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Breeding aquarium fish for sale. Business idea: we breed aquarium fish for sale Successful sale of bred aquarium fish

Reading 7 min. Published on 10.02.2020

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

Features of organizing a business for breeding aquarium fish

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

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

  1. Acquisition of rare and expensive specimens of fish.
  2. Creation of conditions for their life and reproduction.
  3. Realizations of the appeared offspring.

It should be added that this is not the only features that attract businessmen to this underdeveloped industry in Russia; It is also important to point out:

  • Absence of major competitors (neither in Russia nor in the CIS countries large enterprises for breeding aquarium fish no).
  • Relatively small capital investment (aquariums and other equipment can be purchased at wholesale prices, and the fish at the initial stage will require only a few pieces).
  • An ordinary apartment can be used as a room.
  • A large number of distribution channels (private aquarium owners, pet stores, markets).

If the business is successful, then a small firm can be gradually transformed into a full-fledged trading network. The presence on the Internet of information about breeding fish is an opportunity to do this business even for an entrepreneur who does not have the necessary knowledge.

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 is profitable to breed: types of fish and approximate prices

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

  1. Conduct a demand analysis in the pet stores of the city : under the guise of a buyer, find out which of the fish are most in demand by buyers.
  2. Do not try to get well-known, easy to care for and maintain, relatively inexpensive fish : this market segment is already oversaturated and will not bring proper profit.
  3. You should also not be too original and buy extremely rare species of fish. - they may not find demand, not give offspring, or differ in difficult conditions of detention.

What kind of fish can be settled in their aquariums at first, experienced aquarists pay attention to several main types:

  • widely demanded in the market due to its bright color. 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, multiply 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 multiply at an average pace and are sold for 200-500 rubles, but at the same time they are very unpretentious in their care.
  • cichlids give rich offspring, have a pleasant color, which is highly appreciated by experienced aquarists and amateurs. You can sell such fish for an average of 350 rubles per copy.
  • notopter fish , a prominent representative of which is the Knife read, 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 kind of fish the entrepreneur will breed (for certain types cooling or heating of water is required, etc.).

However, at the initial stage, one can limit oneself to the purchase of such devices and mechanisms that can create optimal conditions for the life of the fish:

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

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

What is the best place for breeding aquarium fish?

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

To do this, it will be enough to allocate only one room and equip it properly, namely:

  • Darken windows , since daylight is contraindicated for most aquarium fish. Aquarium lighting is provided by fluorescent lamps, the power of which can be adjusted.
  • Install aquariums away from radiators , and if possible, provide the room 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 maintain aquarium fish: conditions, nutrition and care

If the room in which it is planned to keep the fish is properly equipped, then the further maintenance of these pets does not require significant effort. In fact, it is enough just to feed the fish in a timely manner, clean the aquariums, and change the water.

How to arrange 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. In this case, it is recommended to place 2 males and 6-7 females of fish in one tank.

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

  1. Once a week in each aquarium, at least 1/5 of the water should be changed.
  2. Once a month global cleaning is carried out in aquariums: glass, stones and other aquarium design items are cleaned of fouling with the help of 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 pour water into aquariums directly from the water supply - the chlorine content in it can adversely affect the health of many fish. It should be defended in a separate container for 2-3 days or enriched with special solutions that are sold in pet stores.


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

Where to take 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, as well as offer aquarium cleaning as an additional service.

How to write a business plan for breeding aquarium fish: calculation of costs and payback periods

As mentioned above, the profit from the sale of aquarium fish will begin to flow in about 6-8 months after the establishment of the business.

If we give a detailed breakdown of the costs of organizing a business, then 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 food for fish - 5,000 rubles.
  4. Other expenses (registration on a patent basis, purchase of decoration for an aquarium, water purification products, etc.) - 20,000 rubles.

In this scenario, the total costs will amount to 265,000 rubles. If 250 fish are hatched in aquariums in a month, then if each is sold for 300 rubles (average price), the entrepreneur will receive 250x300 \u003d 75,000 rubles.

Monthly operating costs will be about 15,000 rubles (4,000 - water and electricity, 5,000 - feed, 6,000 - other costs). As a result, the monthly profit will be at least 60,000 rubles.

