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Sometime in the future (like, five years from now) I would like to open an aquarium shop/LFS. I plan on specializing mainly in fresh water, pond, plants (unless I get a lot more marine experience by then, which isn't likely). I may also have reptiles. I'm currently a supervisor in the fish department of a LCPS and should get into management in the next year... Which I'm hoping will give me the skills to run my OWN business one day.

My question is just a preliminary random "What can I expect?" Does anyone here run or work for a small private fish store? How tough is startup? Any advice at all? I've been thinking about this for a few years but only now am I starting to research it all.

Thanks Y'all!

I'm so adjective, I verb nouns!

the firs thing is u need some money. like for the tanks,water etc... and don't forget the everyday people needs, like heat, light, etc.. since this is for a few years down the road, u might want to try breeding fishes at ur house and collect money from that and save it for later. u may also want to make a website or sell ur fishes on the web incase town bussiness isn't coming in fast. once u get all the stuff set-up then u will need a wholesaler to supply u with fish. these fish must be good quality so ur people will come back for more later, another good idea is to get good help, most people like a store with people that know alot about animals, and i know i like it when they say u shouldn't get this fish, so u know that they aren't trying to sell u everything. honestly i wouldn't open a from, but i would rather become a wholesaler, b/c it is much easier than a lfs. with wholesaler u can breed your own fish(which i guess u can do in a lfs) and u really don't need to keep the store full of employies. my friend who is a wholesaler is set-up in a building that isn't very large. he has 9 rows of tanks that are set in a 3 layer fashion. but if u wanted to really become a lfs then, i would guess it will be a bumpy start, but hang in there.

Get yourself in a small business course. A lot of the community colleges offer them as night classes. Not only is there the stock side but a business has to have operating capital and good business plan. With a good solid business plan it will be easier to get a loan from a gov't development agency or financial institution in your area.

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If at first you DO succeed, try not to look astonished.

Hmm, okay.
I live in an apartment now so don't have the room to breed fish (other than maybe livebearers LOL) here, though I am starting to breed my leopard geckos for spare change
I may be going in with a friend who actually is planning on doing the exact same thing as me...
But... everybody I've talked to who's taken a small business course has come out of it thinking it was worthless. They all say hands on experience is better, which is why I'm hoping to become a manager soon... But maybe I'm wrong?

I'm so adjective, I verb nouns!

How many fish shops & pet shops are there in your area (or where you plan on having the lfs) beacase why should people go to yours & not someone elses, just think about that.

this might help

Last edited by dude_dude at 21-Apr-2005 19:10

what about national graduate training schemes in aquatic retail?

Maidenhead Aquatics in the UK runs a scheme, which leads to eventualy management of an LFS under their name. The advantage of this is that you learn the business before putting any of your own capital on the line.

Might be worth looking into something similar

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I like to think that whoever designed marine life was thinking of it as basically an entertainment medium. That would explain some of the things down there, some of the unearthly biological contraptions

I wrote an article on this very subject which may prove helpful. Want me to post it again?


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002