Can I make a profit?

[garnet13aj]

I'm about to start reading up on how to breed clownfish, when I master that I'll probably widen my range and start trying some harder breeds.
Is it to make a profit breeding saltwater fish and what kind of profit could I expect to get once I've smoothed out all the bumps? Or should I go into it purely as a form of entertainment without hopes making any money?
I ask so I can decide which species to start with and start making a timeline for when to start. Also, are there rules/laws about where I can sell them?
Thanks for any insight! I searched to see if this had already been asked but I didn't see any similar posts.

 

[jackri]

Google MOFIB as they really are centered around breeding and have A LOT of information and set ups as well as selling breeding pairs, babies, etc. I'm not trying to break any rules with going to other websites but I think you will find just a ton of helpful information there as most of the people have bred and sold fish more than just as a hobby.

 

[shrimpy brains]

Well, I'm sure you will get other opinions, but most saltwater fish are not that easy to raise, IME. Clownfish are probably the easiest, and I believe lay the most eggs. It will take time to get the hang of raising them.
In addition to raising the fry/babies you will need to set up cultures. You will have to culture microalgae. This feeds the rotifers that you will be culturing to feed the baby fish. As they get bigger you will need to be hatching live brine shrimp daily to feed them. Don't keep thes cultures too close as cross contamination will cause a crash.
Not to worry, culturing is not difficult, but it is a lot of work.
Now you will need several tanks to raise your babies in. I start with a 1g fish bowl, then move to a 10g. You may be able to put clowns togther a couple of weeks apart, but you will have to seperate major size differences, and that's just for one breed. You will need different tanks for each breed you raise.
I'm not saying you can't make a profit over time, and I just started raising clowns in Sept. What I am saying is make it a hobby!! Then.....who knows.
My intentions in raising fry is for entertainment and trading. Also, I am fragging corals for this. I have been lucky enough to get several small tanks, air pumps, filters and lights at thrift stores etc. I do all my cultures in 2 liter bottles. So I don't have a lot invested unless you want to count time and electricity.

 

[garnet13aj]

Oh I'm definitely going to make it a hobby! I've had a 55 gallon for a few years and want to try out a new skill. I'm just trying to gauge what my intentions will be. I'm going to do it regardless but of course it's always great to find a hobby where you can actually make money in the process
I bought the book Clownfishes by Joyce Wilkerson a year ago and read it, but never got past that. I started rereading it today and I'm getting really excited!

 

[fretfreak13]

It'd be cool if you put seperaters in the fifty five and housed different batches of babies right nest to eachother. lol That's a noob suggustion though, I know nothing about breeding, I think it'd just be cool cause you coul dkind of see a timeline of their development.

 

[shrimpy brains]

Oh, it's definitely cool to raise them!! Also, take Jackri's advice and when you get on that board, search for a guy BaboonScience. He is very successful at raisng clowns and Banghaii Cardinals and I don't know what else.