The aquarium fish breeding business has a lot of advantages: it is easy to organize, it is created in a market with significant demand, it does not require significant costs, and it guarantees a significant profit. So far, the industry is not oversaturated with supply and acts as a springboard for start-up entrepreneurs.

Recently, not only private offices, but also halls and offices of large enterprises have been increasingly decorated with aquariums with original and exotic fish.

This is not surprising, because they give a certain atmosphere of calm and balance to any room. Do not forget about private lovers of this kind of interior decoration. In this regard, the aquarium fish business now looks very attractive and promising.

What you need to know

To successfully implement such a business idea, certain knowledge is required. At a minimum, it is necessary to distinguish between carnivorous and herbivorous species, as well as subtleties proper care followed by. Like the breeding of domestic fish, raising them for sale should take place in good light, corresponding to the natural level.

Among other things, it is necessary to place various aquatic plants in the aquarium. The main thing at the same time is that they are familiar to fish of one species or another. Another important nuance to keep in mind is the presence of a carbon dioxide dispenser.

The water in the aquarium should have a stable temperature. As for the fish, they (especially tropical varieties) need not only food, but also the constant addition of various mineral supplements.

Installation of aquariums

Breeding aquarium fish should begin with organizing a habitat for them. As practice shows, it will be very advisable to install a rack. It can consist of two or three tiers. This is where the aquariums themselves will be installed. The main requirements for the rack are its high reliability and durability, because each container can hold several hundred liters of water.

It is recommended to place an aquarium intended for producers on the topmost shelf, a spawning one on the middle one, and a rearing one on the bottom one. Such placement will greatly facilitate care. The fact is that in this case it is possible to pour water from the upper aquarium into the lower ones - this has a positive effect on the biological state inside the tank, as well as on the growing fry.

What are the best fish to start with?

As practice shows, it is best to start an aquarium fish business with breeding the simplest and at the same time most popular species. In addition, it is necessary to take into account some such nuances as peacefulness, omnivorousness, as well as the speed of development. All this will allow you to acquire certain skills and experience, which will help to significantly expand the range of the enterprise in the future.

The choice of fish for business

A very important issue in this type of business is the understanding of a novice entrepreneur of what breeds of aquarium fish he will breed. Here everything depends on the initial financial investment. In the event that, in addition to tens of thousands of rubles, there is an opportunity to give all your time, you can start breeding expensive breeds worth up to 500 US dollars per individual. A clear advantage here is that there will be few such fish in the aquarium.

However, there is another side of the coin. We are talking about the fact that such varieties require special care, and their living conditions must be ideal. In this regard, there is every reason to believe that businessmen who are just starting this kind of entrepreneurial activity, it is better to give preference to the cultivation of simple and at the same time unpretentious breeds.

Simple types of fish

As noted above, unpretentious fish are bred much easier. However, this does not mean at all that they cannot be earned. Rather, even vice versa. The most common simple breeds that do not require too much from their owner are bettas, guppies, and gourami.

The first of these varieties is popular throughout the planet and is a fairly peaceful fish. Its only drawback is that more than one male should not be allowed in one aquarium.

Guppies are the most popular breed. Their key feature, in addition to beautiful appearance, is that they reproduce quickly and independently. Moreover, they do not need to create any special conditions for this.

As for gourami, their breeding requires only timely cleaning of the aquarium and a change of water. The cost of one individual of each of the mentioned breeds of unpretentious fish is in the range from thirty to seventy rubles.

Food and its varieties

Fish farming as a business is impossible without the use of feed. There are two varieties: live and artificial. The first type allows you to provide much better results compared to even the highest quality and modern artificial feeds.

As for the second variety, beef heart is considered one of the best. It just needs to be peeled off the film, then cut into small pieces and frozen. Later, such food is rubbed on a grater and introduced in small portions. An important feature is that water under its action practically does not deteriorate.

Required investment

The lion's share of the entire initial budget is allocated to the purchase of an aquarium. It can be either one large or several small ones. As shows entrepreneurial experience, it is most advisable to purchase two or three aquariums for a start, the total volume of which is about three hundred liters. The cost of this pleasure is approximately 60 thousand rubles.

In addition to this money, about 15 thousand rubles are needed for the purchase of fry and another 5 thousand for care products. With all this, one should not forget about food and various specialized literature. Thus, at the initial stage of business development, breeding aquarium fish will cost about 100 thousand rubles. It should be noted that in the future certain types of feed can be grown independently, which will significantly save.

