It’s easy to open a point selling aquarium fish. The necessary equipment and fry are purchased. You can sell them at any age, depending on the audience your business is intended for. But in order for the aquarium fish business to be profitable, you need to choose a popular type of fish and learn all the intricacies of growing them.

Business attractiveness

Despite its apparent simplicity, breeding aquarium fish as a business can be developed into a large, profitable business. The following factors contribute to this:

• The market operates without large manufacturers who offer live aquarium products en masse. The same applies to special equipment.
• You can start a business at home, without spending money on rent and bringing the premises into appropriate conditions.
• Capital investment is minimal.
• There is a lot of available information on how to breed any type of fish.
• There are no problems with selling pets. Both wholesale buyers (shops) and retail buyers (markets, private aquarium holders) are at your service.
• It is possible to organize the sale of related products: live food, invertebrates, algae.

Selection of fish

As already mentioned, for a business to be successful, it is important from the very beginning to choose the right type of fish for breeding. You need to focus on the following aspects:

1. Find out which type of fish is most in demand, which is less popular, clarify the pricing policy in your region, find out the peculiarities of keeping these species.
2. Do not focus on the most popular and cheapest species that are easy to breed. You cannot compete with amateurs who often rent out fry of such fish for free.
3. Don't bet on exotic fish that live in slightly salty waters off the coast of Australia, Asia and India. Yes, they acclimatize easily, grow well in captivity, but do not reproduce in an artificial environment.

Preparing the premises

Breeding aquarium fish does not require a special room; any city room will do. The only thing is that it will need to be brought into some compliance with the conditions of keeping aquariums.

First of all, it needs to be darkened if it is too light. But the amount of light must be adjusted based on the selected type of fish for breeding. Some require a lot of sunlight for normal growth, while others are contraindicated. It is best to regulate the amount of light with special fluorescent lamps for aquariums.

Further, under no circumstances should the aquarium be placed near central heating radiators. Moreover, if you are planning to build a serious business, it is better to replace this heating with some alternative heating sources that can be easily adjusted. Most fish species are very sensitive to changes in microclimate, and central heating causes a sharp change in temperature and humidity in the room.

You definitely need to make sure that the floor is secure, and the containers themselves should be placed in only one tier. The profitability level of an aquarium business is calculated by the amount of water used. And it is considered profitable when your aquariums contain at least 2 tons. Therefore, you need to be sure that the floor of your apartment will withstand such a load. As for tiering, aquariums placed on the same level are easier to maintain.

Equipment

What equipment to choose depends on what type of fish you have chosen. Depending on the conditions of their detention, one or another technique is selected. As a rule, when starting a business, they take universal aquariums of 200 liters each and all the accompanying equipment.

At a minimum, you will need the following equipment:

Fish distribution channels

You can sell your pets in two ways. Moreover, it is recommended to use them simultaneously:

1. Selling fish directly to private aquarium owners. This channel is used by everyone, regardless of production volumes. Moreover, many people strive to buy fish from trusted manufacturers.
2. Sales to resellers or pet stores. Of course, in this case you lose a lot at a price that will be significantly lower than retail. But it gives you the opportunity to keep abreast of market trends and regulate your own production.

Experts recommend having not only species diversity of fish, but also age diversity. It is recommended to sell them according to the following system: sell most as fry, try to sell the rest in adolescence, and raise those that remain until the breeding season.

Business has some seasonality. In the summer, during vacations and holidays, fish are practically not sold. In addition, the target audience has also changed in recent years. If previously children were interested in fish, demanding that their parents get an aquarium for them, today this target category has practically dried up. Aquariums are set up either by hobbyists at home or in offices.

Economic calculation of business

For the business to be profitable, it is recommended to start with 12 aquariums of at least 200 liters each. Of these, five are allocated for keeping adult fish - two males and six females each. The rest are designated for raising fry, juveniles and spawning grounds.

