take the dogs and not worry for a long weekend!!! Turned that room into a plant room and eventually a home theater decide to go somewhere, call the dog sitter and be gone for the night!!

 

[Velatelen]

So I gather as a “hobbyist” the best way to make “money” is to keep something that’s on the rare side Enjoy it and if they breed sell the offspring. This way all your cost are not business related and any funds you get are just a “bonus”.

 

[emeraldking]

Well, you could make some money at an vivaristic event. This is something that you can not compare with an lfs.

With events like these, the majority of visitors are serious fish keepers. This particular event is an international one. Even visitors from the States and Asia flew over to pay a visit to this event.