Realization of fish

Until recently, entrepreneurs in this area faced such a problem as selling fish. Now everything is much easier with this, because there are many pet stores, markets and the Internet, which is used more and more often from year to year.

It should be noted that the sale through the aquarium fish store can only be carried out with the appropriate permission issued by the veterinary service. When selling on the market, you will need to obtain a trade permit. Both in the first and in the second case, certain financial costs are required.

There are two ways to sell fish. With the first of them, they are sold as early as adolescence. In this case, the cost of one individual will be an average of 10 rubles. When using the second method, older fish are realized. Then you can get up to 100 rubles for one.

You need to be prepared for the fact that, no matter how the sale is made, the initial investment will pay off no earlier than in five to six months. Along with this, one cannot fail to note the fact that if an aquarium fish business is organized and run efficiently, then you can earn at least 25 thousand rubles a month.

Aquatic plants as a way to increase profits

If an entrepreneur is actively engaged in breeding aquarium fish, it would be quite advisable to grow aquatic plants in parallel. The point is that they use in high demand in bird markets. Moreover, for some of them you can get solid money. A vivid confirmation of this is echinodorus, the cost of which is an average of 17 dollars in domestic equivalent. However, for most plants, you can charge about $ 2 per client.

Be that as it may, the cultivation of aquatic plants, as well as the breeding of fish, is carried out in an aquarium. At its bottom, nutrient soil should be laid, and a lamp should be installed on top. After that, you can start planting plants. A very important condition in this case is to ensure the proper level of humidity inside the aquarium. This can be achieved by completely covering the soil layer with water. One more mandatory requirement- this is covering the container from above with glass.

plant care for sale

Before planting aquarium plants intended for further sale, they must be washed with clean water at room temperature. In addition, it is advisable to give preference to young seedlings, since there is a high probability that large view won't survive. It is also recommended to pre-disinfect them by placing them in a 2% manganese solution for up to ten minutes.

We must not forget that aquarium plants do not like tight spaces. In this regard, it is recommended to observe the distance between seedlings. As for the soil, it should be loose, which will provide a comfortable and constant water flow. To avoid the pallor of aquatic plants, you can use special supplements containing iron and other nutrients.

Fish diseases

The main problem faced by a person who has organized a business in aquarium fish is the occurrence of various diseases in them. Most often they appear due to weakened immunity, which is usually associated with the lack of the proper amount of live food.

findings

Summing up, it should be noted that aquarium fish as a business look very attractive. In favor of this type of entrepreneurial activity is its high profitability and stable income. Moreover, in the future it can be expanded by increasing the assortment due to similar products - varieties of fish, aquatic plants, feed, and so on.

The aquarium fish business is a profitable business, but only if the owner of the enterprise chooses the “living creatures” that are in demand.

Organizing a point is not so difficult: first, the conditions necessary for the normal life of aquarium fish are created, then the pets themselves are purchased, the fry are grown to a commercial standard and sold.

This business has a number of features:

  1. Nowadays in Russia there are no entrepreneurs engaged in fish breeding in large volumes.
  2. The business does not require a huge initial capital investment. All necessary equipment available to everyone.
  3. There is no particular competition in our country.
  4. This type of activity does not require a separate premises, the costs associated with the construction or rental of premises are excluded, fish can be bred at home.
  5. The matter is available to everyone, you do not need to have a degree in order to competently select pets, specialized literature is freely available.
  6. The fish are being sold different ways: sale in pet stores, bird markets, fish farming for individuals.
  7. In parallel with this business, you can also sell related products (algae, for example).
  8. Over time, if things go well, you can.

What are the best fish to breed?

When buying, follow these tips:

  1. Conduct an analysis of supply and demand in pet stores and markets in your area, view private advertisements for the purchase / sale of fish. Mark both the most popular varieties and those that are not found in local stores.
  2. It is better to abandon the selection of well-known fish species. Yes, they are easier to breed, but almost impossible to sell, the same goldfish are available in every zoo corner.
  3. Refuse and from little-studied pets.
  4. It is undesirable to buy imported species (for example, those whose habitat is the coastal brackish waters of Australia, India, Asia), it is difficult, almost impossible to get offspring from them.

