Some Business Tips for Discus Breeders

Since many people desire these sociable and intelligent fish, discus breeding pays well. Many people want them, but few breed them, and that’s why a profitable market awaits the discus breeder! Here are some suggestions you should read before you launch your business. 

START OUT SLOW AND STEADY

Your discus breeding has to pay for itself and its growth. If you have a breeding pair and they produce 30 awesome discus and you manage to sell all thirty at twenty dollars (30 x $20 = $600), it would be really great if you got that all at once. But you won’t. So, every time you get paid for a discus, store that cash in a place where it will not get spent or used for on going expenses. Take this money and use it towards another breeding pair. Built in to the expense of the breeding pair should be the cost of a tank (used/new) and needed equipment. Any left over money should be put back and saved for the next pair. Over time, you will have established a discus breeding program that pays for itself!

DISCUS ARE NOT CHICKENS

In all seriousness, do not make plans around when new fry will arrive. Discus will breed when they want. Very few discus will produce fry on a steady schedule. Even then, those same discus pairs can decide to stop breeding for a while anytime.

KEEP AND GROW A FEW FRY

Don’t sell all of your fish. Keep some of your fry and grow them out into adults. If you do this with every batch, you will have more of a variety to sell to potential customers. Here are two great reasons to do this: 

• Larger discus sell for more. If you keep some fry and grow them into adults you can charge a much higher price per discus. This means, of course, that you will build up your savings for new pairs faster and easier.
• When customers see your discus and ask about the ones held back, they actually will pay more for them because they are selected as “keepers” by the breeder. If you decide to sell them, make sure you get a premium.

With your hard work and dedication, you’ll eventually sell many discus. You can use your profit to continue buying more discus and multiply your business.

QUESTIONS

• What are your goals as a discus breeder?
• What strain varieties do you want to breed? 
• Why will you get paid more for discus that you select as keepers?