Most expensive...
- Thread starter Titus77
- Start date
kimsie
New member
Oh Titus... Are you really ready to start breeding? Have you bought the Joyce Wilkensen's Clownfishes book yet? I promise it will give you ALL the information you are looking for and so much more.
There is so much that goes into breeding and to be honest - from what I understand you can't really go into it expecting to make a profit - it could take a very long time for that. Your best bet is to go into it as a hobby - and if it in turn provides some extra funds to offset what you've put into this hobby then great.
As far as your question - it really depends. You don't seem to be asking what clowns will be the most expensive - you seem to be asking which will turn you the biggest profit. Well - most breeders will tell you that their main money will come from the standard orange ocellaris and that you shouldn't even begin to have a breeding set up with out this common sale.
How soon are you wanting to start breeding? Have you addressed the aspect of your limited space? Depending on how many pairs you will have (at this point I think you must be going for 3 since you have 2 and are looking for another one??) you are going to need about 10 more tanks for rearing and then an area where you will grow the food to feed the very young babies...
Does this help at all?
There is so much that goes into breeding and to be honest - from what I understand you can't really go into it expecting to make a profit - it could take a very long time for that. Your best bet is to go into it as a hobby - and if it in turn provides some extra funds to offset what you've put into this hobby then great.
As far as your question - it really depends. You don't seem to be asking what clowns will be the most expensive - you seem to be asking which will turn you the biggest profit. Well - most breeders will tell you that their main money will come from the standard orange ocellaris and that you shouldn't even begin to have a breeding set up with out this common sale.
How soon are you wanting to start breeding? Have you addressed the aspect of your limited space? Depending on how many pairs you will have (at this point I think you must be going for 3 since you have 2 and are looking for another one??) you are going to need about 10 more tanks for rearing and then an area where you will grow the food to feed the very young babies...
Does this help at all?
Re: Most expensive...
fwiw: Most profit per fish? The likely the ones that are never available before the market saturates.
fwiw2: Most profit per batch? The ones always in demand, ocellaris and perculas.
Pair/mated pair below $100 you are looking at skunks, ocellaris, or perculas without much black.
Best of luck and allow a good 12 months of waiting in your plan. Many pairs need time to adjust to relocation before breeding again.
Agreed with what Kimsie has stated.
fwiw: Most profit per fish? The likely the ones that are never available before the market saturates.
fwiw2: Most profit per batch? The ones always in demand, ocellaris and perculas.
Pair/mated pair below $100 you are looking at skunks, ocellaris, or perculas without much black.
Best of luck and allow a good 12 months of waiting in your plan. Many pairs need time to adjust to relocation before breeding again.
skyrne_isk
Member
i can't say that i endorse pursuing profit as a primary motive for rearing any captive marine ornamentals....but Joyce Wilkerson's book will illuminate the likelihood of your achievement of profits. FWIW, you should probably try to pair your own from captive reared stock...to ensure you don't have fished exposed to common parasitic controls like copper, etc. many of these products can render a fish sterile once exposed. if you are looking at a variety in the "sweet spot" or price to acquire, ease to breed, premium price on resale....I would opt for the melanistic strain of A. ocellaris...the so called "black ocellaris".
Ususally cost around 50 or so per fish. So you are looking at a selling price of 20-25 wholesale as opposed to the 5-10 from the standard percula complex.
If you would up your price consideration...I would go for these species (in rank order).
Chrysogaster Anemonefish
Amphiprion chrysogaster
From $229.95
White Bonnet Anemonefish
Amphiprion leucokranos
From $129.95
Wide Band Anemonefish
Amphiprion latezonatus
From $309.95
Ususally cost around 50 or so per fish. So you are looking at a selling price of 20-25 wholesale as opposed to the 5-10 from the standard percula complex.
If you would up your price consideration...I would go for these species (in rank order).