According to the owners this business, now it makes sense to breed the following species:

  1. Barbus Denisoni has low reproductive ability, its cost is 500-1500 rubles.
  2. The average ability is in Synodontis Petrikola, its cost is from 200 to 500 rubles.
  3. A knife-reader can be sold for 800 rubles.
  4. If you want to give preference to still popular varieties, then try to grow the same goldfish. A good option is a parrot cichlid.

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Breeding and marketing

Best to fix complex activities, which would consist of two main directions:

  1. The first way is selling to private traders. The main thing in this business is to gain authority, the result will be almost instantaneous, word of mouth has never let anyone down.
  2. The second way is the sale of fish to resellers and pet stores. The approach involves rearing the fry on a large scale and selling them at a low price.

We list the equipment that you will need (the most popular brands):

  1. Aquarium "Biodesign Reef" is suitable for keeping fish that live in freshwater. The unit cost is about 9 thousand rubles. Ideally, purchase 9-12 pieces.
  2. Nine to twelve Eheim Air Pump compressors, they are needed for aeration. The cost is 1500 rubles.
  3. SOBO WP-1900F filter. The price is about a thousand rubles.
  4. The T8 Life-Glo II lamp, which simulates daylight, costs about 500 rubles.
  5. The Sobo HG thermostat, which heats water, will cost you 480 rubles.
  6. Automatic feeder "Trixie". The cost is 1170 rubles.
  7. Thermometer. Price - 50 rubles.

The choice of equipment is carried out taking into account the varieties of fish (each species requires its own care). At first, it will be enough to purchase universal aquariums, the volume of which is 200-250 liters, and the equipment attached to them; these details of the life of aquatic inhabitants can be adapted to the life of different fish.

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Premises and technical and economic indicators

It is desirable to breed freshwater fish in an apartment in a separate room, it should be dimmed, daylight should be artificial (it will be imitated by a pre-purchased lamp). Aquariums should be located away from the heating system, in extreme cases, turn off appliances while breeding fish. Another point - all floors in the room must be durable.

An important quantitative indicator in business is the tonnage of water in the aquarium; in order to generate income, it must be at least 2 tons (this is what a durable floor covering is necessary for). It is worth noting that aquariums are strictly forbidden to be placed in several tiers. If you bought 12 aquariums, then keep adults in five at a ratio of males to females of 2 to 6; at seven - fry.

The AQUA-SHOP online store offers a huge selection - on our website you will find a single catalog of aquarium fish and other live goods of the largest aquarium wholesale base and supermarkets AQUA LOGO.

The supplier of the AQUA-SHOP online store is the Aqua Logo aquarium complex officially registered by the Rosselkhoznadzor, in a special quarantine department of which the fish are adapted to the living conditions in aquariums of amateurs and professionals. For over 20 years we have been making sure that you can buy the highest quality aquarium fish!

This section presents aquarium fish for freshwater aquariums. We have both common and exotic breeds that will interest beginners and experienced aquarists. Well-known guppies and mollies, barbs, many varieties of goldfish, characins and cichlids, discus, freshwater butterflies (pantodons), exclusive arowanas, stingrays - today there are 531 names of freshwater fish only. Also in our range of 567 species of marine fish.

Can't decide which fish for the aquarium you need? Find your favorite among the species popular with other aquarists with the help of our selection assistant. Use the filter, which allows you to select fish by price, food type, keeping temperature or habitat layer, find suitable fish for an aquarium with live plants or orderly fish (which will help in the fight against algae or pests).

Breeding aquarium fish has become a favorite hobby for many. If you also decide to take up this business, check out the laws underwater world, learn more about its inhabitants and learn how to take care of them. Our Articles section is regularly updated with reviews of various fish breeds, in each of which you will find information on breeding, keeping and feeding conditions, and compatibility in an aquarium.

How to choose and buy fish in an online store

You can buy fish for the aquarium through the website in our retail stores, while choosing them personally and picking them up yourself, having received detailed advice on the spot. Just place an order through the basket in the Aqua Logo supermarket convenient for you.

In Moscow and the nearest suburbs, our online store delivers to your home or office at a predetermined time (select "online store" in the basket).

Do not deny yourself the pleasure and be sure that the fish from AQUA-SHOP will certainly decorate your aquarium.