28 replies to this topic

[SamJohns]

I'm still keeping and very interested in these fish along with plenty others.

If anybody wants to hang out/catch up personally who has a genuine interest/collection of exotics/TBs feel free to give me a call, as this forum is a dead format for me these days.

Sam: 0449008132

[Jules]

Haha johnsy you know I'm good to catch up when ever really bud, I still owe you a 6 pack or so for looking after my rays.
Sad that all the big exotic fish keepers are slowly diminishing.
As are the exotic fish available.
I still got one tank that has a few gems in it that ill never part. Just wanting an arowana and that's it
On the plus side my motoro has a lot of back movement and according to Alex she looks pregnant! So stoked!!

Edited by Jules, 05 October 2013 - 09:09 AM.

[computerlog]

At least we've got some new pbass species to look forward to...

 

Congrats on the knocked up ray Jules

[Jules]

Is it all true the new pbass species?? Be wicked if it is!
Thanks man. Now just gotta hope the pups are born and do well....

[Buccal]

Peacock bass:
Azul.
Kelberi.
Fogo "fire bass".

They will be extremely expensive for a very long time, even at 4cm.
Likely over 1k per fry.

[jjm66smokey]

Just saw this on Gumtree...

Real or not?

 

Wish I had the tank space if it was...

 

http://www.gumtree.c...fish/1029149173

[Jules]

Yeah that'd be real.

As for the pbass, sounds awesome, but 1000 bucks a fry that's a joke. None the less be good to see some new fish on the scene.
Ill stick to monocs untill these potential future ones become cheaper.

[Shane-o88]

I wouldn't mind catching up for a chat about tank busters some time. I have already bored everyone I know with photo's and stories of my peacock bass, lost a 35cm one the other day. I got a few other big fish plecos, gibbi's, a big vieja,Saratoga and some others. Always happy to learn things to improve my fish keeping.

[Buccal]

Yeah,I was offered the first/only 8 Kelberi at 5cm for 10k,,,,, and yeah, same what a joke.
I'd be crapping myself for their safety,,, what a loss should they die or even sexes don't turn out good.

Much prefer a Leo,,, very hardy and not much to worry about.

$300 for a 6cm fish at entry stage would be more acceptable.

I know the azul are breeding size now,,, but no gossip of fry yet.
Kelberi would be the best and most different as they are quite yellow.

The Fogo apparently doesn't get very red in aquaria,,,, as its particular prey in nature possess certain type carotenes that induces heavy red pigmentation in the Fogo bass.
Much in the same way as a pink flamingo obtains its rich carotenes for the pink pigmentation.

[Peckoltia]

Be interesting to see how well the new pbass scene turns out.

 

For me, it can be shaped in a number of ways. How well Australian hobbyists actually do with these fish, have a look around, even in the states where peacockbass species are widely kept there are relatively few individuals actually breeding the 'rarer' types; kelberi, temensis, orino's etc (there are some though). If the numbers are already low in Australia, it places a lot of faith in those who paid the big bucks to get the initially offered fish. It is not fair to assume that because Monoc's breed relatively easily that the rest of the pbass species also will, they don't. Many of the newer species to the hobby are not multigenerational captive bred fish, like our monoc's, which may be a contributing factor. Or it could be some other environmental factor that hobbyists are not providing for that is required. Who knows? I can only theorise as I have not kept anything bar Monoc's and Temensis. People can create as many plausible theories as they like, but application is often a very different beast.

 

The next is greed/profit. People have spent 10k on fish, they want maximum return, releasing few fish slowly over long periods of time to keep the price high, and unobtainable to most. The upside with pbass is they are impossible to sex at a small size, so both sexes will be sold. Which is the problem with stingrays that can be sexed at birth, and 'greedy' or 'smart' breeders will keep a monopoly on the market.

 

It'd be great to see new peacockbass species gain a foothold in Australia, especially as they have the potential to be spawned and thus become a staple with exotic keepers. I am always skeptical of these things happening, look what happened with the temensis in Australia? I haven't seen any young fish for sale since the first batches that came over some years ago. Only ever see the odd HITH riddled adult from time to time. I can only feel partly responsible in a way for the loss of the temensis as I sold mine off without a second thought, as the exotic hobby was exciting at the time with many new and interesting fish always being available. It is funny how a 'fish drought' can make you feel... end up feeling quite guilty and dejected for some of your past mistakes!

 

I think the 'Fogo' gained way too much fame from a couple really nice angling photos. For me Cichla orinicensis is the be all end all. Everyones opinions will be quite different.

 

Alex

[Buccal]

Agree with all of it.
I think the demostication of mono's have allowed them to not only breed easier in captivity, but maybe breed at smaller sizes.

