CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Still thinking about opening a store in July or August. Now that I got some suppliers set up I'm thinking about it alot more seriously.So I figured I'd get some input from others who go to stores.

The thing I'm wondering now is which in your oponion would be the best to draw people in?

**This is all stuff I'll probally open with,but I'm trying to figure which to advertise,since I can't list everthing I want to carry or I'll go bankrupt from adds**

Since I have been doing pretty good with my oscars I have been more curious about fish, particularly the bigger more colorful fish. I don't know a lot about fish, but the bigger ones seem to be more hardy.

When I go into a pet store I like to look at the different kinds of cichlids. I recently saw some cichlids that were different than mine, I don't know exactly what. I have never seen them before but they were pretty.

I would really like to get some other cichlids to put with my oscars and my african.

It's really hard to say what would draw people in, there are so many different fish and tastes. I also like the odd, weird looking fish but have found (for me) they are hard to keep.

Amanda

I would say africans, because people usally buy colourful fish. In my opinion, I say africans are very colourful, and good luck with the store.

Thanks for the input.
I know theres no magic reply I'm just trying to see what grabs peoples attention.

I tried to type out an add for the papers,the only attention it drew was my girlfriend saying " your nutts if your thinking about paying for adds that big to be in three papers" so I'm just working on downsizeing it before I lose my hearing

I think I have the less common (for this area) stuff covered
I have on order: (ALL WILD)
4 kinds of wild discus (rarer blues)
Black Arowanas
Silver Arowana
Angel fish - Pterophillum scalare
Angel fish - Pterophillum altum
Green terror - Aequidens rivulatus
Red Terror (true) - Amphilophus festae
Metae Acara - Aequidens metae
Firemouths
Salvinis
Regani
Jupari - Satanoperc Jurupari
Hump head geophagus - Gymnogeophagus balzanii
Leaf fish - Monocirrhus polyacanthus
Leporinus fasciatus
Arapaima gigas (ONLY one)
yellow earth eater - Geophagus steindachneri
Redhook silver dollar - Myleus rubripinnis (XL)
Caquetaia kraussii
blackbelts
oscars (if they can be found)
a few other cichlids - also if they can be found,it's between collecting seasons in S.A. so some cichlids are hard to get right now

neon tetras
cardinal tetras


Brown Ghost - Apterenopus leptorhynchus
Whiptail cat - Loricaria parva
striped rapheal - platydoras costatus
clown pleco - peckolita vittatus
royal pleco - Panaque nigrolineatus L191
flat flyer - Hopliancistrus specie L235
butterfly pleco - Pteroplychthys butterfly
Farlowella - Farlowella acus
Stingray - Potamotrygon sp. histrix
Marbled headstander - Abramites hypselonotus
porthole cat - Dianema longibarbus
whiptail cat - Loricaria parva
Shovelnose - Soribim lima
Blue dolphin cat (LG) RARE
Cory cats assorted (about 15 species)
pictus - Pimelodus anostomus
bumblebee cat - Pseudopimelodus raninus
L30 pepermint pleco
L34 bristle bushmouth
L49 Leopard pleco
L67 Lot spot pleco - Hopliancisrus sp..

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pond raised
over 10 types of live bearers and 6 types of barbs
(I don't care for them but eveyone I talked with thinks I need them)
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Piranhas unfinished deal but not just redbellies at least 3 rarer types
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a few types of zebras and some frontosa - is about all I've ordered so far for africans- the rest of the stuff drained my funding fast
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I'm holding out on wholesaleing out any of my babies,for a little while so when I'm ready to open I should also have:
red,tiger and albino oscars
trimacs
acaras
albino angels
uarus (maybe)
green severums
gold severums
geophagus brazilinsis
dovii (maybe)

and a few other excess grow outs

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Maybe a few types of Synodonthys and cichlids from Nigeria - depending on how much more $$ I pull together by my shipping date.


Now all thats left is to figure out an add and the "hard goods" mess.

Unless someone sees something important I've overlooked:confused:

Little common stuff I can get locally at the last minute

S/C American fish, preferably wild That would be my ideal store (well, if you sold herps too )

Stilllearning I will be getting more F0 african cichlids in soon and will be up to my ears in F1 fry. I could sell wholesale, I also know of a few wholesalers that sell all kinds of fish.

cichfreak - I'll check with you later - I found suppliers here and in africa, suppliers aren't the problem for now it's lack of funding, after ordering from 3 countries to get some decient S/A fish and some frogs set up ,then nigeria,benin and tanzania to get some decient reptiles it broke me for now.Shipping,inspection + animals adds up quick

Some of these other "hard good" companies, rake you for all the $$ they can to start out as well,but I'm not starting out priced way above local chain stores so I had to order what I had to order. (another poll soon )

The price for wholesale 2"- 4" africans (common stuff) here locally is cheap and I have some unused credit , so I'm useing that to start - rarer africans can and will come with time,but I'm working with stuff I know first.

well, if you sold herps too

34 (to start) tanks of snakes,frogs and lizards enough?

Ahhh, good man, good man indeed. Next time I go to Michigan, I will make sure to stop by so you can cut me a deal.

i know this is an old thread, but with that sort of variety it would be well worth the 2 1/2 hour trip for me just to have a look, have you opened your shop yet?