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which one is more fun and better(and profitbale) to breed?
Big fish like cichlids? or Small fish like killies?

Guppies are the most fun because with selective breeding and an occasional outcross you can design your own fish. Two and a half generations per year is possible with guppies. We identify with the livebearers. We learn a lot witnessing birth to death in a short time span. We learn a lot doctoring fish. Keeping fish is not very profitable. Cichlids generally bring a bigger price. Salt water fish make the best eye candy.

max

im sorry, i shouldnt of posted this, im dumber than 99% of the people of this forum, so you shouldnt listen to me.

Last edited by victimizati0n at 21-Jan-2005 19:42

Very few fish are profitable at all ... I'd say both large and small fish are unprofitable, and the ones that might be profitable vary in size (ie, Zebra Plecs).

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!

I breed guppies, or maybe I should say they breed themselves. It is not profitable, but eventually I'll be able to turn in all the store credit for another fishtank I hope. Like mentioned above, they areenjoyable because, you can do your own selections to get what you want from a fish...2-3 generations a year, they would breed in mud (don't do that to them though), hardy little fish...beautiful colors...livebearing about once a month to many many fry...and what I truly enjoy is watching the males "get their colors and tails" truly wonderful! Heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

well I have to vote cichlids...I know this will come as a big surprise to anyone that knows me.

the breeding behavior of cichlids is fascinating and there are many that could be raised and sold for a decent price. you won't get rich off of them, but you may make enough to pay for foods, filter cartridges etc.

as for behaviors, it is great to watch. first, they'll have to form pairs so you'll get to see the various fishes show off their best colors, dance, shimmy and show off to attract a potential mate. then once a pair is formed, you'll get to watch them clean the spawning site by moving gravel all over the place and clean a flat surface to lay the eggs on. then the actual breeding dance. all sorts of flashy colors, dancing, liplocking, chasing etc. are all a part of the cichlid courting ritual. of course then once they've laid eggs you get to watch them fearlessly defend their eggs and eventually free swimming fry. once the eggs hatch, you'll get to watch the parents scoop up all the fry in their mouths and carefully place them in the pit they've dug for them. once the fry are free swimming, the parents will often take them for 'walks' around the tank constantly defending the general area where the fry are, scooping up any drifters in their mouths and dropping them back off in the herd. cichlid parents will also often chew up food and spit it out near the fry so the food will be much easier for the little guys to eat. of course, all this applies mainly to Central and south american cichlids, but also some west african cichlid species.

rift lake africans are mostly mouthbrooders which is also a very interesting process.

victimizatiOn, I disagree with you post. You have made a lot of post and clearly you have a viewpiont worth sharing.

max

I rckon just breed whatever fish you like, it is not very profitable to breed unless your breeding a rarer fish like a Plec. Try maybe Queen Arabesques, I am going to try to breed them and there is a good profile of how to on Planet Catfish, just need to sell them once they have and you can sell them for £35-£50 over here!

I breed several species of African rift lake cichlids, and.......
Yep not highly profitable, It pays for their own food and a few new fish now and then. But not much more.

Unless your breeding the rarest of fish, or have a fish FARM. You'll be breeding for the pure joy..

I'd just pick your fav, as the most profitable thing your most likely going to take away will be, the experience of breeding fish

Most of your big cichlids fry are litteraly a dime a dozen. Most of them produce close 300 eggs!! And fish farms will have a pair spawning close to every 30 days.
Killies depending on speicies are most likely to get a small profit out of although they are hands on changing mops dailly for 2-4 eggs or changing females or males moving eggs drying eggs. BUT BELIVE your not really gonna make money.
The only fish that I can think of that will make a profit is the Asian Arrawanna but the ammount of set up and time to make it legal to have and sell it will probally take 3-4 if not more spawns to break even.