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Selling Fish & Plants Today: Some Tips and Ramblings


Fish Folk
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Today, I sold some fish & plants to my LFS. Got $60 cash for everything.

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This sounds so exciting to enthusiastic aquarists, so I thought I’d share some details about how this all goes down. In part, maybe you’ll get some tips that will help YOU sell your stock (yay!) Or, likely, some of you will see ways I can improve (please share!)

This began many months ago with BAP breeding projects. Think through how much food you feed one tank over six months. Just realize... that’s got to factor into any notions of profit.

Furthermore, several years of carefully developed relations with the LFS manager need to be factored in. We have spent a LOT of money at this place, and have a working agreement (I’ll describe below) for how to calculate price points.

Now...

Yesterday, I texted the LFS manager, asking if he’d like to buy any fish and plants. I offered: 10x Corydoras Aeneus, 10x Fundulopanchax Scheeli, 10x Mollys, and 10x Cherry Shrimp Neocaridina. Also, one bunch each of Ludwigia Repens, Wisteria, Anacharis, and Valisneria Americana.

He replied: yes to corys and killis, and yes to plants.

Now... for anyone who is trying to remain a mere hobbyist while turning a dime... life has a fun way of getting in the way. No matter how well you plan, eventually something will challenge you! For me, it was my baby son refusing to sleep all night. He’s teething, and otherwise being irritable. I pulled baby duty so my wife could sleep. That has a way of knocking your plans. Friday commenced with physical therapy for my pre-k son who is recovering from elbow surgery. This followed by hair cut for him (turns out my hairstylist skills are just the worst), and pickup of groceries. Then, close to noon, my prep begins in the fishroom. I’m relating this because these basic life factors were not calculated into my “I’ll just sell some stuff to my LFS!” plans yesterday.

Anyway, here’s how I get things ready:

First, I siphon water from my 33 gal long Emerald killifish colony using a medium tubing length drawing tank water through small, fine-pore prefilter sponge intake to prevent excess duckweed or algae in the specimen container.

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Next, I rest a large net into the tank to allow fish time to get used to it.

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Then, I affix a single Sera-O-Nip tab to the front of the glass.

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Soon, the Killis gather round...

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Then I scoop out a net full...

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And drop them into the specimen container...

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Once fish are _in_ it is much easier to _remove_ unwanted fish than it is to catch more from a heavily planted tank.

I find they’re easier to count when looking from above when a light is shining up through from beneath...

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I decided to go with 14x. If the buyer only wanted 10x, I’m fine with giving the 4x extras.

I drop in just 1-3 drops of Kordon’s Amquel to lock Ammonia.

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I try to label the bag before adding fish...

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 Next, I bag in a large plastic bag — thicker ply than usual. I try to leave 2/3 air to 1/3 water ratio...

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After knotting up the bag, I float in tank to match temperature...

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So that’s ONE bag ready. Not fast... and NOT mess-free! Next are the Bronze Corys.

As before, I drain tank water through a filtered siphon...

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I set in some Algae wafers and a net...

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And soon some wander near...

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This works, but only to a point. Corys are fast and intelligent!

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Unfortunately, to catch more, I had to remove _everything_ they could hide under...

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And once I finally caught enough to total 10x, there was a lot of excess grunge and algae...

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So, I use airline to siphon out algae, prepare a second container with filtered tank water, and move the Corys over...

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Now with much less algae, I add several drops of Amquel...

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Label the bag...

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And set with Killis into a thermal bag...

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NOW! To get Cherry Shrimp...

I drain exactly 16 oz. of Killi water to specimen container.

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I clip some Java Moss...

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And now to catch some cherry shrimp...

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Now, I’m using Long Life breather bags (which is why only 16 oz. of water)

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They’re designed to allow exchange of oxygen and CO2 _through the plastic_ . I label before filling...

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If reading all of this is tiring... try catching everything while making a wet mess everywhere 😂

Finally, we’re ready for PLANTS! Clip / pull and _label bags_

Valisneria Americana...

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Wisteria...

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Ludwigia Repens...

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And finally, Anacharis...

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Now ... ready to roll. First! It’s 1:30 pm. I need coffee. And lunch.

OK! Now ready...

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We agree on price points based on his wholesale prices. He pays me cash straight from the till. All things considered, folks, keep your day jobs!! If you’re trying to make money, this is _not_ how to go about it.

