Opening a Fish Store

[ChoclateBetta]

I hope to be the supplier to stores. I have a deep love of Aquaculture and Aquaponics.

[Saphira101]

I just KNOW you'll do great!! I would totally visit your store too, if we lived anywhere near each other. :) A suggestion for saving money on heaters: keep the temp in the room at about 80, and keep it really humid. this way you will save heaters. (and electrical outlets)

[ChoclateBetta]

I dont think thats a good idea. I dont know very many people that would enter an 80F thats humid.

[Sena Hansler]

Lol my fish room is 80-82 xD it's hot, granted, but works for me. I do agree people would not like that. Though... I could make something work. I would also have betta barracks.

Currently I have an idea for the fish I have: the 40 long will become a 6-8 way divided male betta tank with live plants, perhaps driftwood, and a snail in way part. I may use mesh since it is cheaper and keep them in there with aquarium sealant ;) acrylic is more expensive....

Then the females will have a 30 gallon.

[Saphira101]

Originally Posted by ChoclateBetta

I dont think thats a good idea. I dont know very many people that would enter an 80F thats humid.

I go to conway tropical fish and gifts, that's what the owner does, and I see lots of people in there all the time.

[hannah16]

I think you'll do fantastic!!! Also, Solar panels! Those would help on the electric.

I know you can do whatever you want to do Sena. We all have greatness written on us it's just a matter of us wanting to make that word real!

[LittleBlueFishlets]

Selected quotes:

Originally Posted by Sena Hansler

"Do not let fear get in the way of success - the fear of failure is the reason no one follows their dreams."

If this is your dream - Do it.

I do not have 1000% figured out, but who does? It may be a leased building, or a heated garage, or a bedroom in my house, or an old pig barn. Never know... Anyways, I do intend to open a store in the next few years....

You may have come up with answers to these already, so disregard this if you've done this.... Short term, what is feasible in terms of budgets and finances. How much will it cost to set up shop in these places? Rent, heating, electricity, etc. Will you advertise locally? Etc. Do you have the initial start up money for these? If not, how can you get it?

Can you network with people, or other small business owners? Maybe you could trade something that you have for something they can offer you... For example, say someone has a local florist shop. Maybe he/she can supply you with aquatic plants for a good price, and in return, you set up and maintain a small tank of colorful fish in the florist shop. (OK, maybe not the greatest specific suggestion, but be creative with it.)

I have three 5 gallons, five 10 gallons, a 40 long, a 30 regular, plus numerous under 3 gallons. Slowly I have collected more heaters, filters, fake plants and live plants.

I've gotten a spawn of 229 (remaining) fry, plus will be working on Crowntails and Double Crowns next. not to mention Doubletails, Halfmoons, and Dumbos. That is just the start.... Ebony Bettas is just the start. I will eventually work on fish that are livebearers (platys, mollies, balloon mollies, fancy guppies, etc) then make my way to danios and other egg layers.

What about propagating and selling plants, too? Is there any benefit to showing your bettas? (Think about your targeted buyers: some people don't care, others want a 'pedigree.')

Do you want people to think of something specific when they hear "Ebony Bettas?" If so, how can you works towards this? And is making a very specific goal going to change your buyer demographics in a way that you want? (ie: some people are willing to pay for a unique betta. Others prefer to wait until Petsmart/Petco has a sale. Which of these groups will you try to reach? Or can you find a way to get BOTH groups to buy your fish?)

Also, how are you going to protect your stock? (What if the power goes out during the winter? Or the summer? Etc.)

If anyone has any ideas to throw out there (types of tanks, stands, selling live plants, or educational purposes, energy saving ideas aka electricity, water, etc) go ahead and post

You could contact schools, and ask about putting an educational tank on display. (Think about the stuff you'd see at an aquarium. Next to the tanks are informational posters that talk about the fish, or its environment.)

If you can get kids excited about this, they'll want fish of their own.... (Will you eventually sell the supplies, such as tanks, heaters, etc?)

Also, what do you know about the financial aspects of business? Will you need to pay taxes? Get a business license? If you need to learn more, who can you ask? (Maybe a local college offers a course for small business owners?)

Oh! I may also do sketches for money to go towards breeding to be able to have more time focused on breeding. Depending what else I can find, I may do things like jewellery, sewing, cross-stitch, sculptures, etc.

Definitely! If you have this sort of talent, do it.

[LebronTheBetta]

Good luck with this ambition!! :D I swear, I would visit your fish store when I get older, but before I visit the betta shop in Minnesota. I always wanted to make a betta shop called "Betta Is Better". xD
I think you should do an "Adopt-A-Cull" stand. Maybe .50 or $1? Of course, it isn't going to be major ones that you should've culled but the bettas that you don't really want or have minor defects. Eh, it's just a maybe.

[ChoclateBetta]

For Bettas a good idea to not sell VTs and maybe sell the more expensive colors and fins.

[bethyMT]

This is fabulous idea Sena. You really seem to have a way with fish.

Is there any way to set up a smaller water filtration system, like the ones at the stores, to take care of many tanks at the same time? Is that what you'd use a sump for?

Starting to do shows sounds like a good idea too - then you've got your cred built up and can charge more money for your pedigree fish.

Also - would you like to start only with one type of fish (bettas) or a couple of types? Would you be interested in having fish shipped in on a regular basis? You could probably get away with a single species shop to start as long as you were in a larger metropolitan area...like those cupcake shops. All they do is cupcakes, but they do it well, and turn a profit.

Everybody has to start somewhere and learn along the way. Good luck! I sincerely hope you do it!