Silver Arrowana

[Cap'n]

One thing to note is the difference between the silver arrowana and the asian. The silver can be had relatively inexpensive ($12 for babies, $100 for sub-adult). They are pretty common in the wild and from breeders.

Asians, on the other hand, are very hard to breed, usually done in large ponds where the population and genetic pool is strictly regulated. I believe this is only done in the asian countries, so all fish available here must make a huge trip first.

The colours available have a direct impact on the cost of the fish as well. Just like koi, rare colours demand, a high price. The time and effort to get a blue and red specimen like the beauty Toirtos posted is worth (to some) 10's of thousands of dollars.

And finally, the prestige. Old beliefs dictate that the owner of an asian arrowana will have longevity and success. Some take folklore very seriously and are willing to fork out the dough to buy it.

Personally, I plan to own a silver arrowana some day. I will pay less than $20 for one and within a few years own a fish to rival that seen in most fish-keepers homes. No way you could convince me to pay more than $1000 for ANY fish, no matter how rich I was.

[African_Fever]

The micro chipping is a way to ensure authenticity and keep track of them on the CITES permits. If you were paying $25 000 for a fish, wouldn't you want some sort of guarantee that it is what it's supposed to be? I'd think that the micro chipping and CITES came in hand in hand, as the micro chips are the only way to tell for certain which fish is which.

With the Asian arro's, it's all about the Karma, more red = better Karma. And I've also heard that you need to have odd numbers; I've heard of guys into arro's losing one for whatever reason and going out the next day and spending $10 000 just to replace it b/c they were left with an even number (yes, this means they already had more than 1!).

I doubt that the shipping has much to do with price on the smaller fish as it's basically a direct flight from Singapore etc. to Vancouver (much less logistics issues than getting fish from Malawi to Calgary). Though the larger fish would be somewhat harder and more time consuming.

Like I said earlier, it's illegal to export both wild caught and F1's, so this will also raise the price.

I don't think that someone raised in a western culture could really understand the whole Karma thing with Arro's, and that's why most of us are so shocked at the prices paid for them. I'm pretty sure that Gabriel in Edmonton is big into them, so maybe someone could get in touch with him and get some more definite answers?

[Toirtis]

Like I said earlier, it's illegal to export both wild caught and F1's, so this will also raise the price.

Actually, F1s are legal to export (trust me, I do a lot of CITES work), but since they are typically greens (and not worth much), and are important for maintaining bloodlines, they never are.

[Toirtis]

and I'm pretty sure it would be quite the lengthy paperwork to get a CITES permit.

Paperwork is so-so....but the wait on either side can be lengthy, especially if you do not have a decent history of doing such shipments. The actual permits run about $100 each (one export and one import), but qualifying for them can run a fair bit more. CITES II export permits are considerably easier to obtain.

[Toirtis]

I'm assuming they didn't randomly choose arrowanas for this process. Why not do this with more fish if it jacks up the price into quadruple digits?

No, it has to do with wild populations, and in the case of Asian aros, they were amongst the first fauna relegated to CITES appendix I (The appendix that covers the most endangered species of plants and animals) when the Convention first convened in the seventies. Currently keeping Asian aros company in the appendix 1 are the following other fish: Acipenser brevirostrum, Acipenser sturio, Probarbus jullieni, Chasmistes cujus, Pangasianodon gigas, Totoaba macdonaldi, and all Latimeria spp.....all of which, with the exception of the coelacanths, were added in later years.

[Reza]

Here's a picture of my Jardini Arowana at 6 cms.

Reza

Edited April 10, 2005 by Reza

[Reza]

... and here he is at 25 cms a year later.

Reza

[johnsmith]

Thanks everyone, that was helpful. Now I can have a little more appreciation for the one at Riverfront. BTW - is that basically just a show-fish or do they plan on selling it?

I guess I can take back the microchips I was going to put in my cons

[Toirtis]

Both...certainly show fish that brings in people on interest, but don't believe for a second that those two big ones are not for sale if someone is interested in buying....Wayne can always get more.

I realise the microchip comment is a joke, but seriously, consider microchipping other pets (like dogs and cats)...I have done it with many of my reptiles, and all my mother's dogs, etc....its relatively inexpensive, and the best possible way to identify your pet in case of loss or theft.

[johnsmith]

<--- Achilles is microchipped. So far he hasn't set off any metal detectors or alarms It was done eight years ago, when he was a puppy, so my wife thought it may have migrated, but I think the vet found it recently so I guess it has stayed in place.

So do people break into stores / houses to steal these fish or is it more a matter of getting "lost" during transportation?

[Toirtis]

Well, certainly it would help with theft recovery, but in the case of the Asian aros, the chip is to positively identify the fish's origins for CITES purposes.

[Fishypoon]

Hey Ryan,

I have seen the tank of fish at Pincher creek...its in a chinese restaurant right? Apparently that guy breeds his own fish down there! I wanted to go down and look at the tanks (because the wonderful waitress told me all about the fish down there scaring her haha)..but was too chicken to ask.

Amazing looking arrowana and he had rays too! Nice tank.