The biggest problem that faced the Tem's was that they are a much bigger specie that tenfolds the problems of space for lead up to breeding.

A person in QLD that breeds mono also has a safe colony of Tem's and holding them off from breeding.
Also is meant to have Orini's but at the time he did breed and put them out,,, it was suggested they were hybrids being something about eye coloration,,,,, maybe suggests from Malaysia as they tend to hybrid bass amongst other species.

Even though tb keepers are higher in numbers over east,,, they still have suffered the same percentage decline in keepers.
So entry of new stuff is harder than ever.
But it's good to think there are still breeders with secret stashes and boxes of hormone treatment products lol.

[Peckoltia]

It is good to hear that there are still some Temensis out there. I can't actually remember the exact year that the Tem's came into Australia, it would have been at least 5 years ago, I never saw any more come in after this. Like you are aware all fish have a 'shelf life' especially when it comes to breeding. But I am sure if the person who has held onto them has enough nous too hold back a group for breeding then he/she wont hold them back so long that the breeding potential of the fish is reduced through age. 

 

Can you tell me, do they show any signs HITH? So many of the Tememnsis I saw that were grown out to 60cm + adults suffered fom HITH at varying degrees.

[Jules]

I know the ones at Bali safari park have a horrendous case of HITH, butfrom memory, the old one at vebas was a perfect example and no HITH that I recall?

[Brodybmx1]

Can someone bring up to date with the new peacock bass situation

[TheTexasCichlidMasacre]

which pond are you gonna put them in first?

Edited by TheTexasCichlidMasacre, 09 October 2013 - 02:28 PM.

[Brodybmx1]

^^^ this guy hahahah

[TheTexasCichlidMasacre]

lol

[Buccal]

Alex,,,, the ones in Queensland which are likely the first gen and same gen roughly as what you had.
The ones before which were the parents of first gen are likely parents of your old ones are no longer but offspring reside (I got a bit tongue tied there almost).
No HITH, as they are in a aquaculture situation with large volume water change dumping taking place,,,, a very serious operation.
The problem we face for even more new stuff is that there are no big spenders for very rare stuff.
So breeders/sneaking won't take any risk anymore as its not rewarding the high jail/prosecution risks.

These people are extreme in knowledge,,, HITH would be a walk in the park for these people.

Jules,,,, yes the Vebas one, I bought it and also another two from Rockingham.
I tried to save their existence.
And yes the Vebas one was healthy as,,, and a testament to Patrick for keeping it in shape.
The other two I got received small cuts on them whilst being captured.
Within two days in my captivity, those cuts turned into deep flesh rotting infected wounds.
The third day they were dead.
The one from Patrick I housed for another 6 months searching for more but no go.
I sold the Tem to a rich Chinese tb keeper.
Apparently 4 or so months later it got HITH.
And haven't heard any more since.

[Peckoltia]

Can someone bring up to date with the new peacock bass situation

 

Can someone bring up to date with the new peacock bass situation

 

Can the peanut gallery refrain from posting garbage in an other wise good thread. PCS has become full of enough garbage threads to ruin good ones. Brody you are a known liar and a waste of time, I wouldn't sort you out with a cold, even if you asked nicely. Let alone bass.

 

Jules - The ones at the Bali Safari Park looked like they were infected with some sort of fungal disease, could have had HITH too, didn't look closely enough.

 

I am a bit up in the air when it comes to HITH. HITH is associated with Hexamita infection, and everything that I have ever been told and read over the years points back to bad water quality bringing the pits on. I am sure the bad water quality wouldn't help the situation, but it seems many people point the finger at bad water quality when it comes to HITH, I'm positive their are other factors that effect the on-set of HITH. I have seen CA cichlids kept in pristine conditions their entire life develop pits. The only thing I have ever successfully treated HITH with is metronidizole tablets, by either soaking food or placing small pieces of the tablet within a piece of food.

Edited by Peckoltia, 09 October 2013 - 06:25 PM.

[Buccal]

Again, yes, totally agree,, there are many factors that relate to HITH.
I've heard of excessive and incorrect proteins in diet.
I am more lead to believe its more to do with the slime type of coating that fish have that allows specific disease/hosts to colonize and infect.
There are particular species that are more prone to this disease and that tells me it's to do with specifics rather than conditions.
Tems getting so big makes them weaker and more stressed in confine which weakens their immune systems falling victim.
Hence propping immune system with antibiotics to keep a disease at bay.

But as we all know for people thats been around a while,,, antibiotics just makes the fish dependent on antibiotics to keep keep healthy.
With out antibiotics after being propped for a length of time,, the immune system crashes and the beast ends up worse for wear.