African Jewelfish, Diet, Reproduction, pH Requirements

African Jewelfish, Diet, Reproduction, Water pH Requirements

African jewelfish Habitat and Ranges 

African jewelfish from the Nile River in the north, Niger River to the Southwest and the Congo River to the west although the 3 rivers that do not intersect, drain, or flood into one another. The burning question becomes; how did African jewelfish become so widely disbursed with virtually no change in reproduction, spawning or behavioral patterns from Africa, South America, Iran, North America.

African jewelfish and Continent of Gondwana

Gondwana included most of the landmasses in today's Southern Hemisphere, including Antarctica, South America, Africa, Madagascar and the Australian continent, as well as the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent, which have now moved entirely into the Northern Hemisphere. The great breakup in Gondwana began to break apart 184 million years ago and was completed by 110 million years.

Continent of Gondwanaland before the Big Breakup  

The adjective --Gondwanan is in common use biogeography when referring to patterns of distribution of living organisms, typically when the organisms are restricted to two or more of the now-discontinuous regions that were once part of Gondwana, including the Antarctic flora. For example, the Proteaceae, a family of plants known only from southern South America, South Africa and Australia, are considered to have and " The African jewelfish, has the Gondwanan distribution"; this pattern is often considered to indicate an archaic or relict, lineage.

Continents of Gondwanaland after the Big Breakup and the African jewelfish

So why isn’t the African jewelfish all over Africa?

Eonile is the explanation the present Nile is at least the fifth river that has flowed north from the Ethiopian Highlands. Satellite imagery was used to identify dry watercourses in the desert to the west of the Nile. An Eonile canyon, now filled by surface drift, represents an ancestral Nile called the Eonile that flowed during the later Miocene (23–5.3 million years before present). The Eonile transported clastic sediments to the Mediterranean; several natural gas fields have been discovered within these sediments.

Eonile Canyon 8200 feet beneath Cairo

During the late-Miocene Messinian salinity crisis, when the Mediterranean Sea was a closed basin and evaporated to the point of being empty or nearly so, the Nile cut its course down to the new base level until it was several hundred feet below world ocean level at Aswan and 8,000 feet (2,400 m) below Cairo. This created a very long and deep canyon which was filled with sediment when the Mediterranean was recreated. At some point the sediments raised the riverbed sufficiently for the river to overflow westward into a depression to create Lake Moeris.

Lake Tanganyika drained northwards into the Nile until the Virunga Volcanoes blocked its course in Rwanda. The Nile was much longer at that time, with its furthest headwaters in northern Zambia.

 

The African jewelfish, also known as Jewel Cichlid 

JewlFish, is from the family cichlidae, and can grow up to 6 inches long however they usually do not exceed 5 and half inches in most home aquariums and keep the pH-value in the 6.5-7.5 range and the water temperature between 23-27 degrees C (74-80 degrees F) and max temperature (82 degree F-if breeding). 

Origin African jewelfish is in the Nile River, Niger River and Congo River

There are many different species of the jewelfish all of the different species from the turquoise jewelfish cichlid, red jewelfish, blue, green or stripped jewelle,  behave the same way and they all have the same proclivities regarding behavior. The African jewelfish is not a community fish and you cannot have any other fish in a tank with them. Because of their beauty many people desire them as pets unfortunately this fish is omnivore with carnivorous tendencies, the jewelfish is predatory, extremely aggressive, territorial, and will always kill other fish. So if you want African jewelfish than keep only the same species in their aquarium.  

African jewelfish Habitat

The African jewelfish's origin is in Africa, hence its name. They are found in high numbers in the rivers of West Africa, but have also spread to areas of the Middle East, such as Iran, and also to parts of South America. Just recently, they have been discovered in areas of North America around the Gulf Coast, in states such as Florida and Alabama.

 

African jewelfish was artificially introduced in the hot springs of Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Naturally they can be found in creeks, streams, lakes, and rivers. Because African jewelfish is from Africa, they needs a soft and a bit more acidic water in order to stay alive in captivity.

