Varieties of Clownfish, grades, and prices

[Andrew1987]

Recently I've become obsessed with the idea of trying to breed Clownfish some time in the future. I still had some concerns about whether I would be able to sell them if I were to become successful. An online source recommended that I try to breed 'premium' Clownfish as they are rarer, and I'll get a better price for them when they go to sale. I have seen pictures of Picassos and Snowflakes and saw that some of them have 'A' grade next to their pictures. Which got me thinking:

-What exactly is this grading referring to?
-How many grades are there?
-How do you breed a 'Grade A' Clownfish?
-What are the differences between a 'Grade A' Clownfish and your average Clownfish?
-Also, which varieties of Clownfish are sought after and what would you expect to pay for one?

If there are any fish keepers out there who could shed some light on this subject then I'm all ears! Cheers guys!

Andrew

 

[KcMopar]

First off, before you breed them you have to be able to successfully raise the food they eat, rotifers. Start here. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...8_L-vOx3YtwvKaEyA&sig2=Palzl9SQ35z-lErWKbSVJQ . Clown fry only eat this!!!

 

[strout]

Here is a link you might be interested in, if the link works, my luck isn't that good in posting links This is a local forum.

Louisiana Reef Club • Login

 

[se-r altima]

I've always liked the true percula clowns. Amphiprion Percula. Love them in a real riteri anemone.

This guy is just loving his anemone.
False Percula Clownfish and Ritteri Anemone - YouTube

This one is spectacular. I once read that the fish actually produces a coating of a simple sugar and because he is coated in this sugar compound the anemone does not sting the fish.
http://youtu.be/2ojTnFIAkAI

 

[KcMopar]

Here is a link you might be interested in, if the link works, my luck isn't that good in posting links This is a local forum.

Louisiana Reef Club • Login

Kewl, just signed up, didnt now we had one in LA.

 

[Andrew1987]

Yeah i've done a bit of research about these guys, and also seen the consequences of not having them ready in time for the clownfish fry! Thanks for mentioning it though! When the time comes i'll be sure to have them ready!

 

[Andrew1987]

I'm not sure which i prefer false or true. I think they're both beautiful fish. I actually prefer the basic 3 stripe clownfish compared to the fish with rarer markings. But if I plan to breed clownfish then I need to know that I can sell them! Nice videos!

 

[Lotus]

I know the snowflake and Picasso types were "in" a few years ago. I haven't kept up with the trends, but you should check out what they're selling for these days.

With many things in the hobby, something new becomes the "hot" item and prices go sky-high. Then, breeders (or fraggers) get on the bandwagon, and it sends prices down again when there's a steady supply.

The grading tends to be a marketing tool that people use to judge the markings on the "fancy" clownfish. It's really no more than a marketing ploy, but some people are prepared to pay more for a fish they perceive as having better markings.

I'm of the opinion that you can't really expect to make a profit in the hobby most of the time. If you can make a little here and there selling off your extra stock from breeding or fragging, it's a bonus.

Your best bet is to start off with regular clownfish and figure out how to breed them and whether you're successful. Most fish breeding projects take a lot of time and effort. It's worth trying this out with regular fish to see if you can do it, whether you have the patience, whether you're able to provide the foods, etc. If it works out, you can consider buying some breeding stock for some kind of "fancy" fish. If you do this, make sure you do your research to see what's "hot" in your area, then hope you can get a few batches of fry to market before the bubble bursts on that particular trend.

 

[KcMopar]

Well put Lotus!! When my fish have fry I let them grow a bit if the Local Fish Store wants them (I always give them a heads up). If not they are just live food for a few days, well if even that most times. I don't even charge my Local any money for them. They just make sure I get the best of the best (and a pretty good deal most of the time if they made good money off of my fry) when they get some really kewl coral or SW fish in. I would rather have a good relationship with my Local then a Business relationship as this is a Hobby for me and not a Business.

 

[Lotus]

When I was more into aquarium trends, I made a lot more money sellling freshwater plants than I ever made selling fish. They don't need (expensive) overnight shipping and the work you put in is a lot less.

I always found it stressful to ship fish. I always had to ask the buyer to email me that they'd arrived OK.

Plus, the trend of the month fish/coral/plant is always expensive. It makes it doubly stressful if you kill it. Not that I like anything to die, but if a $10 fish dies, you're sad about the fish. If a $500 fish dies, you're sad about the fish and the money.