In total, at the start you can start by keeping 30 fish, from which there will be about 3 thousand fry within a year. The selling price depends on the type of fish, but on average the cost remains at the following levels:

• 200-3000 rub. – adult fish;
• 200-300 rub. - teenager;
• 50-100 rub. - small fish

You can sell 250 fish per month, which on average will be about 50 thousand rubles. income.

The main costs at the start will be about 2230 thousand rubles. and go to:

• feed for three months – 7,200 rubles;
• purchase of adult fish (40 pcs.) – 40,000 rubles.
• purchase of equipment – ​​172,000 rubles.
• other expenses – 10,000 rubles.

In addition, about 4 thousand rubles will be spent every month. for electricity. As a result, the profit will be about 43 thousand rubles. Based on these indicators, the business will pay off in about 8 months.

Alexander Kaptsov

Reading time: 7 minutes

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One of the promising and profitable options for organizing your own business is breeding aquarium fish for sale. In this area, budding entrepreneurs will not meet major competitors, will find significant unmet demand and will face minimal initial investment. Moreover, within six months you can expect your first profit.

Features of organizing a business for breeding aquarium fish

Why do many entrepreneurs choose the path of aquarium fish breeding business?

Its main advantage is the simplicity of organization, which boils down to:

1. Purchasing rare and expensive fish specimens.
2. Creating conditions for their life and reproduction.
3. Realization of emerging offspring.

It is worth adding that these are not the only features that attract businessmen to this underdeveloped industry in Russia; It is also important to point out:

• Absence of large competitors (neither in Russia nor in the CIS countries are there large enterprises for breeding aquarium fish).
• Relatively small investment (aquariums and other equipment can be purchased at wholesale prices, and only a few fish will be needed at the initial stage).
• An ordinary apartment can be used as a premises.
• A large number of distribution channels (private aquarium owners, pet stores, markets).

If the business turns out to be successful, then the small company can gradually be transformed into a full-fledged retail chain. The availability of information on fish breeding on the Internet is an opportunity for even an entrepreneur who does not have the necessary knowledge to get involved in this business.

Important point: Selling aquarium fish allows you to diversify your business and provide other types of services. For example, cleaning aquariums, selling algae and bait, etc.

Which aquarium fish are profitable to breed: types of fish and approximate prices

When buying your first batch of aquarium fish (for divorce), you should rely on several important rules, namely:

1. Conduct a demand analysis in city pet stores : Under the guise of a buyer, find out which fish are most in demand by buyers.
2. Do not try to purchase well-known, easy to care for and maintain, relatively inexpensive fish : this market segment is already oversaturated and will not bring the required profit.
3. You should also not be too original and buy overly rare types of fish. – they may not find demand, not produce offspring, or have difficult living conditions.

What kind of fish can be stocked in your aquariums at first; experienced aquaists pay attention to several main species:

• are widely demanded in the market due to their bright colors. They have a low ability to reproduce and can be sold at a price of 500 to 1200 rubles per piece.
• Goldfish are in great demand, reproduce at an active pace and are traded in a wide range of prices - from 200 to 3000 rubles per individual.
• Synodontists with leopard spots on the body, they reproduce at an average rate and are sold for 200-500 rubles, but at the same time they are very unpretentious in care.
• Cichlids give rich offspring, have a pleasant color, which is highly valued by experienced aquarists and hobbyists. You can sell such fish for an average of 350 rubles per specimen.
• Nothopteridae fish , a prominent representative of which is the Chita Knife, are sold at 600-900 rubles apiece.

What equipment is needed for breeding aquarium fish at home?

The purchase of equipment for breeding aquarium fish depends on what type of fish the entrepreneur will breed (certain species require cooling or heating of water, etc.).

However, at the initial stage, you can limit yourself to purchasing such devices and mechanisms that can create optimal conditions for the life of fish:

1. Aquariums with a capacity of 200-250 liters (for freshwater fish).
2. Compressors for pumping water.
3. Filters for water purification and oxygen saturation.
4. Fluorescent lamps.
5. Water temperature regulators.
6. Sticker thermometers.
7. Automatic fish feeders.

At the initial stage, you will need from 8 to 12 units of each type of equipment (in some stores it can be purchased as a set, which will be cheaper).