African jewelfish lives in water that is partly salt water and partly fresh water and is in a tropical location because it prefers a water temperature of 75 to 85 F. When in captivity, the African jewelfish should be kept only with members of the same species. Aquarium size should be no less than 55 gallon 208.1976479 liters or 209 liter. Minim 55 gallon fish tank; the outside dimensions 48 1/4 x 12 3/4 x 21 (78 pounds when aquarium is empty)-(aquarium weight when filled 625 pounds) construction would be tempered glass.

African jewelfish Reproduction, Fry

When the African jewelfish is ready to breed, females will turn a deep red color to let the male know and swim very close to the male. The male and female will bond or jaw lock and the male will release sperm on the eggs once the female deposits her eggs lay the eggs on a you must provide flat surface for spawaning purposes. The female will protect her eggs and will kill anything that comes in close proximity and they sometimes eat their own fry. In a couple of days the eggs will hatch and the female will still protect them. The female can reproduce every three weeks. Jewel fish are 3 to 4 to 10 cm long.

 

African jewelfish Diet

The African Jewelfish are omnivorous. They feed on insects, crustaceans, and Caridina. Caridina are associated with shrimps and prawns. African Jewelfish can also eat some plants, such as algae and other weeds, as well as debris. When in captivity, African jewelfish can live by you feeding them varied diet of frozen or live food, flakes and pellets as they usually accept mostly all forms of fish food. They also eat algae wafers and shrimp pellets. They can be easily compared to the bottom feeding fish in an aquarium, as they like to eat the algae and other debris that forms in the fish tank. African jewelfish are also known to eat their own young practicing filial cannibalism.

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

By Maryana Pinchuk

African jewelfish

Scientific classification

Kingdom:   Animalia

Phylum:      Chordata

Class:         Actinopterygii

Order:        Perciformes

Family:       Cichlidae

Subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae

Tribe:         Hemichromini

Genus:        Hemichromis

Species:      H. bimaculatus

Binomial name: Hemichromis bimaculatus

Described: Gill, 1862

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hemichromis bimaculatus

ITIS.gov  Hemichromis bimaculatus

http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/african-cichlids/blue-jewel/100150.asp Jewel Cichlid

Further Reading

Robins, Richard C., Reeve M. Bailey, Carl E. Bond, James R. Brooker, Ernest A. Lachner, et al. (1980). A List of Common and Scientific Names of Fishes from the United States and Canada, Fourth Edition. American Fisheries Society Special Publication, no. 12. American Fisheries Society Bethesda, Maryland.

Riehl, R., and H. A. Baensch. (1989). Aquarium Atlas. Hans A. Baensch. Melle, Germany. ISBN 3-88244-050-3.

    http://www.aquariumfish.com/aquariumfish/Breed_Profiles.aspx?aid=6263&cid=3680&search=African jewelfish

http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Cichlid,%20Jewel.htmJewel-Fish

Blood Parrot Cichlid Anatomical Deformities

School Blood Parrot Cichlids,Blue, Green and Pink Have Been Injected with Food Dye

Blood Parrot Cichlid Anatomical Deformities 

The blood parrot cichlid is a deformed hybrid the most glaring and obvious deformities is its mouthwhich has only a narrow vertical opening, this makes blood parrots somewhat harder to feed and potentially vulnerable to malnutrition which promotes disease or death.

Known Blood Parrot Anatomical Deformities

• Mouth

• Swim bladders,

• Spines,

• Eyes,

• Irises; your blood parrot cichlid could have some or all these deformities. 

 

 If you have decided this is the only cichlid for your home aquarium than your blood parrot cichlid aquarium minim size should be 100 gallon =378.5412 or 379 liters; aquarium minim dimensions should be 60"L x 18"W x 20"H or bigger.  Remember the blood parrot cichlid female can grow to 8" and the male blood parrot cichlid can grow to 10" they are large cichlids and if  you want to add blood parrot cichlid tank mates such as the Angelfish, Corydoras, Glass Catfish, Kuhli Loach, Swordtails, Tetras, Plecos, Silver Dollars all of these fish can become large. However like the Angelfish which are cichlids they can and usually do become as large as the blood parrot cichlid so the size of your tank will matter.

