LFS Why is it???????????????????????

[Addictedtofish]

Re: LFS Why is it???????????????????????

If you talk to Cory at Conway tropical and im sure its the case at most fish stores, your more colorful cheap fish like the guppy is the biggest seller. You have to keep in mind most people that walk into a fish store are not wanting to pay $15 to $20 per fish unless there a breeder themselves or wanting to setup a show tank. Ive been through this already with some fish ive bred, grew out the fish for 3+ months just to find out either some were to small still and the others were ones that were slow movers and so I lost money in the long run breeding them.

 

[Angelman]

Re: LFS Why is it???????????????????????

Show up to my store with some DD black angels that are healthy and I'll buy them from you. I can't currently find nice blacks.

Im will take you up on that when my DD Angles get a bit bigger. Should be in a couple weeks.

 

[Lilydog]

Re: LFS Why is it???????????????????????

I agree with Adonijah, in my fish room if it doesnt cost 20$ retail i dont breed it. Angels I breed are the only exception. The angels are usually given away as bonus to buying my expensive taeniatus or apistos. My extras are usually feeders for my pikes. It took me years to establish my relationship with the shops that buy from me. Buy from them and wait for them to ask you for babies. If you make a shop special order you $500 of apistos, taeniatus, or discus they will ask if you have babies...promise. If you go into a shop for the first time, dont try to impress them. Give em samples and your number or email. That has been what works for me.
lilydog

 

[Lilydog]

Re: LFS Why is it???????????????????????

problem with cheap fish (especially livebarers) is the wholesale price is so cheap you cant beat it once you pay for your food and water and electricity...time and gas driving aside. African northwest wholesales platies and some guppies as cheap as 10-15 cents (full grown fish) if you buy more than 25. You cannot compeat with outdoor ponds and free heat...

 

[Cory]

Re: LFS Why is it???????????????????????

problem with cheap fish (especially livebarers) is the wholesale price is so cheap you cant beat it once you pay for your food and water and electricity...time and gas driving aside. African northwest wholesales platies and some guppies as cheap as 10-15 cents (full grown fish) if you buy more than 25. You cannot compeat with outdoor ponds and free heat...

This is incorrect info. I cannot quote the actual price of them because I work for a store. However I will say that I sure pay a lot more than 10-15 cents each from ANW.

In fact I often buy Platies, Swordtails, Guppies, Endlers, Mollies from customers for 50 cents to $1 each. Each month I buy 500-1000 livebearers from local breeders.

 

[VsKitchen]

Re: LFS Why is it???????????????????????

Wow, that's an amazing amount of livestock moving per month. Especially considering that's just 1 retailer, even at the lower cost end of the spectrum. It makes me curious what the total amount of livestock sold per month would be for the area.

 

[Cory]

Re: LFS Why is it???????????????????????

You have to remember, the majority of people in this hobby will never visit a forum. The largest tank they'll ever dream of owning will be a 55 gallon etc.

Selling 20+ dollar fish is nice for a store. But what keeps the doors open is our average customers. These are people who buy a few community fish every week. A large portion of our customers are families who are buying fish for their children's tanks every week or so.

I easily sell 100 to 1 fish under $5 to fish over $20. That's where the numbers come in. If you have an outlet for your high end fish that can keep up with your breeding, then you'll make tons of money. I have yet to find any fish that I couldn't breed fast enough to flood out an entire state.

Even with guppies, with 900 gallons of water you should be producing 3000 sellable guppies a month. That'll supply about 10 LFS a month. However, 10 LFS usually dont want all the same supply of a fish. Variety is what keeps customers happy. I've found that I personally and other breeders I know have done best with a varied stock offering. Say you breed guppies, dicus, kribensis corydoras, and bristlenose plecos. That'll fill alot of water in your house and still offer quite a bit to a fish store