Which room is best for breeding aquarium fish?

One of the main advantages of a business for breeding aquarium fish is the ability to organize it even in a standard city apartment.

To do this, it will be enough to select just one room and arrange it properly, namely:

• Darken the windows , since daylight is contraindicated for most aquarium fish. The aquarium is illuminated by fluorescent lamps, the power of which can be adjusted.
• Install aquariums away from heating radiators , and, if possible, even provide the premises with electric heaters with microclimate control.
• Arrange aquariums strictly in one tier , having previously checked the strength of the floor coverings (the total weight of 10-12 aquariums with equipment, water and fish will be about 2.5 tons).

How to properly keep aquarium fish: housing conditions, nutrition and care

If the room in which you plan to keep the fish is properly equipped, then further maintenance of these pets does not require significant effort. In fact, all you need to do is feed the fish in a timely manner, clean the aquariums, and change the water.

How to place fish in aquariums? If an entrepreneur has purchased 10 aquariums, then it is most advisable to allocate 5 of them for adult fish and 5 for fry. It is recommended to place 2 males and 6-7 females in one tank.

There are a number of fish care measures that are important for any aquarist to follow:

1. Once a week At least 1/5 of the water in each aquarium should be changed.
2. Once a month In aquariums, global cleaning is carried out: glass, stones and other aquarium decorations are cleaned of fouling using special brushes.
3. Once a month it is also necessary to clean the soil, for which it is driven through a special funnel.

Important point: It is not recommended to fill aquariums with water directly from the water supply - the chlorine content in it can adversely affect the health of many fish. It should be left in a separate container for 2-3 days or enriched with special solutions that are sold in pet stores.

The fish should be fed 2-3 times a day. When using an automatic feeder, this problem does not arise for the aquarium owner.

Where can I send aquarium fish for sale?

There are three main sales channels for aquarium fish, namely:

Important point: In all three cases, you can also offer algae and food for sale, and offer aquarium cleaning as an additional service.

How to draw up a business plan for breeding aquarium fish: calculating costs and payback periods

As mentioned above, profits from the sale of aquarium fish will begin to flow approximately 6-8 months after the creation of the business.

If you give a detailed breakdown of the costs of organizing a business, it looks like this (based on 10 aquariums):

1. Purchase of equipment – ​​180,000 rubles.
2. Purchase of adult fish (30-40 pieces) – 50,000 rubles.
3. Purchase of fish food – 5,000 rubles.
4. Other costs (registration on a patent basis, purchase of decoration for an aquarium, water purification products, etc.) – 20,000 rubles.

In this situation, the total costs will be 265,000 rubles. If 250 fish are hatched in aquariums in a month, then if each one is sold for 300 rubles (average price), the entrepreneur will receive 250x300 = 75,000 rubles.

Fish farming business is an excellent source of income. In order for it to bring in constant money, you will have to work hard, but the result is worth it. Before you start breeding fish, think about whether you can constantly be at home and take care of your pets. You may need to hire an assistant to look after them while you are away. Beginning businessmen should carefully study the specifics of this business. You need to have maximum information about aquarium fish, otherwise you risk incurring huge losses. The fish will get sick, die, conflict with each other, etc.

Business concept

The essence of the business is that you create living conditions at home or indoors, purchase equipment and aquarium fish, properly care for your pets, breed offspring, sell them and get money for it.

Breeding aquarium fish as a business idea has several advantages:

• minimal financial investment;
• availability of equipment, aquariums, fish, food, care products and related products;
• low competition;
• no rent (a novice businessman can breed fish at home);
• a wide choice of sales channels: pet stores, amateur aquarists, bird markets;
• prospects for business expansion. You can open your own pet store, sell related products, live food, etc.

How to choose aquarium fish

Selecting fish for breeding and further sale is a key point in business. Here you need to be guided by the following factors:

• analyze the goods in all stores in the city. Under the guise of a buyer, ask which fish are in demand and why. You can find out any other information you are interested in;
• study the most famous fish breeds. Their breeding should be abandoned first of all, since they are very cheap. The same goes for easily bred breeds. No one will buy cheap fry from you, since any pet store owner can get them for free by contacting any aquarium fish lover;
• Explore species of imported fish found in coastal Australian, Indian and Indian waters. They are very popular, there is a demand for them, but it is very difficult to breed offspring.