Feeding your blood parrot cichlids to keep them healthy-raise your own live food-feed them live food like white worms, brine shrimp and water fleas as well as large flakes that your blood parrot can nibble on additionally this cichlid will require constant mentoring and you should think about a school of the parrots. The parrot is messy eater and you will have to do water changes and bottom cleaning hoses often.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

By Dr. Sengai Podhuvan

Blood Parrot Cichlid Photo with/Iris's and Mouth Deformities

The blood parrot cichlid (also known as parrot cichlid and bloody parrot; no binomial nomenclature) is a hybrid cichlid. The fish was first created in Taiwan in around 1986.

The Blood Parrots parentage consists of the Midas cichlid and the red head cichlid. Blood parrots should not be confused with other parrot cichlids or salt water Parrotfish (family Scaridae).

Because the blood parrot hybrid cichlid has various anatomical deformities, controversy exists over the ethics of creating the blood parrot. One of the most obvious deformities is its mouth, which has only a narrow vertical opening. This makes blood parrots somewhat harder to feed and potentially vulnerable to malnutrition. Some cichlid enthusiasts have called for their removal from the market and organized boycotts against pet stores that sell them.

• Description

• Genetic defects

• Breeding

• In home aquarium

Picture of a pair of blood parrot cichlids

Blood parrots are often bright orange in coloration, but there are other colors that they can have naturally, such as red or yellow. Other colors may be produced by dyeing the fish, which can shorten life expectancy. Some fish have been injected with a colored dye by the breeder like the blue, pink, purple or green. As the press has brought this practice to light, the majority of fish stockists will no longer sell these modified fish. Adult fish can grow to a length of 8–10 inches (20–25 centimeters) and reach an age of 10 years or older,

Genetic defects

As a result of careless inbreeding, the fish have several anatomical deformities, including a beak-shaped mouth that cannot fully close, which they compensate for by crushing food with the throat muscles. Some commercial foods have been developed specifically to be easy for blood parrots to ingest, and recently some blood parrots have been selectively bred to be able to completely close their mouths. Blood parrots sometimes can have deformed swim bladders, causing an awkward swimming pattern; abnormal spines, contributing to the unique shape; and unusually large, and often deformed irises.

 

Breeding Large Blood Parrot

Male blood parrots generally are infertile, but successful breeding has occurred. Normally, a female blood parrot lays eggs on a hard surface, and both parents guard the eggs unless the brood develops fungus, at which time the eggs will be consumed by either the parents or other fish.  However, fish farms have begun introducing male blood parrots injected with a hormone to increase fertility. Most female blood parrots are fertile.

 

Blood Parrots Tropical Fish Aquariums

Blood parrots are hardy and may be housed by enthusiasts singly, in schools, or with complementary species under a variety of conditions. Sufficient lighting can be provided by a variety of compact fluorescent lamps without the use of T5 or halide fixtures. The blood parrot cichlid are tropical fish and are voracious eaters they generate significant uneaten debris during feeding. High volume filtration and frequent substrate suctioning is recommended to minimize nitrates.

Keeping and Breeding Green Terror Cichlid

Keeping and Breeding Green Terror Cichlid

Keeping and breeding Green terror cichlids
The Green terror cichlid is mesmerizing home aquarium fish but it is not recommended for aquarists with home aquariums smaller than 70 gallons/264.9788 or 265 liters. If you wish to keep the Green terror cichlids with other tank mates, the aquarium must be at least 150 gallons/ 567.8118 or 568 liters and it is critical and important that you select only suitable tank mates such as Fire Mouth Cichlids, Texas Cichlids, Convict Cichlids, Red Devil Cichlids , Jack Dempsey, since the Green terror Cichlid is highly aggressive species and the male and female will reach 8” to 12” at maturity these are big fish and require big tank.

