"With all due respect to Fred and others, if you're looking at breeding fish for the money, you're in the WRONG HOBBY".That's true and especially for killifish. Just because some (including me) sell many of their fish at what they consider a fair price, does not imply a profit. Most killies go for $7 to $25 a pr other than at an auction frenzy where something very scarce (at that auction) and desirable by a couple of people. Even these few high auction prices are helping to cover losses incurred in other fish acquired for the auction. That is not a profit. Less money and it is not even a sale, but a subsity paid by the breeder so the buyer can buy more (or devote his or her money to another endeavor at the expense of the seller.) So often I hear "I can't afford $20 for a pr of fish" being stated by someone while drinking a $4 bottle of beer or $6 mixed drink. Sorry, but I don't earn enough at work to help subsidize a low spenders other hobbys or interests by selling my fish for a ton less than they cost me in money to raise. A fair price is also a means of establishing value to the buyer (something gotten cheap is of little value unfortunately due to human nature- --deny it if you wish, but then think again how you treated your last acquisitions) and it does provide some funds to the seller to continue to raise and buy killies to spread even more in the hobby. It's not a profit, just a partial subsidy for only costs, not for time and efforts, they are paid as love for the hobby.
"It makes for a "Catch 22" situation for the judges. They cannot choose really young fish that have not fully developed, and older fish don't move homes as readily. IMHO, there are some deep flaws in the process that have not been fixed by some pretty smart folks."
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