Do you want some fish to stay rare?

[Keeg]

Do any of you want to keep some fish rare? If so, why and what fish? If not, why not?

Do you wish any fish would become rare? 

Do you want any fish to be less rare? 

What is the hardest fish to breed in you opinion? 

Answer one, two, whatever you want, I just want to see what other people think 

To me, I feel some fish should stay rare in the hobby because it keeps their status special. Plus I feel like if some of the rarer species were massively bred, they would be abused. Kind of like bettas. I dont really have one off the top of my head, but I feel like the Devil's Hole Pupfish would be a great addition to a tank if it were able to be largely produced for the hobby in captivity. Such a fascinating fish

Edited August 25, 2021 by Keeg

[Gator]

Keeg;

Making sure fish stay rare means that the fish will remain expensive. Who needs that?

[Scott P.]

On 8/25/2021 at 5:50 AM, Gator said:

Keeg;

Making sure fish stay rare means that the fish will remain expensive. Who needs that?

Not me.

[DSH OUTDOORS]

In answer to your question @Gator I only want the ones I am breeding and selling to remain rare, and hence more expensive. 😂

All kidding and profits aside I wish the Lamporlogus Ornatipinnis was more popular than it is.  Even compared to Multis I would take the Ornatipinnis hands down.  They are my favorite Rift Lake Shelly.

I have finally had success breading Tequila Goodeid which are thought to be extinct in the wild.  They are not overly difficult to breed, just a long gestation period.  As far as a livebearer goes they aren't that flashy or fun so I can see why they aren't that popular or expensive.  Their rarity in the wild is the only reason I have them.  Hopefully I will be able to pass them onto others that have the same eye on conservation that I do.

I love rare fish or rare strains/coloration.  The challenge of breeding them to make more and pass/sell them to others regardless of profit is what drives quite a few of my current projects.

[Biotope Biologist]

I see it more often abused in the saltwater trade but fish that require large territories should not be kept in an aquarium of any size. There is a reason that most aquariums and zoos do not house arapaima, yet, I can buy babies at most monster fish stores. 

 

There are many instances of abuse in the saltwater trade. The very popular "dory fish" or blue tang is an extremely territorial, well all tang are, monster that wreaks havoc on coral tanks. So I guess unless I am missing something, any fish that is listed for sale as 'species only' maybe doesn't belong in a cube of glass. Just my take on it. 

 

There are so many people still that believe that animals have no intelligence and are just ornaments to display. And don't give them the space to exercise themselves or interact with their environment. 

 

Here is my tentative list I suppose:

Arapaima gigas, Paracanthurus hepatus (Dory), Pterois (lionfish genus), Pomacanthus imperator(emperor angelfish), Phractocephalus hemioliopterus (red-tail cat), Pseudoplatystoma Fasciatum (Tiger Shovelnose cat), ALL GAR.

 

I am missing a bunch those were just off the top of my head. 

[KentFishFanUK]

I want biotoecus opercularis! Less rare not more. Still don't know why they aren't everywhere, they are like south america's answer to multies. 

Isn't anything I think should stay rare, unless it just wouldn't do well kept in aquariums. 

I understand the idea of keeping something 'special' but personally I don't get anything out of having something rare - I'd rather have something in common with fellow hobbyists, that's more special to me!

[lefty o]

less rare, with exceptions.  the exceptions should be the fish most people should not attempt keeping.  things like red tail cats, gar, sturgeon, etc, etc.  things the normal fish keeper will never be able to provide a proper home for should be rare, and need to be sought out with some effort. everything else, bring it on in big numbers.

[CalmedByFish]

On 8/25/2021 at 11:48 AM, DSH OUTDOORS said:

have finally had success breading Tequila Goodeid which are thought to be extinct in the wild. 

This was my first thought. Some need to be more common just so they continue existing at all.

I think it'd be great if "bullet proof" fish became more common as beginners' first choice. It seems that would mean less animal suffering during our initial learning curve. (Like less betta, more medaka.)