Green terror is not considered dangerous to people but it can and will quickly kill its tank mates and if your Green terrors’ are mating. When Green Terror Cichlids are mating you must remove either Green terrors or their tank mates to their own tank because Green terrors’ will not tolerate any fish in the tank other than their mates.

The scientific name for the true Green terror cichlid is Aequidens rivulatus, but several other fish species are sold under the name Green terror cichlid, including the Blue Acara (Aequidens pulcher). The Blue Acara is another cichlid belonging to the same genus as the true Green terror cichlid.

Green terror

The natural habitat for the Green terror cichlid is found in South America, Ecuador and Peru where the Spanish speaking population commonly refers to it as Vieja fish. Typical Green terror cichlid environment-is coastal streams that you can find on the Pacific side of these two countries.

Green terror habitat begins in the River Esmeraldas in Ecuador and continues to the River Tumbes in Peru. Today, the Green terror cichlid is also breed in home aquacultures for the aquarium trade and profit.

Green terror Species
Is not a popular food fish and it is not included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Wild Green terror cichlids have a minimum population doubling time of less than 15 months, so the Green terror cichlid population is comparatively resilient in this regard.

The Green terror cichlid is found in warm waters in tropical Ecuador and Peru, and will require a water temperature of 20 - 24° C (69-75° F) in the home aquarium.

The preferred pH is near 7 (neutral), but Green terror cichlids can adapt to slightly alkaline as well as slightly acidic conditions. Keep the pH above 6.5 and below 8.0 and avoid the extremes, as well as rapid changes within this interval. The dH range for the Green terror cichlid is 25.

The Green terror cichlid has a striking appearance and the adult specimens feature a bright and sparkling green or green-blue coloration. Every scale is decorated with a marking of a darker green color that together forms sets of broken stripes along the body of the Green terror cichlid.

The back of the Green terror cichlid body has an olive green shade covering the upper part, while the flanks tend to be of paler color. The underside is pink or brownish. Up to four golden lateral stripes on the main body will serve to make the Green terror cichlid even more beautiful.

You will also see sparkling turquoise streaks and dots on the Green terror cheeks, and the fins are decorated with blue or green markings. You can obtain two different color variations of Green terror cichlid. The edges of tail and dorsal fins will be yellow to orange in the first variant and pure white in the second.

If you purchase a juvenile Green terror cichlid, it might not be green yet. The colors will develop as the fish matures; young Green terror cichlids are always camouflaged by a tan base color with silvery blue speckles. If the colors of your adult Green terror cichlid start to fade, there is most likely something wrong with the water quality in the aquarium. Sufficient filtration and frequent water changes is necessary to prevent the Green terror cichlid from turning dull.

 

As recognized from many other cichlid species, the male Green terror cichlid features a large and prominent head with a big hump (a so called nuchal hump). Adult fishes of both sexes have long and flowing fins that add to their beauty. The body of is deep and oval. The caudal fin is rounded.

Male Green terror cichlids can grow up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) in length, but this is quite uncommon and roughly 20 centimeters (8 inches) is a more reasonable expectation. The largest females grow up to 20 centimeters (8 inches), while a majority of the females stay smaller than 15 centimeters (6 inches). Some studies indicate that a sub-species of Aequidens rivulatus might exist, and this is a dwarf variant that never becomes bigger than 13 centimeters (5 inches).

The Green terror cichlid is a benthopelagic creature in the wild and when you place it in your aquarium it will not stay within a limited depth region. Its habitat will stretch from the bottom to the surface and it will search for food in all parts of the tank. Feeding Green terror live food is practical and helps them forage for food as they would do in the wild such as white or blood worms and crickets.

The Green terror cichlid can typically be trained onto a wide range of different foods, including flakes and pellets, since it is an omnivore opportunist. Larger specimens will naturally prefer large food particles like big pellets or big live food, rather than tiny pieces of flake food. A varied diet is recommended and live food is always appreciated.

The Green terror Cichlid is Aggressive Fish Species
You must carefully plan the aquarium set up and tank mates. The juvenile specimens frequently sold by fish stores will eventually turn into highly aggressive adult specimens, and if they are kept with unsuitable species they might kill them even if they have lived together for a long time.

