You can email me at prattc@adminoff.com,

or phone (619) 267-2236

Here at Afish we breed several species of fish. We are mostly breeders of fish, rather than importers. As a hobbyist my interests are primarily with Fancy Guppies and Bettas. I have been active in the International Fancy Guppy Association for years, and now am also a member of the Internatiional Betta Congress.

As a breeder of guppys and bettas I produce fish of a higher quality and price than many retail fish stores normally carry. For this reason I sell Fancy guppies and Fancy Bettas directly to advanced guppy and betta hobbyists, but the rest of the fish we produce are sold only to retail fish stores. If you live in San Diego, Riverside, Imperial, or Los Angeles Counties here in Southern California, you can buy our guppies and bettas directly from many retailers. See the Retailers list on this site.

If you are a retail fish store, please phone us at (619) 267-2236.If you meet our requirements as a retailer, we will provide you with an I D and password to allow you to logon on to the wholesale portion of this site.

Some Thoughts on Domestic and Imported Fish for the Hobbyist

Over 50 years ago there were tropical fish being bred in the Unites States, and supplied to fish stores all over the country. Many of these breeders were based in Florida and this industry  was active and prosperous, producing amazing top quality fish. It was actually possible to work in these hatcheries, and the workers could earn a living doing interesting and creative work with fish. There were also small businesses in other areas of the country breeding and selling fish to local shops.

As I am sure you know, low wage labor in the far east has decimated many industries in the United States and the raising of tropical fish was one of the hardest hit.

But things are changing. It is still difficult for Americans to make a living by breeding fish. Many Florida fish farms have closed. Few of the ones left are prospering. But the dollar is devaluing against the currency of many other countries. Asian countries are finding they need to better compensate their workers. The low wage nations around the world need to better satisfy the needs of their citizens.

I believe the tropical fish breeding industry will come back in this country. I don't know that it will be soon, but our firm is trying to be among the first when this revival happens.

As a hobbyist you can do your part by asking for domestically raised fish  when you visit your retail dealer.

Why You the Retailer Should Consider Domestically Raised Fish

There is plenty of room in the hobby for imported fish. There are still many species that have not been bred domestically, or that cannot be profitable raised in captivity. There is always a market for new and unusual fish, and many of those are wild caught. There are good reasons to import captive bred fish as well. Fish breeders in different areas tend to breed different fish. Learning how to breed a species can sometimes be very difficult. It is not unusual for a breeder to discover the secrets to raising a species, hold on to that knowledge and breed them in larger quantity than other breeders can, if they can even breed them at all

But cost of shipping, loss of fish in transit, and the quality of the fish by the time they arrive in the tank of the hobbyist are all important considerations, and many times they are not factored in to the degree they should be. Domestically raised fish, especially if they are raised in the same community where the hobbyist lives, have been bred and reared in water conditions very much like those in the local community. The fish have not been forced to adapt to different Ph and hardness conditions. They have not been shipped for many hours, or even days in a small amount of water in a confined space where disease can spread among all the fish in a bag very rapidly. Domestic fish will generally do better for you than will imported ones.

Another factor is that the ultimate purchaser, the hobbyist is likely to be happiest with fish that can be bred in their own tanks. This provides interest and excitement to the hobbyist that will encourage their interest in fish. And the most easily bred fish are going to be ones that have been bred in the same area in which they are spawning.

Also keep in mind that some countries put severe restriction on exporting fish. This is a trend that will continue. The tropical fish retailer may find that they need to begin preparing for a day when they  need a domestic breeder.