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Originally Posted by footballdude2k3  well i want to get 2 false percs once i get my tank up and running, and from what i hear its just a matter of time before they start dancing |
A matter of time for most Ocellaris is a year or two. That said, there are professional breeders that have many poor pairs or pairs that have been set up for several years and still no spawning. It's not a sure thing - I've been sitting on my Black Ocellaris pair for what feels like an eternity (2+ years)...still nothing yet! GRRR!
My $0.02 on trades - avoid them. In the end you are getting "screwed". Sorry, but I ran retail long enough to know that private breeders unfortunatley got the shaft. It's really an issue of supply and demand in the store's defense...i.e. how many stores need 100 baby anything, and if they DID need that many, the thing is they already usually HAVE THEM from their regular suppliers! So that said, plan ahead (i.e. negotiate now!). If you're trading with the LFS, I'd strongly advise a cash sale based on a wholesale price (i.e. $5-$6 for Ocellaris of comparable size / color to other CB suppliers). Any trade that the shop will accept is a bum deal for you. I.e. if he gives you $5-6 in "Store credit towards retail" well that's actually costing him $2.5-$3 or LESS. You will be losing money as it's been said an ocellaris is a $2-$3 fish to raise when you're GOOD at it, which you won't be in the beginning.
FWIW, a much better beginning fish with generally quicker results and a good moral bonus - Banggaii Cardinalfish. The biggest problems are pair formation and issues with males dropping/eating clutches, but the flipside is that the babies are beyond easy to rear and considering that the Banggaii is on the IUCN Red List as an Endangered Species, every baby banggai you raise and sell to the shop means that at leats one, but maybe as many as 10, need not be harvested from the reef. Oh, and did I mention that the commercial producers tend to avoid them because compared to other marine fish, they are not considered profitable at current market values?!!! You can even start with CB Fish from another breeder and then you're truly supporting the concept at every turn (although WC are good broodstock from a genetic standpoint in a larger breeding program, they are not necessary for a hobbyist working with a single pair).
FWIW,
Matt