Edited August 26, 2021 by CalmedByFish

[WhitecloudDynasty]

I only like my steak rare

I would like every fish to be available for everyone if possible, unless super monster fish. You'll never know what you like till you raise them yourself. 

[Crabby]

I’d like a lot of fish to become more common, but particularly pseudomugils (especially mellis), cool killies, L-number plecos and CW-number cories, and apistogrammas. OOH and apistogrammoides PLEASE!

I agree with those above who think the hard-to-keep-well fish should be more rare. And I’d like the majority of uncommon but not rare fish to stay that way. It feels good to be able to breed a fish that isn’t super normal and popular.

[KentFishFanUK]

On 8/26/2021 at 9:02 AM, Crabby said:

I’d like a lot of fish to become more common, but particularly pseudomugils (especially mellis), cool killies, L-number plecos and CW-number cories, and apistogrammas. OOH and apistogrammoides PLEASE!

I agree with those above who think the hard-to-keep-well fish should be more rare. And I’d like the majority of uncommon but not rare fish to stay that way. It feels good to be able to breed a fish that isn’t super normal and popular.

Had to Google apistogrammoides - 😍 love them totally with you there. Check out biotoecus! They are sort of similar and I really really want them to be more available

[Crabby]

On 8/26/2021 at 6:11 PM, KentFishFanUK said:

Had to Google apistogrammoides - 😍 love them totally with you there. Check out biotoecus! They are sort of similar and I really really want them to be more available

Those biotoecus are amazing! So unique!

[Guppysnail]

On 8/25/2021 at 4:31 PM, KentFishFanUK said:

rather have something in common with fellow hobbyists, that's more special to me!

I agree. I have had many types of fish but special connections for me are my silly overly plentiful guppies 🤪

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

Great post

Do any of you want to keep some fish rare? If so, why and what fish? If not, why not?

I do check the CARES lists occasionally and try to keep at least 25% of the tanks with rare or challenging species that first and foremost I will enjoy keeping, try to breed, and eventually share out.  My view is if I have the space to try and maintain and trade around the rare species its almost like doing a service for the hobby. Who else but us  and some limited laboratory settings can really maintain these species? There are only so many labs around working on maintaining and studying a very few species the more we have spread out across the hobby the more likely the species remain in existence in the future.

Personally to keep a few that might be considered rare either due to collection location issues, laws and regulatory limits on the species, or challenging breeding behaviors:

Betta Macrostoma "Brunei Beauty" (pair) 
Characodon lateralis los berros "Rainbow Goodied" (colony)
Characodon audax el toboso "Black Prince Goodied" (reverse trio hopefully colony in December)
Jenynsia onca "One Sided Livebearer" (colony)
Pao baileyi "Hairy Puffer"
Pao palustris "Mekong River Puffer"
Phractolaemus ansorgii "Mudfish" 
Scleromystax Baianinho II (C112) (colony)
Xenotoca doadrioi San Marcos "Red tailed goodied" (colony)
Xiphophorus  malinche highland swordtail (colony)

Do you wish any fish would become rare? Do you want any fish to be less rare? 

Sort of my preference would be that TR fish of all the currently rare species became more available and wild caught become more of an opportunity to work with new genetics when needed. The COVID impact and other issues wars, famine, etc make me think that wild fish may become more and more difficult to get in the country and the TR hobbyist bred lines will become more an more useful to the local stores. I would like it to be less rare for some species since I think they are cool, especially puffer colonies, but I am pretty partial to them.  

The Devil's Hole Pupfish would be a fun one.  I do think the massively bred fish are more feeding the demand for massively desired fish. Do you believe if a fish like the Devil's Hole Pupfish were to be highly desired the breeding to Betta splendens level would follow? .

What is the hardest fish to breed in you opinion? 

The next one is my best answer there since I haven't got it figured out yet.

The hardest I have bred would probably be the Mekong River Puffer Pao palustris. They produce eggs and fry for me but I have not quite figured out why the male tends to reduce my colony of adult females by one after each spawning. Still working through that issue but it is about figured out. 

