Almon August 17, 2009 Share August 17, 2009 It is hard to make anything out of it unless you are a larger scale commercial breeder though....it is hard to make it worth the time of a hobbyist....Just don't realistically go into it thinking you will make a bunch of $$. I agree. Realistic expectations are important. I'd be happy to make my money back.....and be happier if I could make a few extra $.... But I won't quit my day job. In addition to (maybe) a few extra dollars, there is certainly the conservationist and environmentalist aspect. Help save the reefs. But more importantly, as DaveS said, it could help persuade the big guys to breed other species. As an individual hobbyist, it would be very difficult. But a cooperative of local breeders would have much better success and could address such issues as what ctenophore mentioned like having a consistent supply to distribution, or a consistent food supply when one crashes or fails. It would be difficult for one (1) hobbyist, but less difficult for five (5), and fairly easy for twenty (20). And what about a coop of fifty (50) breeders? Would thave have impact and influence on the industry? I can help with organizing and distribution. I'll help organize too....I'd also like to be a breeder. It's a lot of work, but the primary barrier was: What do I do with them after they grow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco August 17, 2009 Author Share August 17, 2009 You can't really have poor quality fish that have been raised from eggs and are only F1. They're basically disease free by default, and if the parents are WC, they should be genetically clean too. As far as reputation is concerned, a few photos and testimonials from customers should dispel any worries of quality. The major issue to address is supply consistency. Some cb clowns have a tendancy to croak in lfs tanks. This sensitivity I have only read about on Mofib forums. No one really knows why. I have no idea what F# I have, no idea where they came from originally othere than from Krish a long time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar August 17, 2009 Share August 17, 2009 I'll help organize too....I'd also like to be a breeder. It's a lot of work, but the primary barrier was: What do I do with them after they grow? The coop idea is a great one if it would help provide breeders market access. It takes lots of free time to breed and raise fish in the first place; who has time to then drive to a dozen LFSs with buckets of clownfish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar August 17, 2009 Share August 17, 2009 I have no idea what F# I have, no idea where they came from originally othere than from Krish a long time ago. F1 is the first generation offspring from the broodstock. If the broodstock are wild caught, the F1 offspring should have no more genertic abnormalities than in nature, and should be fertile. Problems can occur in successive generations if those generations are allowed to breed with themselves, like lower egg yields, fewer healthy fish, and more sterile fish. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore August 17, 2009 Share August 17, 2009 I agree. Realistic expectations are important. I'd be happy to make my money back.....and be happier if I could make a few extra $.... But I won't quit my day job. In addition to (maybe) a few extra dollars, there is certainly the conservationist and environmentalist aspect. Help save the reefs. But more importantly, as DaveS said, it could help persuade the big guys to breed other species. As an individual hobbyist, it would be very difficult. But a cooperative of local breeders would have much better success and could address such issues as what ctenophore mentioned like having a consistent supply to distribution, or a consistent food supply when one crashes or fails. It would be difficult for one (1) hobbyist, but less difficult for five (5), and fairly easy for twenty (20). And what about a coop of fifty (50) breeders? Would thave have impact and influence on the industry? I'll help organize too....I'd also like to be a breeder. It's a lot of work, but the primary barrier was: What do I do with them after they grow? A few greenhouse coral farmers (including myself) have been working on a coop idea for a few years now. The problem is, we are too busy building our aquaculture systems to do administrative and organizational work. This is the website I put together (forgive the A. palmata, my web buddy likes stock photography) to help gather interested people and info. We have talked at length about the distribution problem and have a few tentative ideas. Anyone interested please PM me and/or register at this site, which is primarily geared towards commercial coral but small time fish breeders are certainly welcome. It is a low traffic site though, as we have not had a lot of time to promote it. We are trying to keep it geared towards commercial aquaculture rather than hobby level reef talk. Basement breeders are definitely welcome though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon August 18, 2009 Share August 18, 2009 Only about half of the latest hatch. Getting better at this I guess. Now, what to do with. ( @ 25 days) So Doug, what will you do with them? Will the local fish stores purchase them from you? Will you try to keep a few hundred clownfish? Will you sell them online? Who else is successfully raising and selling marine fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco August 19, 2009 Author Share August 19, 2009 So Doug, what will you do with them? Will the local fish stores purchase them from you? Will you try to keep a few hundred clownfish? Will you sell them online? Who else is successfully raising and selling marine fish? Honestly, I don't really know of anyone raising them in WAMAS. Traveller7 was doing some, not sure what he has been up to, but he got me going with rots etc.. Walt in Baltimore was raising a few varieties. I'm probably sure there are lurkers here as well. I wish there was a bit more collaboration locally though. I have talked to a few stores that have agreed to take some, but most have mentioned that ora makes them buy x amount before they send a single coral or clam (corals we all are scrambling to get). I don't think I would hove problems getting rid of them though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman August 19, 2009 Share August 19, 2009 I have talked to a few stores that have agreed to take some, but most have mentioned that ora makes them buy x amount before they send a single coral or clam (corals we all are scrambling to get). I don't think I would hove problems getting rid of them though. That's pretty rotten. Extortion. What if you wanted to open a shop and ONLY sell corals? Buy clowns and flush them to get ORA corals? Sheeesh! What's the number for the BBB? bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco August 19, 2009 Author Share August 19, 2009 bbb???