How do you all do it?

[LizStreithorst]

You guys sell fry at a very young age.  How do you manage so save the best for future breeding when you part with them as peas and dimes?  To you just grab a random netful to grow out?  What about fish whose quality depends not only on shape and finnage but on the pattern which only becomes visible as the fish grows?

[Mugwump]

Myself, I don't believe in selling angels smaller than quarter size bodies to the public. To another breeder...maybe 'nickels'..?..good friend breeders, smaller.....Again, myself...with most my lines I know what's coming, and if I'm on the hunt for future keepers....I'll separate a batch of 20-3o fry at nickels, when I have a hint of the outcome...then whittle that down as they grow and display...occasionally adding from their sibling grow out tank and taking some out....it's the easiest/best way to get a chance at what your looking for.....body shape/finnage........if your line doesn't have it....you're likely not going to get any gift surprises.....the expression, phenotypes, and genetics are what you're shopping for.......

[LizStreithorst]

Myself, I don't believe in selling angels smaller than quarter size bodies to the public. To another breeder...maybe 'nickels'..?..good friend breeders, smaller.....Again, myself...with most my lines I know what's coming, and if I'm on the hunt for future keepers....I'll separate a batch of 20-3o fry at nickels, when I have a hint of the outcome...then whittle that down as they grow and display...occasionally adding from their sibling grow out tank and taking some out....it's the easiest/best way to get a chance at what your looking for.....body shape/finnage........if your line doesn't have it....you're likely not going to get any gift surprises.....the expression, phenotypes, and genetics are what you're shopping for.......

Dang, you do it the same way I did it with Discus, but with Discus the youngest size to sell is about 2 1/2" which if they're well cared for should be 2 1/2 months or so.  That's when I made my first cut.  Yes, as I watched them I'd replace some with fish in with the not-as-good's.  It's the same thing except you start giving them the hard eye when they're nickles.  I'll have to put on my glasses

I know the basics of genetics despite the fact that I suck at Greek.  (I read it better than I can write it.)  I know that if I don't see it over a few generations of inbreeding after an outcoss it's likely not there.  Sometimes you see something that you didn't expect that you like and breed back into the line.  That's how I got my h/h p/+ and p/p fish.   

It's strange that I ended up with what I most like with these.  Back then I considered my Angles to be tank fillers.  I was all about Discus   I must have been paying more attention to them than I remember.

[b125killer]

For me it's easy. I just don't have the grow out space for a lot of fish. I keep a few that I think will look nice and sell the rest. It has bit me before and I'm sure it will again. I'm sure with the 155 going I'll be able to grow more fry out. 

[Mugwump]

For me it's easy. I just don't have the grow out space for a lot of fish. I keep a few that I think will look nice and sell the rest. It has bit me before and I'm sure it will again. I'm sure with the 155 going I'll be able to grow more fry out.

Indeed you will....remember tho...a 30 gal with 20 fry at dime/nickel can be enlightening...

[b125killer]

You are absolutely right Jon.