Never combine your Green terror cichlid with small fish that can’t fend for them selves. Similarly aggressive cichlids that will not tolerate being bullied are a better choice, and fights can usually be prevented by keeping your fish in a large and well decorated aquarium.

Choose fish of similar size, or fish bigger than your Green terror cichlid. Big barbs are one suggestion, and sturdy schooling fish is also frequently kept with the Green terror cichlid. Since a male Green terror cichlid will grow up to 20-30 centimeters (8-12 inches) and must be kept with other fish of similar size, a community aquarium containing a Green terror cichlid must be very large.

Keeping your Green terror cichlid in its own aquarium is another alternative, or dividing the aquarium using glass or a net. Sometimes old Green terror cichlids must be moved to a private/divided aquarium since they can become extremely violent.

The appropriate aquarium size will naturally depend on which species you plan to keep your Green terror cichlid with, or if you plan to give it its own aquarium. A young Green terror cichlid that has not grown larger than 5 inches/13 centimeters will usually do fine in a 55 gallon/ 208.1976 or 209 liter aquarium that is at least 36 inches/91 centimeters long.

Mature adult Green terror cichlid will require at least 70 gallon/265 liter aquarium or bigger, and the aquarium should be at least 48 inches/122 centimeters long; a tank smaller than 100 gallon/379 liter is not recommended for a community aquarium.

The aquarium decoration is especially important in a community aquarium, but a single Green terror cichlid will naturally also appreciate a well decorated aquarium. The Green terror cichlid is a prodigious digger and plants anchored in the substrate will usually be dug up.

Floating plants, or plants that can be secured somewhere else than in the substrate, are better choices. There are also a few very hard plant species that can survive being dug up. Always leave a big open area for swimming in the aquarium.

Roots and rocks should preferably always be included in the aquarium set up, and they are more important than plants. Roots and rocks must be safely secured or placed directly on the aquarium glass to avoid accidents. I prefer sand versus gravel the sand is cleaner and easer for up keep and water changes.

Green terror cichlids are successfully bred in aquariums and aquacultures, and are considered moderately difficult. Just like many other cichlids, the Green terror cichlid deposit eggs that they guard and care for. The Green terror cichlids will form pairs and can often be coaxed into spawning by an increased water temperature.

Turn the temperature up to 25-27° C (77-81° F) and make sure that the pH stays near 6.5. The recommended water hardiness is 5 to 8 dH. Sexing Green terror cichlids is not difficult at all, since the adult male develops a distinct hump on his forehead. The male is also typically larger than the female. It is easier to make young adult Green terror cichlids form pairs compared to older specimens.

The Green terror cichlid will need to be given suitable breeding sites in the tank, such as flat rocks. The Green terror cichlid will then carefully clean the site before any breeding takes place.

 

The female Green terror cichlid can deposit up to 300-400 eggs on the flat rock, and some females will even produce more than 600 eggs each spawning. Do not separate the parents from the eggs or larvae, since Green terror cichlids are great parents.

Breeding Green terror cichlids should however preferably be separated from other fish. Not because the other fish might eat the eggs or larvae, but because the Green terror cichlid might very well kill of all the other aquarium inhabitants to make sure that the offspring stays safe.

The male will protect the flat stone from potential predators while the female care for the eggs. The eggs hatch after 3-4 days and the adult cichlids will continue to guard and care for the larvae. Green terrors are wonderful parents at this stage the larvae (fry) can be fed crushed flakes.

After 9-12 days, the fry are big enough to be free swimming. Green terror fry are highly sensitive to poor water conditions and can easily succumb if you refrain from regular water changes. Free swimming Green terror cichlid fry will eat brine shrimp.

When the fry have reached a length of ¾ inches, they will typically experience a growth spurt and rapidly grow bigger. You can sell the fry 1 month after birth and Green terror sell typically for 5 to 10.00 a piece.

