[paddyob]

If that is something you are truly considering.... you need to consider this:

1) You may be subject to losses which equals money you lose.

2) Cost of upkeep - if you want the system to remain "clean" you are going to need to do regular testing and maintenance to ensure the pests you introduce do not remain in the tank.

3) You MAY need a business licence if you are going to do it profit.

4) In a QT system a sick fish is a sick fish. If you introduce healthy fish along side a specimen with an illness, all you are doing is promoting to passing of said pest to the healthy fish.

5) Keep in mind also that the cost to an LFS is way lower than to yourself. Unless you find a store willing to sell at a lower cost you are not going to make much... unless you plan to really jack your prices up... at which point you may find nobody really want what you have.

IMO starting a 55 gallon QT for profit would not really be the best idea. For your own purposes... one or two fish... sure. Or consider just offering people a place to QT their fish for 2-3 weeks and say charge them $5/week or something for the "room and board". Let them buy the fish so you don't swallow the loss directly. Of course then comes the issue of "who is responsible for my dead fish cause it was alive when I brought it over".


There is a lot to consider.

Most place have huge systems set up for QT purposes and we all know bigger equals more stable and more dilution of pollutants, etc.

On top of that.... I have bought fish that have been through "QT" for 2 weeks min and you know what... they are all dead today. All the fish I have living today have never been through a formal QT.

I personally would not buy, at a premium price, a fish from another hobbiest's home. I don't even like the premium prices the LFS wants for certain fish.


This is only my view. I am not intending to make your mind up, or squash your plans. You asked for opinions and this is simply mine.

Hope it at least gives you something to think about.