 

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

On 8/25/2021 at 10:48 AM, DSH OUTDOORS said:

In answer to your question @Gator I only want the ones I am breeding and selling to remain rare, and hence more expensive. 😂

All kidding and profits aside I wish the Lamporlogus Ornatipinnis was more popular than it is.  Even compared to Multis I would take the Ornatipinnis hands down.  They are my favorite Rift Lake Shelly.

I have finally had success breading Tequila Goodeid which are thought to be extinct in the wild.  They are not overly difficult to breed, just a long gestation period.  As far as a livebearer goes they aren't that flashy or fun so I can see why they aren't that popular or expensive.  Their rarity in the wild is the only reason I have them.  Hopefully I will be able to pass them onto others that have the same eye on conservation that I do.

I love rare fish or rare strains/coloration.  The challenge of breeding them to make more and pass/sell them to others regardless of profit is what drives quite a few of my current projects.

Those tequilas are sweet. If they all displayed that dominant male coloration that would be a game changer. I do not have them currently but did work with them and pass them on in 2018-2019. Even this photo of the dominant male doesn't capture how dark charcoal they can get or that bright orange crescent on the tail. He wasn't even displaying here just hanging out 

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

On 8/25/2021 at 10:47 PM, WhitecloudDynasty said:

I only like my steak rare

I would like every fish to be available for everyone if possible, unless super monster fish. You'll never know what you like till you raise them yourself. 

Same on the steak. Yeah now that I think of it maybe those redtail catfish should be rarer 

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

@DSH OUTDOORS those Lamporlogus ornatipinnis are pretty awesome looking. Maybe I found the project for those Safeway escargot snail shells I grabbed the other day 😏

[Ben P.]

I kind of think that fish price should be more reflective of adult size of fish.  Small fish cheaper, larger fish more expensive.  It would keep people from buying Oscars and common plecos and even goldfish.  I personally kept a Florida gar for about 5 years.  It was one of my first fish and I ended up buying multiple tanks to accommodate his growth.  If I would have been fully aware of how big he got beforehand, I wouldn't have gotten him at all.  Ended up being very expensive to keep after buying large tanks and feeders weekly.  I can at least say I have mine a good home, most people just get rid of them by either killing or dropping them off at the pet store

[Keeg]

On 8/28/2021 at 12:20 PM, Ben P. said:

I kind of think that fish price should be more reflective of adult size of fish.  Small fish cheaper, larger fish more expensive.  It would keep people from buying Oscars and common plecos and even goldfish.  I personally kept a Florida gar for about 5 years.  It was one of my first fish and I ended up buying multiple tanks to accommodate his growth.  If I would have been fully aware of how big he got beforehand, I wouldn't have gotten him at all.  Ended up being very expensive to keep after buying large tanks and feeders weekly.  I can at least say I have mine a good home, most people just get rid of them by either killing or dropping them off at the pet store

That is a pretty good system but then I would also feel that other species would be afflicted. So instead of goldfish being feeders, another small fish is sold instead. One person on a different social media site suggested that all fish be priced the same for equality, but I disagree. While they deserve the same proper care, the elusiveness of some species makes them more desirable.  

[Streetwise]

I miss Galaxy Rasboras. We will never see them again. 😆

[Ken]

On 8/28/2021 at 3:31 PM, Streetwise said:

I miss Galaxy Rasboras. We will never see them again. 😆

I'll bet there are a couple of old mom and pop shops that still have them. 😉

[Guppysnail]

On 8/28/2021 at 5:31 PM, Streetwise said:

I miss Galaxy Rasboras. We will never see them again. 😆

Galaxy rasbora was the original name of celestial pearl danios.  They were originally thought to be pat of the rasbora family then we’re determined to fit better in danio. So go get yourself some

edit DUH I’m a goober I just got the joke. Slow on the uptake🤣

Edited August 29, 2021 by Guppysnail

[Ken]

Kind of off on a tangent but... I wish Bettas were really rare and expensive. They kind of deserve it. The only thing that is treated worse in the hobby is feeder goldfish. Can you tell I was at a bigbox fish store today?