# Tank setups?



## Aquariuman (Nov 28, 2011)

What would be the best tank setup to breed the following fish:
1) Guppy
2) Molly
3) Swordtail
4) Platy

I plan to breed these fish and sell them to start my business. I also need to know what would be the best tank setup for:
1) Red crayfish (found at Tropical Inverts for Freshwater Aquariums: Red Lobster)

I plan on breeding this crayfish also to sell for my business. I need to know how to ship the crayfish and fish, though I'm going to read http://www.aquariumforum.com/f86/how-ship-fish-19147.html So i may not need to know how to ship the fish.

*c/p* Thanks for all your time and suggestions!


----------



## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

To breed fish to sell you will need several growout tanks. And I am talking many. But the fish you are choosing are basically called bread and butter fish so expect a low return on your investment. Even with the more rare fish you will barely break even unless you do it in a massive way like the mass producers.


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

http://www.aquariumforum.com/f10/urgent-statement-aquariumforum-com-please-read-25316.html

Im editing to elaborate that it takes a lot more than just having tanks and fish to be a breeder. Breeders select fish for their genetic qualities and breed for those and attempt to breed out bad qualities. It's not something that should be jumped into lightly, and should be adequately prepared for. My apologies for any confusion.


----------



## Aquariuman (Nov 28, 2011)

Upon reading http://www.aquariumforum.com/f10/urgent-statement-aquariumforum-com-please-read-25316.html I have decided to ask for help in which supplies would best suit the needs of the fish. My other questions still apply. Also, How many grow out tanks would I need per species?*c/p* THX!


----------



## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Bascially just starting out you need a tank for each species to breed in and then at least 3 growout tanks for each species fry to growout in. For the first 2 weeks of fry you need to do at least 50% water changes every other day to help them grow and lots of good food.

I would use sponge filters in these tanks or something to cover the intake tubes of the filters. Heaters for each tank also.


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Alright glad you understand what I was going for there.It was not in any way to deter everyone from breeding just wanted to give a heads up about being improperly prepared.

That said,Ive not worked with any of those fish before,however a friend of mine breeds guppies.SHe has a tank for the female,time two for each strain.and the same for the males.Also several growouts for the fry.Basically what she does is she chooses a line,and separates it in two.This gives her an outcross.You will need filtration for each tank.and a way of keeping a record.Heaters,high quality foods,fry foods,and the patience to do alot of water changes.


----------



## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

I breed a lot of swordtails, but wild-type, not domestic strains. The principles are the same, although I am not selecting lines and making choices. 
The starting point for having multiple males in harmony is a tank of at least 50 gallons, maybe even 75. This allows some diversity as you have more than one male and multiple females.
For commercial breeding (my local shops want 150 lots, something I can't provide but have looked into) you need tanks to separate females. Broods more than a week apart shouldn't be raised together, as size differences will create visible ratio problems (more on that soon). So to sell the species, five or six big, well-filtered tanks are needed. Each should have hard water, and 50% weekly water changes, at least. The cleaner the water, the faster the growth, the quicker to market.
It will take several months to get them to adut size. Any smaller, and the stores won't want them. You also have to shoot for 50/50 sex ratios. Male swords can bloom late - some can take a year to sex out. Visible ratio problems have created the partial myth of sex changing swords, as a large six month old may not show its sex for another seven months. Crowded and in small tanks, the alpha male will be the only one to show. Florida fish farms with ponds can support that. Can you support that in tanks? 
At the end of the process, the fish sell for very low prices, as shipping is often more expensive than what the breeders get for the fish. A six 50 gallon tank swordtail set-up needing heavy feeding (livebearers eat a lot) might generate $500 per year. And it'll cost.... 

it'd be cheaper in Arizona than where I am in Canada, because of energy costs, but I have never seen anyone go up against the farms with their huge growout ponds and survive. For niche breeding with rarities like dwarf cichlids, yes. For bread and butter fish? Good luck.


----------



## Aquariuman (Nov 28, 2011)

navigator black said:


> I breed a lot of swordtails, but wild-type, not domestic strains. The principles are the same, although I am not selecting lines and making choices.
> The starting point for having multiple males in harmony is a tank of at least 50 gallons, maybe even 75. This allows some diversity as you have more than one male and multiple females.
> For commercial breeding (my local shops want 150 lots, something I can't provide but have looked into) you need tanks to separate females. Broods more than a week apart shouldn't be raised together, as size differences will create visible ratio problems (more on that soon). So to sell the species, five or six big, well-filtered tanks are needed. Each should have hard water, and 50% weekly water changes, at least. The cleaner the water, the faster the growth, the quicker to market.
> It will take several months to get them to adut size. Any smaller, and the stores won't want them. You also have to shoot for 50/50 sex ratios. Male swords can bloom late - some can take a year to sex out. Visible ratio problems have created the partial myth of sex changing swords, as a large six month old may not show its sex for another seven months. Crowded and in small tanks, the alpha male will be the only one to show. Florida fish farms with ponds can support that. Can you support that in tanks?
> ...


I think i get the picture thx navigator. I think ill just do a service for ppl. like cleaning their tanks 4 them and they buy fish and stuff but i take care of them. then when i get enough $$$ ill try and breed some of the rarer fish.

Plz still post on this thread ppl but focus on telling me which fish (genra/types) i can make a profit on. THX!


----------