If you want to make money from aquarium fish, then you need to focus on exotic, prolific breeds that are very popular. You can start by breeding goldfish, barbs, cichlids, synodontis, etc. For the first time, buy no more than 20 fry. You need to make a purchase only from a trusted breeder. Don't buy fish at the market. It is not necessary to start with fish breeding. You can simply buy fry, raise them and sell them for a higher price. The greatest demand for products is during the cold season. In the summer, the aquarium business quiets down.

Premises and equipment

The choice of equipment will depend on the type of fish you plan to raise. At the initial stage, it is enough to purchase an aquarium with a capacity of 200-250 ml and the appropriate equipment. With each acquisition of a new type of fish, you will have to take care of suitable equipment. It could be:

• thermostat
• daylight lamp
• filter
• compressor
• automatic feeder

You can breed aquarium fish in your home. It is best to allocate a separate room equipped with special equipment.

• Darken the room. For some breeds of fish, bright sunlight is contraindicated, as it can cause illness and even death. Lighting must be artificial so that its intensity can be adjusted. The ideal option is fluorescent lamps.
• Place aquariums away from radiators. If the containers will be in a separate room, they can be completely disconnected and replaced with electrical appliances. They allow you to control the microclimatic conditions in the room.
• Check the strength of floor coverings. After checking, arrange the aquariums in one row. If you place containers in several rows, then if the structure inadvertently collapses, you will have to bear losses, as well as reimburse the neighbors for repair services.

Setting up a business for growing aquarium fish

Sale of goods to private entrepreneurs. Regardless of the volume of products you produce, this is the best option for beginning businessmen. As soon as authority appears among aquarists, the number of clients will immediately increase.

Sale of aquarium fish to resellers and pet store owners. In this case, you will have to sell the product at a lower price, but this sales option is an excellent guideline that regulates the overall production of fish for the aquarium.

The goods must be sold in parts: 1 part is fry, 2 parts are growing fish and 3 parts are adult fish. Fry that are not sold can be raised and sold for a different price.

Investments

• purchase of equipment and aquariums – 160,000 rubles
• purchase of 30 fry – 30,000 rubles
• feed for 2 months – 4800 rubles
• other expenses – 7000 rubles

Total: 201,800 rubles

Profit calculation: 200 fish per month – 200 rubles each

Result: 40,000 rubles

Expenses:

• electricity – 250 kW/month = 3800 rubles
• feed – 2000 rubles

Result: 5800 rubles

Profit: 40,000 rubles – 5,800 rubles = 34,200 rubles

An aquarium fish business is a great idea for those who love animals and would like their hobby to generate a permanent income. Of course, this is a risky endeavor. But if you approach organizing your business wisely, then things will quickly go uphill.

* The calculations use average data for Russia

1. PROJECT SUMMARY

This business plan discusses a project for breeding freshwater aquarium fish at home with the aim of their subsequent implementation in a city with a population of more than 1 million people and making a profit. The distribution channels will be private aquarists, as well as pet stores, aquarium stores, etc. The fish will be sold both through an online store and through a non-stationary outlet at the bird market.

To implement the project, it will be necessary to purchase aquariums of various sizes and other equipment necessary to ensure their vital functions, purchase fish, as well as food for several months. The advantage of the project is that there are no expenses for renting and repairing premises, the need to hire staff and obtain special education. In fact, the business will have a family format and represent a source of additional income.

The volume of investments in the project is 468.9 thousand rubles. Payback period - 23 months. The preparatory period before the start of sales will take 4 months, which are necessary for growing fish for sale.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY AND COMPANY

Freshwater aquarium keeping is a popular hobby among people of all ages. The demand for aquarium fish is highest in the United States of America and European countries, where the aquarium fish trading industry is well developed. One of the main trends in the industry, which has been noted by aquarists in recent years, is the trend towards marine aquariums. However, in Russia it is less pronounced due to less awareness among amateurs and unwillingness to raise sea fish. Often, instead of exotic fish, the majority of the population prefers small and widespread freshwater species of ornamental fish, which do not require any serious maintenance efforts.

