10 replies to this topic

[Kimbo]

I was just wondering what price these guys go for?

[Anita ozfish]

HI Kimbo,
Anywhere from $150 - $200 each at around 3cms.
I would be VERY wary though of what you are actually getting for your money. There are a lot of Altos going around being called whites, goldheads etc which are not what they are supposed to be. Once you have seen a TRUE white, it is easy to distinguish the good from the bad. I doubt very much that you would see whites in retail for some time yet.

electral@bigpond.com | web | Sydney, Australia.

[eRiCfrontosa]

Buyer beware!
A breeder not so long ago over here was trying to pass off his black calvus or calvusX as whites by ill feeding them. Anyways a few months ago (in perth too!) a trio of whites(semi adults) changed hands for $800, very very cheap I think

[Anita ozfish]

Exactly Eric but the price is just a small factor too. The cost of cross breds is skyrocketing as well so it can't always be an indication that you are getting the real thing

electral@bigpond.com | web | Sydney, Australia.

[BT]

Hey everyone

This is probably a subject that finally I am qualified to talk about hehe.

Money is not something I usually like to discuss (especially when it has left my hands) but I think that it is valid to support the aforementioned. Three years ago, I had imported a shipment of White Calvus into Australia from Germany. Each fish cost me $800 when you include the bill from the importers.

It is bad news to learn that fish you have sold (in this case the fry from the Calvus I imported) have contributed to the hybridisation of such a fantastic species. Unfortunately, there are laws against strangling people, even if the reasons are valid.

Hence, like 90% of the fish in Australia, you end up buying stock that you shouldnt, but have no alternative. I wont say choice, because there is always a choice NOT to buy a fish. Having said, I have payed for fish I shouldnt have, whether through ignorance on my part, or because, through my own reasoning have judged the fish to have been *ok*, or that it could be worse...

I have always been responsible when it comes to housing fish that would cross breed (or interbreed) given no other alternative. I wish I could impart the importance of this on to everyone I have ever sold fish to and made sure it stuck, but you can only try so hard.

Unfortunately, most fish keepers are not aquarists, and buy fish because they fill a void in their loungeroom. I have rescued many many catfish from this situation, in Australia as well as overseas.

In any respect, when there is this situation, there is always fish that hobbyists would rather werent. So, when buying fish ESPECIALLY when buying fish that are very rare (and therefore really leave a dent in your pocket) do lots of research, and buy fish from people you know and respect.

I have always bided my time, and when outlaying lots of money, it has never failed.

Anyway's I should have my Calvus back this month. They have just spawned in a close friends tank. If I can breed them again this year, then they will be here, in the classifieds section.

Regards
BT

Edited by: BT at: 3/13/04 12:16 pm

[chuckmeister]

Hey BT, I think you miss understand somewhat about what is being sold as white calvus. There is a problem with calvus in Perth that is slowly branching out to other states. It would seem that calvus (Black) and comps have been crossed somewhere along the line and the result is calvus that are badly washed out (white) a bad black/grey and a black with yellow/gold in it. These crosses have been sold to a wholesaler in QLD as whites. There have been a number of white calvus brought in over the years but unfortunately most of those have been lost. It seems that they are a little harder to keep alive than the normal variety . Which leads me to the next point. While I have a little experience with breeding these fish I dont understand why you dont leave these fish with your mate if they have bred. These fish can be a little fickle to breed and when they do they seem to not stop given the right conditions. With regards to whites I think It prudent to get a breeding stock to the public so these fish can be enjoyed by others. Having claimed to have bred them, its almost wrong to have moved them IMO. Also I'd like to know your importer to have brought in calvus!!!! You'd also be happy to know that these/your fish are not the only to come in and I dont think it will be long before some become available though I doubt you'll see them in shops. I'm glad to see that you're mate has had success with your white calvus and that you've had a great success with Zebras since you joined just before Xmas. I think I need more of your luck

Charlie
Charlie

Edited by: chuckmeister at: 3/14/04 3:16 am

[BT]

Heya Chuck

I understand the point being made about the cross breeding in Australia. I have seen a lot of Alto/Dimi crosses, not to mention the lamprologus crosses that are around.

I am aware that White Calvus have been imported, aside from the few that I own.

While I enjoy sharing the fruits of my fish' labour, I refuse to take on such responsibility. If I care to breed these fish, then this is because I have an interest to do so for the enjoyment of the hobby so to speak, and not because I can benefit the community, and turn my private amusements into a capatalistic venture.

This being said, I am more than willing to share those that do eventuate, and have done in the past.

Im sorry, but if I would like my fish back, or if my friend is in need of his fish or tank space or for whatever reason that stands between the pair of us, this is our concern.

As it stands, he has now a tank full of fry. He will likely as not grow them out, sell a few and breed those few that he keeps. This was the whole idea behind the swap in the first place. For the fish to have bred so soon, I believe is an indication that they are not so fickle as one might think. Certainly the regularity at which I have bred them in the past tells a story of its own...

My colony is now in quarantine and will remain there until I see fit for them to return to their tank. As you say, once the conditions are right, they will behave as nature would have them.

Regards
BT

[chuckmeister]

Hey BT
I'm not accusing you of being a capitalist pig. I too have fish that people cant get and personally myself I cant wait to distribute these out so everybody can get enjoyment if they choose. Of coarse you can do what you wish with these fish being yours after all but and I should have explained myself a little better, I've had a number of female calvus sit in my tank for years not doing anything (with plenty of males to choose from) to shift them to another tank and they start to breed, move them back and they stop. I've also a friend that has had some for 6 years doing nothing, different tanks and setups etc. Hers were spectacular. I used to make a little fun saying that she was trying to breed boys. She lent them to a friend and within the month he had spawned them. I'm glad to hear that yours are not as fickle as mine are sometimes. I've no luck with the whites as yet....

Charlie

[xinguinsis]

Hi Chuck,
Is that sort of like when those blacks I sold thought they'd breed in 24hrs of being in your tank didn't even look like doing anything for me over a few months .Don't think anybody could call that line calvisseps.Hard to not get abit miffed with that stuff sometimes take it as a poor reflection on your tanks
not always the case though.
Regards Chris

[chuckmeister]

Hey Chris, I would be a little miffed as well. They're some of the nicer calvus I've seen and I've looked at a few. Seems the boy is a regular stud too. He's fixed up just about all my spare females. Lol doesn't know which shell to hang at!!!! Seriously though these fish are awesome. As far as tank conditions are concerned I cant work them out. Sometimes if you dont replace the shell properly the girl can stop. Water conditions in all my tanks are pristine, buffered etc so I just boil it down to being environmentally picky or a bad combination of fish personality wise.

Charlie

[xinguinsis]

Hi Chuck,Yeh I'd go with the group dynamic I shifted them out of a tank and put there young ones in and got three spawns from them .The adults particularly the girls just wanted to fight each other and taking a female out didn't help any either well between the two groups it may help W.A loose the home of the calvisseps tag.
Regards Chris