But what’s awesome and so satisfying is pulling the bags out, one by one, at my LFS, and seeing how healthy and vibrant the fish and plants look, and knowing that this will survive to the customer’s tank, and provide them with endless fascination and delight.

That’s worth it! Plus... $60 is something... 

Edited by Fish Folk
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I must live in the wrong area! LFS here will take plants, shrimp, snails, and fish but they would never even consider paying for them. So I don't even bring the question up anymore anything I have in excess I give away to other fishkeepers in the area but never to LFS who then turn around and sell the same plants, shrimp, snails, or fish for anywhere from $8 per shrimp, to $18 per plant as I saw one dealer do with some of my rarer swords I had given him for free. $60 is quite respectable in an industry that at least where I live seems to be populated by shrewd freeloaders, and cheapskates.That said I still try to support them as much as I can because I don't want those few LFS left to close as well because of pressure from the chain stores that seem to have neither knowledge, nor interest in supporting aquarists with quality products. Thank God for Aquarium Co-Op and the internet when it comes to that.

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On 7/16/2021 at 4:02 PM, James Black said:

Do you always contact your LFS before bringing plants/ fish? I am asking because with some of my guppy fry I plant to bring into my LFS and I'm wondering if I should contact them before. 

Yes, I always contact beforehand.

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I've sold to two local stores.  One only does store credit but they other will pay cash, also straight out of the cash register (or the owner's wallet).

And I would also never just show up with some expecting to sell them.  If I just show up unannounced it would be to drop off free samples.

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I never showed up unannounced at any of the LFS but all made it abundantly clear they don't pay anyone but their wholesaler, no matter how great the plants, fish, etc. are. Years ago I didn't know that many other fishkeepers in my area, now because I give away trimmings and baby plants, and because I got all my angelfish, discus, and fancy guppies new homes when I stopped breeding them I know quite a few in the area and get to compare notes of what worked, what didn't. I probably got more mileage in trade, and info exchange than anything they would've paid for sure.

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  • 5 weeks later...

I'm really interested in the idea of being able to sell a few fish to LFS from time to time.  Something that could add some more aspects to my hobby but also perhaps cover costs/earn me a few bucks.  Thinking of apistos and maybe CPDs and cherry barbs.  (though I feel most get cherry barbs very easy.)  Have never found apistos or CPDs at any of my local stores. 

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On 8/15/2021 at 6:23 PM, TheChosenOne said:

I'm really interested in the idea of being able to sell a few fish to LFS from time to time.  Something that could add some more aspects to my hobby but also perhaps cover costs/earn me a few bucks.  Thinking of apistos and maybe CPDs and cherry barbs.  (though I feel most get cherry barbs very easy.)  Have never found apistos or CPDs at any of my local stores. 

Yeah!! Go for it!! 

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On 8/15/2021 at 8:17 PM, Taco Playz said:

Good read! Just sold my guppies to my lfs and was very happy for 10 guppies I got 10 dollars. Very fun experience. I ended up getting a bn and a Mystery snail so pretty good for free. 

If I had 100x healthy guppies to sell, I could walk out of my LFS with $100 every week. The Owner / Manager said so to me personally. Even Mutt Guppies. Nothing he orders from the fish farms in either CA or FL survive for him.

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Wow.  This is a really cool rundown of what it takes to sell for profit, although I really question how much "profit" home breeders can actually make.  When you factor in all the time, money and resources you have to invest into raising fry, I suspect more people do it as a labor of love ❤  rather than a way to make money.  I'm glad you said "keep your day job" because I think that's really the honest truth here.  Good job burning the calories though.  At least it was more productive than my weekend! 

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On 8/15/2021 at 8:41 PM, mommygourami said:

Wow.  This is a really cool rundown of what it takes to sell for profit, although I really question how much "profit" home breeders can actually make.  When you factor in all the time, money and resources you have to invest into raising fry, I suspect more people do it as a labor of love ❤  rather than a way to make money.  I'm glad you said "keep your day job" because I think that's really the honest truth here.  Good job burning the calories though.  At least it was more productive than my weekend! 

Well said! Yeah, if you want to make money . . . there's an infinite number of ways to actually do that. This is 100% love. Selling fish feels special, but it usually isn't all that profitable.

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