Due to the fact that breeding aquarium fish in Russia is for the most part a shadow business, which is often a way for the population to earn additional income, it is difficult to provide any intelligible statistics on it. According to Rosstat, as of July 10, 2016, 2,139 firms were registered under OKVED related to fish farming in general, of which 201 firms chose OKVED 02/05/11 “Reproduction of fish and aquatic biological resources by non-agricultural producers.” However, these figures hardly reflect the real number of those involved in breeding aquarium fish.

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We can also talk only approximately about the number of Russians who have aquarium fish at home. According to surveys by VTsIOM (2010), Levada Center (2014) and NAFI (2016), about 4%, 6% and 3% of the population, respectively, have aquarium fish as “pets”. That is, according to various sources, from 4.4 to 8.8 million Russians have fish at home. Aquarium fish are in greatest demand in cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg and other million-plus cities with the largest number of solvent audiences.

This project is to organize a business for breeding freshwater aquarium fish at home with the aim of their subsequent sale in a city with a population of more than 1 million people and making a profit. Aquarium fish breeding activities will be a family business and a source of additional income. The main responsibilities will be assigned to the project initiator, registered as an individual entrepreneur and previously having experience in aquarium farming. Auxiliary work will be carried out by family members of the initiator.

Breeding of aquarium fish will be organized in one of the rooms of a private household, for which aquariums of various sizes and the necessary equipment will be purchased. Sales channels will be private aquarists, as well as pet stores, aquarium stores, etc. The fish are planned to be sold through an online store, as well as through a non-stationary outlet at the bird market.

To bring your idea to life you will need to go through the following steps:

purchase equipment and compactly organize space for activities;

install aquariums;

purchase fish and food supplies;

create an online store;

post information about yourself on the Internet and social networks;

produce fish farming for stable sales organization;

The preparatory period will be 4 months. The preparatory period does not take into account the professional training of the project initiator (taking aquarium courses, reading specialized literature, and so on), since it is assumed that experience in breeding aquarium fish in small quantities has been carried out previously.

The volume of starting investments will be 468.9 thousand rubles. Initial cost items are set out in Table. 1 business plan. It is expected that the payback period will be achieved within the 23rd month of operation. The start of sales is scheduled for September 2017. Thus, the advantages of the project include: no expenses for renting and renovating premises, no need to hire staff due to the family format of the business, as well as obtaining special education or any qualifications.

Table 1. Investment costs of the project

3. DESCRIPTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES

The most popular fish will be selected for breeding. When choosing the assortment, the demand in the city's pet stores was analyzed and the most popular types were identified. The company will operate in the middle price segment. In Table. 2 business plans provide an indicative price list for all types of fish planned for sale (retail sales). In the future, the store’s assortment can be expanded by selling more rare species of fish, as well as providing services for cleaning aquariums, producing algae, invertebrates, live food, etc.

Table 2. Price list

When executing orders through the online store, all necessary transportation requirements will be taken into account, taking into account specific features. Before shipping, the fish will be packaged in plastic bags with water, into which special preparations will be added, air, oxygen or an air-oxygen mass will be pumped in. The bags will then be packed into foam boxes, which will help maintain the desired temperature inside. For shipping in winter, special heating bags will be placed in the boxes.

4.SALES AND MARKETING

The largest number of potential clients live in cities with a population of over a million. If the audience is quite diverse in terms of gender and age characteristics, then in terms of income it is people with “average” and “above average” earnings. As noted in the Levada Center, aquarium fish are mainly owned by entrepreneurs (11%), employees, students (10%) and in general Russians under 25 years of age (11%), with a high consumer status (10%) and Muscovites (12%). This can be explained by the fact that people perceive having their own aquarium as an indicator of stability and well-being. Most often, people who have their own home and do not intend to move out of it decide to buy an aquarium and fish. The same can be said about companies that decide to have an aquarium with fish in their office: they are bought by companies that are firmly on their feet.