Site Map: African Cichlids Fish

African Cichlids Fish

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Live Crickets Selling, Care-Breeding-Feeding African Cichlid Fish

Female Live Crickets Raising-Care-Breeding and Feeding-for African Cichlid Fish

Breeding crickets

If you are interested in breeding cichlids or koi than plan on feeding your fish live food and crickets are one of the best live insects for feeding any fish, bait, and for profit.  I put this together for the small grower who wants to get started with crickets but doesn't want to spend a fortune on equipment. You can get started with your cricket breeding with some odds and ends that you can find around your house.

Let's start with which cricket can be raised in confinement.  The cricket that is raised and sold in pet stores is the Gray Cricket, Acheta Domestica.  This particular cricket is easily bred and raised in captivity and can become a great source of profit for you the grower.

To start, all that is needed is some sort of container to act as brooder/incubator.  The container must be large enough to provide room, but not so large that it cannot be heated. 

You can use a garbage can, a Rubbermaid container, a wooden box, an aquarium, or any type of container that will allow free movement, air flow, heating, and room for all of the components necessary to successfully breed crickets.

The first question to ask is how many crickets do you want to breed; the answer to this question will determine the size of the container you will need and how many breeder crickets you will need.  There are male and female crickets. 

Each female will lay about 100 eggs in her lifetime, and she will lay about 5-10 per day until 100 is reached.  They sometimes lay more or less, but you can bet on approximately 100.  If you want to have 1000 crickets, you will have to start with at least 10 female crickets and 10 male crickets.

You will also have to provide space for 1000 crickets.  One thousand crickets take up a great deal more space than 20 crickets, so you have to plan ahead;  a 20-gallon Rubbermaid container or a 20-gallon fish tank.

Cricket Breeding Set up

How do you distinguish the males from the females?  The female cricket has 3 long extrusions on her back and fully developed wings.   The male cricket has two extrusions.  In the female, the extrusion is called the ovipositor.

This is the sexual organ of the female cricket and is what is used to lay eggs. The female will stick the ovipositor into the soil and lay eggs.  The ovipositor will deposit the eggs beneath the surface of the soil or bedding material you will furnish to house the eggs before hatching and female cricket.

Back To The Box

The container you will use must be escape-proof from the inside and out.  You do not want critters getting in as much as you do not want crickets escaping.  The enemies of the cricket are numerous:  centipedes, millipedes, spiders, and a whole host of insects find crickets an attractive addition to their daily menu.  Crickets are excellent climbers and jumpers, so the container has to be closed on all sides.

The container must also provide air and heat; crickets need fresh air to stay healthy and to breed.  The best way to provide air is to use some sort of cover that allows the passage of air but one that doesn't have holes. 

A piece of cloth secured over the top can provide air and no escape for your crickets or entrance for the enemies of the crickets.  Use of cheese cloth, an old shirt, or any old cloth will work.  Try to boil it first so that any bacteria in the cloth are killed before use.

Once you have decided upon a container, your next problem will be to figure-out how you will provide heat for the crickets.  Crickets breed and grow best in a temperature of about 88 degrees.  They will breed at lower temperatures, but you will have a higher mortality of the young and a lower egg lay rate. 

There are a number of ways to heat the crickets.  You can keep the crickets in a warm room.  For instance, you can keep the cricket bin near a furnace or other heating source. 

Another Way is to Heat the Bin.

You can do this by using a heating element like the type used for heating reptiles, or you can heat the bin using a light bulb.  In the case of a bulb, you have to make some provisions so that the bin does not get too hot and kill the crickets or start a fire. 

A Thermostat Can Be Added to the Bulb

This will cost a couple of dollars, but you will be able to set the thermostat on 88 Degrees and get optimum growth from your crickets.  I prefer using a warm room or using a reptile type heater.  This will minimize the chance of a fire.

Choose your heating method and then gather up the rest of your supplies.  You will need a food dish.  A shallow dish will work well.  A cap or cover from a peanut butter container works well.  You will also need a water dish. 

