fairdeal

The common arapaima are relatively easy to buy but are seasonal and can only be purchased in small sizes (6-8") and of course with the accompanying CITES permit. The other 4 types are impossible to source as they are very close to extinction in the wild. These commons are bred in captivity and mostly marketed as food fish. The only things holding back the sales are the extreme size and strength of these monsters. 10' and 450 lbs. is a tank buster and one that size is not going to subsist on pellets. It would much rather slurp down 20 lb. salmon or anything else in that size range it could crush and swallow in that massive mouth. In the wild they eat anything that happens to be in the water usually near the surface where they spend most of their time as they have to come up for air every 10-20 minutes. This necessity has been their downfall as they make easy targets for fishermen with harpoons and 10 footers are a rarity in the wild..

I saw the news on CFCN the day of the court appearance and all they mentioned was the amount of the fine ($20000) for Wayne and $4000 for the owner. These were the maximums and had never been handed out prior to this case.There was no mention of abuse against the fish it was all to do with all the other 300 pets for sale in the store. Pet stores will only decorate display tanks and the balance are streamlined for quick access and sale - no plants, rocks, wood, etc. as these are just nuisances in trying to net the fish. I have been in this hobby for 57 years and what most people don't understand is that to the pet stores fish are just a commodity to be bought and sold for a profit. They are not something like a dog or a cat or a reptile that is treated more humanely and for the most part much better cared for. They only become pets when they are purchased and taken to a caring home. More times than I care to remember I have been in stores where fish are literally dumped out of the bags into a tank and within 10 minutes someone is on their way home with their new fish. Stores want the highest possible turnovers not only because that is more profitable but they want to unload their commodities before they start to get sick and die. Better stores will at least quarantine their fish for a week or more even though this cuts down the profit temporarily. What I'm getting at here is that in this regard Riverfront was no different than any other fish store in town or anywhere else. The fish were just a victim of circumstance when Riverfront was shut down as a result of what the Humane Society and others thought was animal abuse of all the other pets in the store.

I truly believe that this is only the beginning of the end of a lot of species in the Amazon drainage system. These CITES permits are just the tip of the iceberg. There are now in the works over 40 dams scheduled to be built in this system and there are likely to be a lot more added over the coming years. The permits are issued for each individual species so as the list grows even if they maintain the $130 USD it starts to become very expensive for numerous types to be shipped in. If I were to order 10 pleco species at $130 USD each plus the current exchange rate plus GST it adds up quickly. This does not take into account that as the plecos become scarcer and harder to find the price may escalate to the point where only hard core collectors and breeders will be able to justify the cost. When you consider the number of species that are found only in the Xingu River that may go extinct or near extinction it becomes truly mind boggling.

I just received a notice from a Colombian supplier that from now on all stingrays must have CITES permits at a cost of $130 USD per shipment. It wouldn't surprise me to see other countries down there start to do the same thing. All of the suppliers just had a big conference and came away with many new twists in ordering which we will find out as we order. I also just received an email from a Brazilian supplier who advised all shipments are to be paid in full from now on or they won't ship. He also attended this conference. Plecos next on the CITES list?

If history is any guide then this will only be another example of mankinds blatant disregard for nature and the devastation we cause in the natural order of things. It is truly sad to think that in a few short years there is the very distinct possibility that we will no longer be able to find hundreds of species of fish and in particular plecos in the rivers they have thrived in for thousands of years.

See them very infrequently but will keep my eyes open for you.

Have some fry but still not a saleable size yet.

I'll be getting a new stock list sometime next week and will let you know.

Will take a look when I get a new stock list.

Hi Craig: I'll check the flametail and fenastratus - males may be all gone or on hold. I can't get up this weekend but will try to line up a ride back with someone who is coming down for the Calgary auction Oct.2.

Just about breeding size now so hopefully fry soon.

I'll keep my eyes open for some males. Supplier doesn't have any right now.

Thanks John.

Has anyone heard when the Edmonton fall auction will be held. Calgary is Oct.2.

Hi Craig: Supplier doesn't have the copadichromis right now. I'll be up to Edmonton in 2 weeks. Harold

I've not seen these puffers on a list before. Sorry.

Sorry not on the current list

The overall effect of the dam stoppage now is that it is only temporarily put on hold. There are 43 dams proposed for the Tapajos River alone and eventually all or most of them will be built. The Belo Monte project for example was put on hold for years but it was built regardless of the protests. There are only 3 clearwater rivers in Brazil and years down the road they will all have so many dams the fish industry will be in complete shambles and people will say what a shame but nevertheless the dams will be there. In a country where blatant corruption and payoffs and bribery are the norm what else can be expected.

There are 2 main categories of fish as I see it - daylight and nocturnal. The 1st ones do best with some amount of light during the day but nocturnals could care less if they get light at all.. These are the ones you hardly ever see in your aquarium during the day but if you happen to turn on the lights after it gets dark you will see them moving around and quite active. Even some "daylight" fish do prefer low light like frontosas which are captured normally in depths that have no light. So in answer to the question do fish get depressed when they have little or no natural sunlight I would have to say no. I think it has to do more with minerals and vitamins available in the natural habitat and how the fish adapt to aquarium life. They do sell chemicals that supposedly mimic these naturally occurring minerals and vitamins are effectively absorbed when the fish eat what they normally eat in the wild. I do use these manufactured chemicals but not the amounts they prescribe on the bottles but have noticed in many cases increased breeding and better overall health and appearance of the fish. I don't think you can drop a fish from Lake Malawi (or their decendants) in your tank and expect them to receive the same nutrition as they would get in the lake without some additions to the water and their diets.

That shouldn't be a problem. What size were you looking for? Supplier usually has these from 1 1/2" to adult.

Now this is what I call advance notice.

Well color me shocked - just received an email from my Brazilian supplier advising that the following have been taken off the export list effective immediately. L003, L014, L017, L019, L026, L031, L133, L134, L141, L142, L212, L253, L255 and L358. I suspect that these will be just the beginning. I haven't checked all of the above but I have strong suspicions that they are all or mostly from below the new dam. Rather than take the heat from conservationists and all other interested parties I'm thinking the government is likely just eliminating them for export so they don't have to answer lots of questions on how the dam project has affected their natural environment and how their breeding patterns havebeen altered. From what I've gleaned online nobody can say for a certainty that they can even breed under these new conditions. It remains a wait and see (or more accurately a wait and hope) situation. As I hear more from suppliers I'll post again but I really don't think this will be the end of the plecos being removed from the export list. It wouldn't surprise me now if L024, L025 and the like will be joining soon. Just sayin'.

I'll be getting a stock list sometime next week and will let you know.

Hi Craig: I'll check the suppliers list for the trawavasae. I'll likely be coming up within the next month but have to co-ordinate with a few people on the Edmonton end. Harold