congofeet

No, this is what I meant when I said 2001 seems too recent. I learned html back in the 90s.

I am not sure if Barn Boss or Blue Balls are African or South American Cichlids so it is more difficult to make a recommendation. In general Cichlids are better off in a crowded Cichlid tanks. The reason for this is that it is harder to establish a territory if there are constantly fish every where. Another thing you can do is make a visual separation in the tank. You can do this by getting some plastic plants and placing them in the middle of the tank so it creates a visual block from one side to the other. Hope this helps.

Only if I can't pay the bills.

Though I have a dozen tanks at home, so I guess you can say I sleep near the fishes.

Consider moving the decor in the tank around to force new territories to be established. Or make a nice cave for Barn Boss on one end of the tank so that others can enjoy the glory that is the remaining 40 gallons.

THANKS! I appreciate all the positive comments I receive. It makes me feel great to run a store that other enthusiasts appreciate. My business partner and I are hobbyists and we treat the fish in store the way we treat our own fish.

I am just curious if you all do trades for things - like if a fish gets too big for a tank, could I trade it for a little guy?

You can bring in almost any fish and we will trade it for a smaller one. Make sure to call in first though. Of course the fish needs to be happy and healthy.

The most popular fish?

Probably fancy guppies. We do sell a fair amount of other tetra though, such as pristella and cardinal. We also sell a fair amount of cichlids, I feel our selection is decent so it helps facilitate this.

Was there a huge startup cost to get the business going?

I wouldn't say huge, but it was substantial. I am sure places like restaurants have a higher startup cost. Keep in mind I had been saving stuff for years that I could use in the store.

HOW DID YOU GET THE 600 GALLON TANK INSIDE THE STORE?

Our 600 gallon tank fit through the door, it was a tight squeeze, but it made it. We had 8 people here to help lift it onto the stand. It probably weighs 1200 pounds empty.