Freshwater fish i just dont see much anymore

[kennef]

Hey there,

I am kind of working on restocking some tanks after leaving them for wintering goldfish and in truth, i am really wanting to go back to semi-aggressive community fish of the unusual variety. So i remember back to my youth (mid 80's) and i remember a lot of fish that i dont see much in pet stores any longer. for Example:

Banjo Cats
RopeFish
African Butterflies
UpsideDown Cats
Polyepterus
Peacock Eels
Dragon Fish

and amphibians like
Eastern Newts
or Scyllian Worms

do other parts of the country see these animals commonly? I live in Upstate NY and i remember these being staples of the trade, but it all seems to be cichlids all over...

Does anyone else just go for the oddball fish at the LFS like me?

thanks

 

[LandGhoti]

My LFS carries upside down catfish, and I think the Petsmart around here does too.

As far as peacock eels, MyCatsDrool had one that slept in her filter, but it eventually took "the long dive to the floor" as she put it (don't know where she lives, though, so can't help with location).

 

[kennef]

thanks!

my thought is that maybe things have changed in the business that some livestock become harder to find, or not as profitable, so your LFS doesn't order them much anymore.

for instance, the local pet stores that sell reptiles can order in a herp that makes them 100 bucks in profit when they sell him, or they can house 50 house geckos and made 50 cents each off them.... its obvious what they are gonna choose.

maybe this goes for fish too....

 

[redswi]

I can help with the fish, but speaking of aquaria from our youths (I'll say late 70's early 80's), The Hartz company used to sell a freeze dried plant that would grow like crazy in my tanks...any idea what kind of plant that was???

 

[kennef]

surely not aponogetons? were they like little hairy coconuts?

 

[redswi]

I was just on aquariumplants.com... can't find it....the way I remeber it it was like a bush with a leaf like an evergreen shrub

 

[shayfish]

I have 2 upsidedown cats. They are really cool, although I don't see them much. That's it from that list though. I have only had them a couple of months and they're starting to get big. Neat fish.

 

[GouramiFanatic]

I'm not to far away from you, I live in southern NH. Here's my take on your list. Sorry, but I can't help you with the amphibians.

Banjo Cats - I've seen these once or twice at a small lfs near my house.
RopeFish - I'm the proud owner of MY very first Rope (my father had them when I was growing up, but this one is all MINE)! My local Petco gets these in all the time, normally (2) on every shipment (or so I was told).
African Butterflies - I've seen these off and on, more off though.
UpsideDown Cats - I've seen these quite a bit up here at different lfs.
Polyepterus - These seem to be pretty common here as well.
Peacock Eels - I've seen these quite a bit at our local Petco.
Dragon Fish - Not sure I know what you're referring to here.

 

[Mosaic]

The only ones I've never seen are the banjo cats. It's been a while since I've seen the butterfly fish, but I haven't been looking too hard. PetsMart used to carry them, if they don't still. Everything else I've seen at chain stores and the LFS. They're still pretty common. If yours doesn't have it, they should be able to get it for you pretty easily.

 

[kansei]

Dragon fish if its the goby your talking about - is fish of the month at walmart , the one here had 4 in the tank .

 

[BillD]

Availability will vary as to time of year and collecting seasons in their native habitat. While the the fish you seek may available on importer/ wholesalers lists, your LFS may not want to gamble on bringing in oddballs that may be difficult to sell. migh t be worth your while to talk to some local stores to see what is actually available, and whether any of them would be willing to order them for you.

 

[Berserkr]

I'm in Washinton State, the petsmarts around here tend to carry some of those things regularly, at least the upsidedown catfish and dragon fish (assuming you mean the violet Goby). I've seen peacock eels on online retailers but have a hard time finding eels. Though no biggy since I can't do sw atm. I hear about rope fish every now and then. Several people in the forum have them. The others I'm not sure of. In fact, when I first got started a few months ago, my sister bought me a violet goby (dragon fish). Unfortunately she didn't realize I wasn't yet prepared for him, and he didn't make it.

 

[kennef]

thanks for the great relpies. does anyone else keep any oddball species that vary from the everyday that they would like to share? Also, freshwater shrimp seep to be popular here on the forum, but i never see them at the LFS, does anyone else see them often?

 

[toddnbecka]

I just went to Pittsburgh and Monroeville, PA last weekend, and stopped at 3 different pet shops. I saw most of the critters on the list, only missed the ropefish and newts. Alloddballaquatics even had the rubber eels in stock, along with some shrimp and dwarf crayfish.
Shrimp aren't too common in pet shops, and are always much more expensive than buying from someone on the forums, even w/shipping.

 

[triazole]

recently picked up some chanchito cichlids - cichliasoma oblongus (SA). they were common way back in the 50's or so, but slowly disappeared. plan to take some pix later and post them.

 

[kickeralpine]

dragon fish allways see at petco and my local pet stops.upside down cats are coming back around every where petsmart has them also in florida that is .

 

[kennef]

i just got a Bichir at Petsmart, polyepterus Senegalus... about 3" long or sol, so still little. but i think he's great! hoping someone gets a ropefish in this weekend or something, taxes came in so i feel good about livestock again...

 

[RoK]

I have an African Butterfly fish and a Polypterus ornatipinnis.
I've had ropefish but they found a tiny spot to jump out of the tank. Haven't seen ropefish for sale lately either.