( Part 1 ) Hello Reef2Reef ! I decided I wanted to write a long, informative article on how to start, maintain, and provide for an aquarium business, either from home or even better, a fish store. I will be going over tips, techniques, and a variety of ways to make a large profit, out of multiple endeavors.
So let's begin. First I would like to say that I would not recommend staying with only coral, like most seem to do. Although this forum is primarily for saltwater, I think freshwater is essential for longitivity because it's relatively inexpensive, easy, and very commonly sought out for beginners. They can always upgrade later, what matters is that returning customer who values what you say, because you've been there to guide them in this hobby with a simple 10 gallon all the way to a full blown 180 reef. As you know, that's how most of us start out. It's the same for others. Get 'em hooked on the hobby with cheap and easy, then present them with something even better.
I also recommend fresh because of better stocking, breeding, no expensive lights and filters, etc.
What I also seek to cover in this article is that there are so many things often looked over by someone trying to start a fish store that can make them serious money. When someone walks in your store, it should be a one stop shop. Provide them with everything they could possibly want in a LFS and you can assure you have a returning customer. If there's one thing we all understand, the hobby's expenses practically never stop. Thus, your profit will continue to rise.
Allow me to break it into steps, methods, and then commitments.
Steps :
1- Start from home; build up your livestock, and save your money. The more value you have to start with the better. That way even if things are slow, you will still be well off.
2- Make yourself well known; create a website, get connections, make accounts on social media and get in touch with your local reef club. It's essential that you have a good reputation, in this hobby especially.
3- plan out your business, estimate the costs, set goals, work to achieve them. Get it going. Plan out the location, find a good sized place. From there, set up your tanks. Plan out utilities ( I highly recommend running LEDs for frag tanks ) Make sure the AC is functional, and that area doesn't succumb to power outages. Also ensure the place is well insulated. Get something a little bigger than what you need, you will always want the extra space. Make your store well planned out, consider design and how easy it will be for customers to walk around and see what you're selling.
Methods :
1- Be consistent with things; create good habits and go by what you say. Always dip your Coral, use dry rock for any tanks with coral for sale. Sell live rock separately. Quarantine fish, but allow people to see that they're in quarantine, it looks good on your business, and it shows people what will eventually be for sale, or what is if you want to sell them that fish if it looks healthy. One thing I must get straight : DO NOT ABUSE YOUR FISH. If you can't keep damsels seperate or in a large tank don't keep them. If you can't keep a tang in a huge tank then don't get one unless you KNOW someone wants one and tells you to order one. Don't purchase finnicky fish or inverts on a regular basis. Especially endangered or threatened species. If you buy them tank bred, make sure you advertise that. Don't allow dead fish to sit there. Clean your tanks often, do water changes, perform frequent maintenance. This isn't just a store, it's your passion. Treat it that way.
2- Be smart. Don't take too many risks, come up with ways to make more every day. Install security systems ( alarms, cameras, locks )
Make sure your employees love what they do, and are honest. Treat them well.
3- Frag, sell, repeat.
Order, price, sell, repeat.
Breed, sell, repeat. ( copepods, fish, inverts )
Sell some chaeto, test some water, give advice, sell books, fix something, perform maintenance, set up a tank, drill a tank, get rid of some aptasia, program an apex, fix a leak, buff out some scratches, refill Co2, all of that you can do for people, who will gladly pay for it. The possibilities keep coming. NEVER sell an entire colony. Always keep at least a frag, so it may grow and you can keep selling it, almost infinitely.
NEVER sell your last bonded pair of fish, unless you can readily get another for cheap.
Will continue shortly, Let me know what you guys think.
Sticky material ?
So let's begin. First I would like to say that I would not recommend staying with only coral, like most seem to do. Although this forum is primarily for saltwater, I think freshwater is essential for longitivity because it's relatively inexpensive, easy, and very commonly sought out for beginners. They can always upgrade later, what matters is that returning customer who values what you say, because you've been there to guide them in this hobby with a simple 10 gallon all the way to a full blown 180 reef. As you know, that's how most of us start out. It's the same for others. Get 'em hooked on the hobby with cheap and easy, then present them with something even better.
I also recommend fresh because of better stocking, breeding, no expensive lights and filters, etc.
What I also seek to cover in this article is that there are so many things often looked over by someone trying to start a fish store that can make them serious money. When someone walks in your store, it should be a one stop shop. Provide them with everything they could possibly want in a LFS and you can assure you have a returning customer. If there's one thing we all understand, the hobby's expenses practically never stop. Thus, your profit will continue to rise.
Allow me to break it into steps, methods, and then commitments.
Steps :
1- Start from home; build up your livestock, and save your money. The more value you have to start with the better. That way even if things are slow, you will still be well off.
2- Make yourself well known; create a website, get connections, make accounts on social media and get in touch with your local reef club. It's essential that you have a good reputation, in this hobby especially.
3- plan out your business, estimate the costs, set goals, work to achieve them. Get it going. Plan out the location, find a good sized place. From there, set up your tanks. Plan out utilities ( I highly recommend running LEDs for frag tanks ) Make sure the AC is functional, and that area doesn't succumb to power outages. Also ensure the place is well insulated. Get something a little bigger than what you need, you will always want the extra space. Make your store well planned out, consider design and how easy it will be for customers to walk around and see what you're selling.
Methods :
1- Be consistent with things; create good habits and go by what you say. Always dip your Coral, use dry rock for any tanks with coral for sale. Sell live rock separately. Quarantine fish, but allow people to see that they're in quarantine, it looks good on your business, and it shows people what will eventually be for sale, or what is if you want to sell them that fish if it looks healthy. One thing I must get straight : DO NOT ABUSE YOUR FISH. If you can't keep damsels seperate or in a large tank don't keep them. If you can't keep a tang in a huge tank then don't get one unless you KNOW someone wants one and tells you to order one. Don't purchase finnicky fish or inverts on a regular basis. Especially endangered or threatened species. If you buy them tank bred, make sure you advertise that. Don't allow dead fish to sit there. Clean your tanks often, do water changes, perform frequent maintenance. This isn't just a store, it's your passion. Treat it that way.
2- Be smart. Don't take too many risks, come up with ways to make more every day. Install security systems ( alarms, cameras, locks )
Make sure your employees love what they do, and are honest. Treat them well.
3- Frag, sell, repeat.
Order, price, sell, repeat.
Breed, sell, repeat. ( copepods, fish, inverts )
Sell some chaeto, test some water, give advice, sell books, fix something, perform maintenance, set up a tank, drill a tank, get rid of some aptasia, program an apex, fix a leak, buff out some scratches, refill Co2, all of that you can do for people, who will gladly pay for it. The possibilities keep coming. NEVER sell an entire colony. Always keep at least a frag, so it may grow and you can keep selling it, almost infinitely.
NEVER sell your last bonded pair of fish, unless you can readily get another for cheap.
Will continue shortly, Let me know what you guys think.
Sticky material ?
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