Based on the survey data given in paragraph 2 of the business plan, then in a city with a population of more than 1 million people there are more than 30-60 thousand owners of aquarium fish. The majority of the population (about 42% according to surveys on specialized websites) usually prefers to breed fish in small aquariums of up to 60 liters, the remaining 36% and 18% are in aquariums with volumes of 80-180 liters and more than 180 liters, respectively. Sales of aquarium fish will be carried out directly to private aquarists and through intermediaries - pet stores, aquarium stores, etc. The fish will be sold both through an online store and through a non-stationary outlet at the city’s poultry market. When selling fish to wholesale customers, prices will depend on the volume of purchase.

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Particular attention is planned to be paid to competently presenting information about yourself on the Internet and creating an online store with high conversion rates. Due to the fact that private aquarists are often looking for a specific species of fish for their aquarium, their name, cost, current availability/absence, as well as a photograph of each species will be clearly indicated. It is expected to place advertisements on free classifieds sites and on aquarium forums, and maintain groups on social networks.

There are 6 main competitors in the city market. An analysis of their strengths and weaknesses is given in table. 3 of this business plan. It is worth noting that this type of business is seasonal with a decline from March to August and an increase from August to December.

Table 3. Competitor analysis

5. PRODUCTION PLAN

One of the premises with an area of ​​30 square meters will be used for breeding aquarium fish. meters of your own private house with an area of. The premises are heated, have electricity and water supply. To breed aquarium fish, you will need to purchase aquariums of various sizes to support different species, including aquariums for young animals and spawning aquariums, as well as appropriate equipment. The cost of what is needed is shown in Table. 4 real business plans.

Table 4. List of equipment

In addition to what is listed, you will need soil (RUB 25,200) and plants (RUB 15,900) necessary for the normal existence of the biosystem. Fish will be placed taking into account species characteristics and compatibility of species with each other. In Fig. 1 shows the compatibility table for freshwater aquarium fish. More details about the financial component of the project can be found in paragraph 7 and Appendix 1 of the business plan.

Figure 1. Compatibility of freshwater aquarium fish

6.ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN

Aquarium fish breeding activities will be a family business and a source of additional income. The main responsibilities will be assigned to the project initiator, registered as an individual entrepreneur. Auxiliary work (cleaning aquariums, feeding, etc.) will be carried out by members of the initiator’s family. In this regard, there is no need to hire staff.

7. FINANCIAL PLAN

The volume of investments in the project will be 468,950 rubles. Starting cost items are given in Table. 1. When making calculations in this business plan, it was decided to start from a pessimistic sales forecast: a monthly volume of 40,000 rubles. during the first year of work (from 4 months), 50,000 rubles. - in the second year of work, 65,000 rubles. - in the third year of work. Fixed costs are shown in Table. 7. Variable costs will include business expenses, including packaging, transportation, etc. Financial calculations are given in Appendix 1. The payback period in this case will be 23 months.

Table 7. Fixed costs of the enterprise

8. RISKS AND GUARANTEES

Possible risks of a project for breeding aquarium fish are given in Table. 9 business plan.

Table 9. Possible risks and ways to prevent them or their consequences

If you want to not only admire the fish in the aquarium, but also regularly increase their number, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the breeding conditions of these aquatic pets.

Breeding fish in a home aquarium is perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of aquarium farming. Here, desire alone is not enough; special knowledge and certain experience are required. This article will try to reveal the features of breeding aquarium fish at home.

General information about breeding aquarium fish

According to the method of reproduction, aquarium fish are divided into spawning and viviparous. In any case, to produce offspring, a sexually mature male and female of the same species must be present in the aquarium (Figure 1). Their external differences can be both pronounced (killy fish, cichlids) and inconsistent (cyprinids, characins). Therefore, it is recommended to purchase at least 5 individuals of the same species at once in order to be guaranteed to obtain offspring.

