If you were to start breeding what species would it be?

[magicfishy]

I started my fish adventures less than a year ago and am up to 29 running tanks today. Anything from a 1 gal to 125 gal. When I bought my first electric blue ahlis one of the females was pregnant and had her babies in the bucket on the way home.....and I was hooked!

I started typing details about the tanks and fish I currently have but I changed my mind. I really would like to see what fish folks would breed if they were to start breeding today. As mentioned, I've got a fairly decent set up with all types of fish but it's a big mess since I got a bit of everything. I am thinking about selling most of the fish and start all over. I've been reading for weeks and still can't come up with a decent plan.

Can't go too expensive but would like to make it worthwhile eventually. On another note, I spent quite a bit of time in my "fish room" but wouldn't want anything that's too finicky/difficult. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

[jughead]

1.what are your goals
2.what are you getting rid of

[magicfishy]

That's a tough question.....I guess I'd like to be involved with breeding, to watch and learn about their behavior, care for mom and fry, see them grow....with the thought in the back of my mind to eventually sell them in order to make a bit of a profit or at least break even considering all the investments I've made. I surely wouldn't mind if in a few years this would develop into more than just a hobby.

I currently have adult and fry of: electric blue ahlis, yellow labs, acei, red shoulder peacock. I also am trying to breed my sewellia lineolata, F0 pearl gouramis, african butterfly fish. In addition, I have a bunch of misc fish scattered throughout.....silver dollars, pseudotropheus socolofi, blood parrot cichlids, kribensis, guppies, various tetras, barbs, algae eaters and plecos. I also have two different types of "wild caught" fish, which I found in my backyard ponds but have no clue how they got there or where they came from. Also got some red cherry shrimp, yellow shrimp, and glass shrimp, trapdoor snails and assasins ( but not in the same tank! ))

At this point, all but the sewellias and african butterfly fish could be up for sale. But before I sell any of them, I'd like to come up with a plan that makes sense (preferably keep as many as possible of the varieties I already have since they are dear to me.)

[katytropheus]

Do you have any very large electric blue males for sale?

[jarrodaden]

Venustus are on my to-breed list.

[amilcar]

I would like to breed uaru and jurupari..........

[armthehomeless]

Can't go too expensive but would like to make it worthwhile eventually.

What do you mean when you say "make it worthwhile"?
Knowing the answers to jughead's questions might help us steer you towards a particular direction.

With that said, if given the opportunity, I'd love to breed Boulengerochromis microlepis.

[magicfishy]

Do you have any very large electric blue males for sale?

I just sold my alpha male at the auction on Sunday. He was bullying everybody around. Seems much calmer without him. Right now I have about 3 males that have gotten there colors in but are not fully grown yet. I am bad with estimates but just a rough guess....4" maybe? Let me know if you are interested. Maybe we can work something out.

[magicfishy]

What do you mean when you say "make it worthwhile"?

I hope to find species that will be sooth after by fellow aquarists and that are worth more than just a buck or two. A fish that can be found at every LFS may not be quite what I am looking for.

[nacra99]

I hate to be a downer.
But if anyone is hoping to get rich on this hobby, it is highly unlikely.
I have bred my fair share of "rare and exotic" fish and found that unless i i had the time, effort, money and unwavering resolve to turn it into a full time thing, it usually wasn't worth my while.

That being said..... a little bit of cash to feed the fish habit is always nice :)

I like a challenge so i vote for L-46 plecos & altum angelfish.

[pillowface]

If it were legal freshwater rays :)

[black_knight]

I hope to find species that will be sooth after by fellow aquarists and that are worth more than just a buck or two. A fish that can be found at every LFS may not be quite what I am looking for.

That's a tall order. Most of the expensive stuff ,would be hard to find and not common at LFS. If it were common and easy to breed it would likely be cheap. Aquarium keeping is very subjective. People choose to keep diffrent types of fish for many reasons. If your refering to the serious hobbyist, well that's problematic. Many of them want rare stuff aswell. Like tropheus and petro people- they love the wild stuff. Livebearer people want fish to certain standards and you wind up culling alot of fish to get the ones you want, but by then you spend alot more than you ever sell the fish for. Discus require lots of time lots of food and by the time your ready to sell them you've spent a but load of money and time.
Now if your looking for fish that don't need alot of room and are very hardy/not too demanding, on the rare side, easy to breed and interesting. I'd look into the following:
1.Apistogramas (many to choose from) and any of the dwarf cichlids (electric blue rams) 2. shell dwelling cichlids 3.wild bettas- mouthbrooding species(very pricey,though) 4.paradise fish

most of these will do well in 5-20 gallon tanks. none are pick eaters, all have interesting parental care and breeding habits.

[magicfishy]

Thank you sooo much! That's a lot of good info. I'll check out your suggestions!

[koi]

No one suggested livebearers? Koi swordtails are rare and are only found at one lfs in houston

[danielp]

No one suggested livebearers? Koi swordtails are rare and are only found at one lfs in houston

Where are these guys found?

I have a tank that could use a fish like this.