Feelers Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 Just thinking about possibly breeding fish as a little earner and something to do. Way down the line I want to do some marine aquaculture of some kind, so the experience would be good. Looking on trademe I saw oranda gold fish around the $170 each, 6 fish worth around $1000 in total seems to be good business. :lol: So I'm, just interesed in your guys experiences - is it possible to make much money and what fish have you found to be good to breed? I'm more interested in fish that are difficult to breed, I like a challenge and enjoy the technical aspect of fish keeping too. Perhaps fancy plecos or something like that.... Cheers for any suggestions 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo1 Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 Check out where these goldfish are bred. They are all up north where the weather is warmer, consequently the goldfish grow quicker. You also need huge amounts of water if they are going to grow. May be you should move north Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted February 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 I thought of possibly making a greenhouse-like covering for a pond, could be done cheaply too. I have a big back yard at my flat that would be easy to dig up, cover with a tarp and fill up. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 You should be a member of the FNZAS as there's an article in it about just that, converting a greenhouse to a pond! Ask Discusguru about orandas I believe he use to breed these in Auckland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billaney Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 I breed some fish which i sell on trade me but not to make money just to take the edge of the power bill allowing me to carry on with the hobby, can't see with the community tropicals I breed how you could make much money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 Yeah the common agreement out there is you can't 'make' money off it, but you may make enough to break even. This would be if you're breeding a lot of discus per month too. It's best to breed for your own wants, e.g bigger school of tetras and go from there with any excess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 It's a numbers game. Years ago I used to breed and sell 50,000 fish a year. Sold mainly to one wholesaler. If you want to do it economically you have to breed a lot, then you have to sell a lot at a price that is better than a wholesaler can get them overseas and have them available when they want them and not when they have enough. It's a lot of fun but I wouldn't dream about getting rich and famous. You cannot sell at the back door if you want wholesalers to buy in quantities. Please keep your day job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monaro1 Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 make money, never,break even, mabey, cost you, now you got it. but it is a good way to meet other fish keepers when they come to buy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 You will be lucky just to break even. To breed oranda you need good facilities ie alot of ponds and good filtrations. The ponds averaging 3000 ltrs each. Good filtration system to ease maintainance. Plenty of daphnia for the frys and home made food to grow them up. Don't expect them to grow by feeding just flakes and pellets. Most important thing is good quality breeding stock. A couple of spawns will easily get you 2000-5000 frys if you know how to hand spawn them (stripping the eggs and sperms). You will have to start culling them from 2 weeks old to get rid of single tail fish (only keep the fan tail). Don't be greedy and try to grow every fry up without culling(that will be your first mistake) Your fun begins when they are two weeks old and start dying. You will have to start treating them for flukes ( usually cause be overcrowding and water quality ).IME This is not to put you off breeding but share the problem you might come come across and hopefully are well prepared to counter it.hth Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiuh Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 2000-5000 spawn is lot. how often does a goldfish spawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 every 7-10 days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 There have been what looks like good quality orandas etc being sold on trade me at present for a good price. Goldfish are prolific breeders but from the thousands of eggs you would get very few top quality fish. Also few breeders are going to sell you their very best breeding fish unless suffering from concussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 The seller is a breeder and closing down Alan. They are good fish. Too much for me tho. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiuh Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 every 7-10 days wow. that is amazing. goldfish can have say 500 a spawn in 7 days livebearers can only have 30-50 spawn in every 28days. so goldfish is relative easier to breed than livebearers? may be probably a lot more maintainance than livebearers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 I think if you're breaking even breeding on a non-commercial scale you're doing well. Now, if you're breeding fish in a tank that you'd be running anyway, like say bristlenose in a community tank for example then that's almost pure profit. But you're not going to make much money. Maybe enough to pay for some fish food occasionally. I think realistically people would be happier if they aim for that instead of trying for "a nice little earner" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted February 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Yeah I've decided to give it a miss 8) , cheers for your opinions everyone. I think to make money you need to go nuts with loads of tanks if you have any chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanksman Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 I don't make money out of keeping fish - in fact quite the opposite. Just being able to see new life from my toils is the reward. Thats the reward I'd like to have more of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billaney Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 I don't make money out of keeping fish - in fact quite the opposite. Just being able to see new life from my toils is the reward. Thats the reward I'd like to have more of. Ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 yeah it's quite amazing, my aim as well is to try to provide the best and most comfortable natural homes possible, for some fish better than the wild as no predators or lack of food Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoezealand Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 I was thinking I might make some extra money out of selling live food, my LFS only has crickets and expensive blackworms, microworms/grindal worms are easy to culture and breed, and can be gotton though the mail, so do you think if I packaged some up nicely the LFS would buy some? I havent tried it yet, but I think I might Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 I would say they would definitely be interested especially if you can provide them at a cheaper price than their current suppliers, but you'd need to approach them and ask of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 25, 2006 Report Share Posted February 25, 2006 30 years ago we used to sell live tubifex to the pet shops. All the shops sold them. One shop used to buy 45 lbs twice a week at $1.00 / lb. Now the polluted outfalls have been cleaned up and you don,t see them at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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