Some fish species, such as discus fish, do not want to mate with anyone of the opposite sex of their species. Often, selecting a pair for them takes a long period of time. But once they form a pair, discus fish remain faithful to each other throughout their lives. In this case, it is better to purchase an already formed pair, or a group of young fish for general maturation and the formation of a possible pair.

You will find useful tips on breeding aquarium fish yourself in the video.

What types of fish are profitable to breed?

Many years of experience show that the following breeds of aquarium fish are the most profitable for breeding as a business: cichlids, barbs, synodontis and goldfish (Figure 2).

Among all the listed species, goldfish and cichlids have the highest reproductive ability. Synodontis and non-topteran fish occupy three times the place, while barbs have the lowest reproductive ability. Species such as guppies, gouramis and bettas are also easy to breed. And yet, despite their unpretentiousness, these types of fish also have care features that you need to know about.

Breeding spawning species

Female aquarium fish of egg-laying species lay their eggs in the aquatic environment, and the males release their seed to fertilize them (Figure 3). The incubation period of eggs lasts about 36 hours, but since it is during this period that there is a significant threat to them from other inhabitants of the aquarium, some species of egg-laying fish have adapted to lay eggs in caves, on the underside of the leaves of aquatic plants, etc. Some aquarium fish protect their clutches from outside interference; there are also those that carry eggs in their mouths.

To stimulate the spawning of spawning fish, two methods are used:

1. Daily supply of food rich in protein, which promotes the formation of caviar and milt.
2. Changing the conditions of the aquatic environment (for example, replacing part of the water with fresh water, decreasing or increasing the temperature and water level).

The beginning of the mating season is indicated by the color and behavior of the fish. Thus, males become more colorful, and their behavior becomes more aggressive. At the same time, different types of fish spawn in different ways: in pairs, breeding groups, schools. Depending on their behavior during a given period, the decorations for the spawning aquarium are selected.

Immersion of the game into the ground

The method of immersing eggs in the ground is used by fish of the Killy species, which during spawning lay eggs in the bottom substrate. Even in case of drought, the eggs remain viable. Therefore, when designing an aquarium for this type of fish, it is necessary to pay special attention to the soil (Figure 4).

Its basis should be peat or coconut fibers. After placing the eggs in the soil, it is removed from the water and can be stored in a warm and dark place for several months.

Nest of bubbles

The male labyrinth fish, having formed a pair, begins to build a nest on the surface of the water from particles of plants and all kinds of debris, holding it all together with foam from small bubbles. The female lays eggs in a prepared nest and guards them until the offspring appear (Figure 5).

Therefore, to design an aquarium intended for breeding labyrinth fish, it is necessary to plant tall and floating plants in order to provide the male with building material for a future nest. Such an aquarium must be equipped with a tight lid to create a warm layer of air on the surface of the water in order to protect the labyrinthine organ of the fish from hypothermia.

Dispersal of eggs

Some species of carp and heracine fish spawn in small schools. At the same time, females scatter eggs onto elements of the aquarium decoration, not showing maternal instincts and eating their own eggs.

The best design for a spawning aquarium for them is soil made of small glass beads and a mesh with small cells. This device helps protect the eggs from being eaten by their own parents.

Masonry formation

Discus fish and angelfish are known to be faithful. They form permanent pairs for spawning and caring for offspring. These fish species attach their eggs in secluded corners away from prying eyes and remain nearby to protect them. Therefore, the design of the aquarium should be dominated by floating or well-rooted plants with wide leaves.

Breeding viviparous aquarium fish at home

Viviparous fish species differ from spawning fish in that the process of fertilization occurs inside the female’s body. The fry of viviparous fish are born fully formed.

Note: An interesting fact is that females are able to store the male’s seed throughout their lives and successfully use it to reproduce. However, viviparous fish completely lack parental instinct, and young individuals can easily become victims of both predators and their own parents.

Therefore, to preserve the fry, it is recommended to use a special trap. It is a transparent chamber with a double bottom and small holes made in it. A pregnant female is placed in the trap. During spawning, newborn fry enter the middle chamber through cracks at the bottom, where nothing threatens them. After the end of spawning, the female is released, and the contents of the chamber with the fry are poured into a separate container.