Chrysogaster Anemonefish
Amphiprion chrysogaster
From $229.95
White Bonnet Anemonefish
Amphiprion leucokranos
From $129.95
Wide Band Anemonefish
Amphiprion latezonatus
From $309.95
Skyrne,
fwiw: Much data on this forum alone eliminate the copper/sterility myth. Just look through my gallery when you have free time, most if not all the breeding pairs have seen copper and formalin at some point. Some more then once.
If breeding is the actual intent, it is much more efficient to purchase a confirmed breeding pair. Restablish and condition, get down to raising larvae.
fwiw: Much data on this forum alone eliminate the copper/sterility myth. Just look through my gallery when you have free time, most if not all the breeding pairs have seen copper and formalin at some point. Some more then once.
If breeding is the actual intent, it is much more efficient to purchase a confirmed breeding pair. Restablish and condition, get down to raising larvae.
Individuals, if you can find them.
fwiw: A breeding pair of chrysogaster would be extremely expensive. I get insane offers for mine a few times per year.
Both are touchy. The market for B/W is quite a bit better but the sales price to retailers is <$15ea.
Atticus
New member
B&W Ocellaris will be easier and also easier to find. That wish list is a bit unrealistic.
Getting B&W's to spawn and hold as a breeding pair can be a totally different issue. As stated above, I would never consider breeding anything without a few pairs of Orange Ocellaris funding my effort. Yes you can get bigger individual profit per fish for other more "rare" clowns, but nothing sells as fast and as frequently as an orange ocellaris. Many of your higher priced clowns sell a few at a time. Orange ocellaris sell a few hundred at a time. They are also one of the easiest and fastest to get spawning and some of the easiest fry to growout. They reach saleable size in 4 months. At that same time other clowns are just starting to color up and will require more money and time before they are ready to sell. Time and supply usage is what keeps you from being profitable.
Getting B&W's to spawn and hold as a breeding pair can be a totally different issue. As stated above, I would never consider breeding anything without a few pairs of Orange Ocellaris funding my effort. Yes you can get bigger individual profit per fish for other more "rare" clowns, but nothing sells as fast and as frequently as an orange ocellaris. Many of your higher priced clowns sell a few at a time. Orange ocellaris sell a few hundred at a time. They are also one of the easiest and fastest to get spawning and some of the easiest fry to growout. They reach saleable size in 4 months. At that same time other clowns are just starting to color up and will require more money and time before they are ready to sell. Time and supply usage is what keeps you from being profitable.
Titus77
New member
Well, I believe that the pair of Maroons broke up. They still sleep together at night, but when the moon light turns off and the "sun" turns on, they kinda slowly drift away from each other. Would have been an awesome pair, considering the female's markings are the most amazing that I have ever seen. (Pictures later).
What do you suppose I could get for Amphiprion leucokranos?
Atticus
New member
Also, with a starting price of $100 do not look for spawning pairs unless you find a hobbiest that is getting out and didn't realize what he had. Spawning pairs pull about $300 for Orange Ocellaris, but are well worth it in my opinion. You have a proven pair and you don't waste 12-18 months waiting for them to spawn. Typical established pairs if treated right are know to start laying eggs again in under 2 months.
kimsie
New member
Titus - this doesn't mean they've 'broken' up. You put in 2 small young clownfish - it will take them quite a while to actually pair up then even longer to begin spawning. Unless you see severe agression between the two - they are still figuring things out. You won't know if they've paired until one really starts growing much bigger and darker - then you'll be able to see one is female and one is male. Maybe someone else can put this better?
Not available, protected.
If you are really seeking advice, Atticus is an experienced breeder, you could not ask for a better source.
fwiw: As an owner and breeder of difficult to source clowns, experience is your enemy at this stage. Ocellaris are your friend if you are seriously considering this project.
fwiw2: Some of the rare clowns you are bringing up, could easily sell $10K per pair. Yes, $10,000/pr.
