# buying fronts. which ones for best resale value of fry?



## kb0903 (Nov 25, 2008)

im going to be buying a colony of fronts and im looking to breed them out of these fronts which ones have the best resale value of the fry. there are all wild caught.
if you dont know just post your favorite one out of these.

thanks,

Cyphotilapia Frontosa Karema

Cyphotilapia Frontosa Kipili

Cyphotilapia Frontosa Mpimbwe

Cyphotilapia Frontosa Samazi

Cyphotilapia Frontosa Zambian Chaitika


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

Out of the ones listed the Mpimbwe is what I would consider the better selling fry. If you are looking to sell fry I would consider Zaires, they hold a better value on the market with a greater return.


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## Mr Mbuna (Nov 16, 2007)

I agree with Joesfish; Mpimbwe are the best known (and probably the most widely kept) out of that list but Zaires are where the money is. Get some Moba or Kapampas. Or just get what you like and enjoy them!


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Mr Mbuna said:


> I agree with Joesfish; Mpimbwe are the best known (and probably the most widely kept) out of that list but Zaires are where the money is. Get some Moba or Kapampas. Or just get what you like and enjoy them!


I would only consider purchasing wild caught Kapampa if they were "collected" by Thorsten Rueter's dive team.

Russ


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

Be aware that Russ is a well known Kapampa addict, and will stop at nothing to spend his addiction.  
To be serious, any of the Zaire type fry will sell well, and give you the highest price for their fry.
Thanks,
Daniel


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

daniel4832 said:


> Be aware that Russ is a well known Kapampa addict, and will stop at nothing to spend his addiction.
> To be serious, any of the Zaire type fry will sell well, and give you the highest price for their fry.
> Thanks,
> Daniel


Agreed


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## tirzo13 (May 26, 2004)

There are 3 things that matter when selling fry.
color, name recognition and price.

color.
the bluest ones get the most ahhhh, but they cost the most.
these types are the zaire blue, moba, kitumba, kapampa, kalumba, moliro, tembwe and mikula.
these fry will run from 20 to 40 each.

name recognition.
of those you listed, mpimbwe are the most well known. the others, though they look the same are not well known. most people want what they know. there is a market for the novel names, but its small. best to stick with what people know and want, in your examples its mpimbwe.

price.
there are entry frontosa, burundi and kigoma.
there are mid level frontosa, mpimbwe and all the names you listed.
there are exotic high priced ones, such as the blue zaires.

really the mid level types are now the same price as the entry level, say 5 to 10 bucks each.

not everyone will be willing to pay the higher prices of the zaire blues, so it may be in your interest to breed both an entry level frontosa, and a high priced type.


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Well put tirzo.

I will add that the entry level will be more saleable to LFS whereas the Zaires are too expensive for many LFS. If you have high quality Zaire there is usually a market on the internet (even in a bad economy).


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

daniel4832 said:


> Be aware that Russ is a well known Kapampa addict, and will stop at nothing to spend his addiction.


Daniel, I resemble that remark :lol:

Kapampa, the original Zaire...


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## frank1rizzo (Mar 14, 2005)

Just thought I would throw this in.

While Zaire will fetch a better price, I found they are much slower to breed (Especially a WC group). If your going for the most overall $$$ amount, your best bet is with a F1 group of Mpimbwe. They will sell for about half the price, but your get alot more fry, more often, from them IMO.


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## daniel4832 (May 8, 2004)

Russ, 
As always great pictures of beautiful fish!!! :thumb: 
Thanks,
Daniel


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

Russ, I love that first pic. :thumb: Is he your alpha male? If you haven't given him a name I suggest little Russ.

I know why your a Kapampa addict after seeing that pic. =D> Very Nice.


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

frank1rizzo said:


> Just thought I would throw this in.
> 
> While Zaire will fetch a better price, I found they are much slower to breed (Especially a WC group). If your going for the most overall $$$ amount, your best bet is with a F1 group of Mpimbwe. They will sell for about half the price, but your get alot more fry, more often, from them IMO.


It's kinda a catch 22, if you have Mpimbwe fry you will sit on them longer and take more tank space and Etc. If you have Zaire's you will sell them quicker and have a quicker turn around. I think that you should buy what looks good to you. If you like the common Burundi type, Tanzanian, Zambian, or Zaires then buy them. Some people like what I consider the oddball type like Red, Black, or white Fronts and I know it's hard to believe but some people don't even like Fronts.

I would buy what you like over any variant, I just happen to like Mpimbwe and Kapampa as my favorites.


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

it is all suppy and demand though. I found it around here, the zaire will sell slower than say the more affordable mpimbwe.


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

joesfish said:


> Russ, I love that first pic. :thumb: Is he your alpha male? If you haven't given him a name I suggest little Russ.
> 
> I know why your a Kapampa addict after seeing that pic. =D> Very Nice.


Thanks Joe 

Yes, he is my alpha (1st pic) and he already has a name,... Tsala. The 2nd pic is my beta.


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Charles said:


> it is all suppy and demand though. I found it around here, the zaire will sell slower than say the more affordable mpimbwe.


My kap fry are usually sold by the time they reach 1.25 inches. Production is my problem, I currently have a waiting list (which I am very thankful to have).

My largest batch of available fry at any one time was about 60 to 70 and they were all sold within one to two months (20 were presold at $35 each).

I just wish I could produce more :wink:


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

I have to agree with Russ, I can't keep enough Kapampa were as Mpimbwe can take a little longer to sell and although I do have people on a list for Mpimbwe it is not as long of a list as the Kapampa. I think the price difference makes up for the smaller production of fish and they are about the same in return.


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## kb0903 (Nov 25, 2008)

guys thanks for all the information i thought the tread was running dry and i look back and it has 2 pages! ok so now im looking into some nangu fronts?

what do you think between blue zambian nangu or mpimbwe?


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

Although I had liked my colony of Nangu, I wouldn't trade my Mpimbwe colony for another Nangu colony. Again to me if your not going Zaire then it's Mpimbwe all the way. Look around for a great looking colony you shouldn't have to much trouble finding a nice male, nice looking females can be hard at times to find. You just need to shop around.

If it was me I would just buy them as they come. When I buy fish I am always looking to replace or add to my Colony's, so if i run across better looking females I might keep them for myself.

So if I come across a nice looking Nangu colony I would buy it and get another tank, but I wouldn't sell my Mpimbwe to get the Nangu.

I think I might be sensing an addition, you should just buy a Mpimbwe, Nangu, and Kapampa colony and then you don't have to worry about which variant to buy.


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## kb0903 (Nov 25, 2008)

ya if i could i would. im only 16 and mom has a limit to tank and money spend on these "brain looking fish" as she calls them, the thing is i have a deal of 8 nangu for $150 that are about all 3 inches. and i could get 6 mpimbwe that are around 5 inches for 300. and the nangu are only about 10 mins from my house and all are good looking fish.


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

If the nangu are nice buy them, but what size tank you have? make sure it's big enough and then you can enjoy them growing up and learn with the Nangu colony. They will most likely not be ready to breed til about 2 years. By then you should have learned how to take care of Fronts and maybe get the Mpimbwe then. If the Colony is nice Im sure you will have no problem selling them to help pay for some Mpimbwe or who knows by then you might want Zaires.


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