Feeding the fry

The first stage of breeding has been completed: the fry have been born. Now it is necessary to provide them with a sufficient amount of the necessary food (Figure 6).

Note: It is important to know that at first they can only consume liquid food from microscopic aquatic inhabitants (slipper ciliates). Droplets of water containing these organisms are applied to the surface of the water using a regular syringe.

Such feeding takes a lot of time and money, since it must be done up to 4 times a day. Therefore, when keeping unpretentious species, it is practiced to feed the fry with ground flakes. They are also mixed with water and transported to the surface of the aquatic environment using a syringe. As the young grow older, small-sized daphnia and Artemia nauplii are included in the diet.

Since aquarium fish fry are not very active, it is necessary to organize their feeding so that the food is distributed evenly over the entire surface of the water and is easily accessible. Thus, soft filtration during the process of mixing water helps deliver food to all corners of the home pond.

Problems when breeding aquarium fish

As in any business, breeding aquarium fish at home is not without difficulties and problems. Let's look at the most common of them and try to identify ways to overcome them.

Overpopulation

Overcrowding refers to an excessive number of fry in a certain volume of the aquarium. With proper care, the young grow continuously, and the living space of each of them becomes less and less. This lack of space causes stunted growth of fry, leads to stress and water pollution and, as a result, can cause various diseases. Therefore, as the fry grow, you should prepare a larger tank for them in order to increase the living space at the right time.

Population degeneration

Some fish species become sexually mature very early and, if kept together, can enter into closely related relationships, which lead to population degeneration.

Therefore, young individuals of viviparous fish, as well as fish of the Killy species, must be housed in separate containers (for keeping males and females). It is quite easy to distinguish them by their appearance: the color of males is brighter.

The problem of population degeneration is also typical for keeping closely related fish together. For example, it is not recommended to keep swordtails, platies and platypecilians in the same aquarium, since as a result of their crossing with each other, hybrid offspring appear that are not capable of reproduction.

Mortality of fry

Sometimes insufficiently ground food or poor water quality cause fry mortality. If, when you carefully examine the bellies of the fry through a magnifying glass, you do not notice any food particles inside, this means that the young are starving because they cannot absorb too large pieces of food. If the aquarium is insufficiently or poorly maintained, the fry may die due to water contamination with waste products and food residues.

Lack of offspring

A situation occurs when adult healthy fish either do not produce eggs or offspring do not hatch from them. The lack of offspring is often associated with males. They may be old or damaged by gonopodium. In this case, the problem is solved by replacing the male.

Breeding aquarium fish as a business

Breeding aquarium fish is not only an exciting activity, it can become quite a profitable business. After all, you can do it at home, which significantly reduces the cost of starting your own business. In addition, an entrepreneur is not at all required to have a special education; desire, some knowledge and material capabilities will be enough (Figure 7).

And yet, the choice of aquarium fish should be approached thoroughly, since there is a temptation to start breeding fish that reproduce quickly. Their cost is low, and the opportunity to start selling quickly is very tempting for an entrepreneur. However, it should be taken into account that such types of fish, as a rule, are not of particular value, and therefore their supply on the market is high. At the same time, their prices are low, and therefore selling them will not give a good profit. There are also risks when breeding species about which very little information is publicly available.

You should know that imported fish from hot countries reproduce very slowly, or are not at all capable of reproducing in conditions alien to them. In addition, before purchasing exotic species, you should carefully study the requirements for the conditions of their maintenance. After all, improper or insufficient care can cause illness and even death of fish, and accordingly, this will lead your business to a loss.

Therefore, experienced breeders advise purchasing initial batches of fish in specialized stores, because there you can get sufficient guarantees regarding their purebred. The best fish are those brought from Germany. It is estimated that for the initial purchase of a batch of fish of 20-30 individuals, the necessary equipment and food, your costs will be about 5 thousand dollars.

From the video you will learn useful information about the business of breeding fish at home.