Crickets should not have access to an open water dish.  An open dish will cause drowning, bacteria growth and will sour the entire culture.  Try to give the crickets water in a different way.  There is a new product available that will allow water in gel form.  This stops many of the problems that used to pervade breeding and raising crickets. 

You Can Also Set Up a Wick Watering System.

This type of system allows the crickets to get water from a dish through a sponge or cotton. If you use this method, you must remember to change the cotton or sponge every couple of days so that you will not have a build-up of bacteria.  

 

 You can also give water another way, which is the way that we recommend, by using a slice of fruit or potato every couple of days.  The crickets will get water and food from the slice.

Use Chicken Mash as a Food for Your Crickets

Egg layer mash works well. Heat the mash in an oven to kill bacteria before giving it to the crickets.  The container should also be cleaned really well so all bacteria is killed.

You will also need some sort of substrate so the crickets can lay eggs in it. There are two ways of doing this.  One way is to place removable egg laying containers in the main containers. 

These containers can be something like a margarine container or some sort of soup container.  The other way is to place a substrate of soil or peat moss. on the bottom of the entire container so the crickets can lay eggs on the floor, in the sand. 

Then, you can use the entire container as an incubator.  I like this way of doing it because you do not have to remove small containers all the time and place them into incubators. 

The problem of doing it this way is that you have to use a different container for each generation, or you will not be able to easily size your crickets for resale.  If you use a separate container with the substrate on the floor, you will have to date the container, so you can ascertain the age of the crickets. 

If you keep detailed records like -Date Started and Date Babies Started Hatching, you will have a system of keeping all one size together and will be better able to offer them for resale based upon size.  You will not sell many mixed size crickets. 

Cricket customers are buying crickets to feed pets, fish, or to go fishing.  They have needs for specific sizes, and if you can’t give them those sizes, you will not sell crickets.

After your crickets have laid eggs in the substrate for a few days, you can move the breeders to a second container to lay eggs in there, or leave them for the full ten days and then remove the breeders to feed pets, to go fishing, or for resale. 

After two days, you will want to remove the breeders so that they do not eat any crickets that have started to hatch.  Breeders sometimes eat the babies if they can catch them.  Removing the breeders stops this and ensures you will have all one size growing together.

Keep the babies in the brooder/incubator until half grown.  Then, move them to a storage container.  A sweater box works well as a storage container.  You can place the container in a cooler room to slow growth and development.  At this stage, the crickets do not need the sand but do need food and water.

Using chicken mash and fruit and vegetable slices will help provide these needs.  Do not allow the vegetables to get stale or moldy.  Replace the slices every couple of days. That's it for care and breeding. 

You will now need to sell your crickets.  Pet shops and bait shops buy large amounts of crickets.  There are companies that raise and sell only crickets and do extremely well. 

You can market your crickets to local pet shops.  In the year 2000, crickets will go for about five cents to ten cents each.  This is a great price and can make you a great deal of money. 

Call pet and bait shops in the area and ask them if they would be interested in trying your crickets.  Explain the plusses of buying crickets from a local breeder, such as:  no shipping costs, no shipping strain on the crickets and the ability of the shop owner to have you service their needs right away.

You can also look into placing local advertisements telling customers that you have crickets.  Advertise specials in free local papers or low cost papers. Find out what the shops charge per cricket and advertise a lower price.  You will get buyers.  You can easily earn $10,000 per year in a basement or spare room.

Finally, shipping crickets is easy.  A one foot square box can hold 1,000 crickets.  Make sure that the box is taped securely on all sides.  In one of the sides, cut a rectangle with a knife and staple and glue a screen in the box so the crickets can get air during shipping. 

If you are shipping in the winter to cold areas, you may need to add heat packs to the boxes.  These are usually 48 hour packs and will get your crickets where they are going with enough heat to keep them healthy. 

You can ship the crickets through USPS Priority Mail, Air Mail, UPS, or Overnight.  We ship Priority and Air Mail and have had great results.  As of now, there are not any regulations against shipping crickets. However, that may change some day.

Also read  How To Raise White Worms For Your Cichlids and Koi Fish September 23, 2011
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