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveS August 19, 2009 Share August 19, 2009 I agree. Realistic expectations are important. I'd be happy to make my money back.....and be happier if I could make a few extra $.... But I won't quit my day job. In addition to (maybe) a few extra dollars, there is certainly the conservationist and environmentalist aspect. Help save the reefs. But more importantly, as DaveS said, it could help persuade the big guys to breed other species. As an individual hobbyist, it would be very difficult. But a cooperative of local breeders would have much better success and could address such issues as what ctenophore mentioned like having a consistent supply to distribution, or a consistent food supply when one crashes or fails. It would be difficult for one (1) hobbyist, but less difficult for five (5), and fairly easy for twenty (20). And what about a coop of fifty (50) breeders? Would thave have impact and influence on the industry? I'll help organize too....I'd also like to be a breeder. It's a lot of work, but the primary barrier was: What do I do with them after they grow? I like where this thread is headed. My previous post wasn't really about trying to find a way for hobbyist to make a living breeding clowns. It was more about changing the market dynamics some so that the fish we breed would have place to go (for money would be nice) and that the bigger breeders would start moving on to other, more difficult species. Drawing from my freshwater days of eons ago, I remember that the big breeders were focusing on fish like Discus instead of swordtails and mollies because they knew that tons of ppl were breeding the latter but there was still "big money" in the former. It seems like a similar thing has happened with corals- I don't see that many farmers pushing their captive grown Xenia... I was just trying to think of how we could apply a similar dynamic to the marine fish. Again, I think this is a little bigger of an endeavor than any one person could/should handle but maybe as a group, we at WAMAS could form such a coop and make something happen. Any ideas on how to formalize this more than just this thread? A new thread? New forum? Weekly happy hours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco August 19, 2009 Author Share August 19, 2009 Weekly happy hours? You speak my language. HOw are your's coming Dave. Any babies? I will make a point to the reliability of the source. So with 200 or so from this one batch alone, I got 0, yes 0, out of the last hatch, after getting back from vacation. Not sure of my rotifer status at the moment. Craig was feeding my rots while I was away for 2 weeks, and he screwed it all up. Since he is on vacation this week, I will blame him. Luckily, they laid again last night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore August 20, 2009 Share August 20, 2009 I have two mature pairs of clowns that have yet to spawn. Looks like I need to get them moving so I can attend the happy hours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikryd August 20, 2009 Share August 20, 2009 Thats cool Doug - 1cm huh! Yeah Walt raises a bunch of different species up here. I'm not sure of his luck with distribution though. He would be the one to talk to though if someone was to venture into that territory. I know he supplies a couple local stores up here, and has started with some Latz's, and another rarer species. So it should be cool to see how he does with that. Currently he has 45 cubes setup. Kind of a nice little setup for wholesale breeding. Thats cool your having fun with it. Hopefully local stores will scoop them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon August 20, 2009 Share August 20, 2009 Weekly happy hours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon March 5, 2010 Share March 5, 2010 I have a few B/W Ocellaris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onux20 March 5, 2010 Share March 5, 2010 I have a few B/W Ocellaris That is the craziest/coolest thing I have seen in a while! Great Job! Okay how much?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco March 5, 2010 Author Share March 5, 2010 look gorgeous Almon I just got some Hybrid Cinnamon/Tomato hybrid eggs from steve howard tonight. Though not the nicest temperaments, I wanted the challenge of a new species (and I lost my male orange ocellaris). So hopefully some of Steves "Cinnamatos" will be available soon. Anyone else have eggs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman March 5, 2010 Share March 5, 2010 That picture alone is worth the trouble of raising them! Awesome job, Almon!! bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtfleming March 5, 2010 Share March 5, 2010 Very nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman March 6, 2010 Share March 6, 2010 bbb???? Better Business Bureau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman March 6, 2010 Share March 6, 2010 That is the craziest/coolest thing I have seen in a while! Great Job! Okay how much?! Looks like about $4,000 worth - retail! bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore March 6, 2010 Share March 6, 2010 Looks like about $4,000 worth - retail! bob Should be more than that, at wholesale. If the survival rates are holding, at least. How many are over there now, Almon? close to 600 in various stages? I'm hoping we get a good hatch off the batch due this Monday. It is the largest nest yet from the pair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman March 6, 2010 Share March 6, 2010 Should be more than that, at wholesale. If the survival rates are holding, at least. How many are over there now, Almon? close to 600 in various stages? I'm hoping we get a good hatch off the batch due this Monday. It is the largest nest yet from the pair. I was just talking about what I could see in the photo - looked like about 100-120 of them. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon March 6, 2010 Share March 6, 2010 There are about 200 in the picture, which is about half of what I currently have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert March 18, 2010 Share March 18, 2010 I would like to get some clowns. I just started my fish tank about two weeks ago. Let me know if you would like to donate to my tank lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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