Wild caught african cichlids

[EMTBMIKE]

I am not sure if this is the right sub forum to put this topic in but here it goes. I am a big fan of wild caught fish. I enjoy looking at the fish knowing that it is the true thing. No fish farm or hobbyist bred it with another species. With that being said, I remember reading somewhere that they started to breed african cichlids by the shore of the lakes. Do you think the wholesalers buy these fish and sell them to hobbyist as wild caught? Yes they are raised in the water of their environment. But they did not breed in their natural environment. Did they start off with wild caught fish? If so we are buying F1 or further down the line thinking they are wild caught. If not we are buying aquarium strain fish that are raised in african water. What are your opinions?

[joe_jaskot]

Since "wild" fish don't come with paperwork from the collection area, you don't know what you are getting. They could be wild, lakeside raised, pond raised, tank raised etc. . Years ago when true wild fish were imported, they looked like crap and were very difficult to feed. Now wild fish come in looking as good as tank raised and eat like pigs. You figure it out.

[Spooky_Fish]

Years ago when true wild fish were imported, they looked like crap and were very difficult to feed. Now wild fish come in looking as good as tank raised and eat like pigs. You figure it out.
Well said, you hit the nail on the head Joe.

[AMBUSHPREDATOR]

You also used to get the full size fish you'd expect. All the wild front's are like 8" max when you get them and the females are like 4.5". We know these fish should be way bigger on average if they are truly adult wild caught fish. And who's catching all the wild leloupi's at 1.5" by the hundred's. This is a rockbound species and you'd never find hundred's at the exact size anywhere. I could bring up a ton of more fish and question's about how they could be wild but why bother. You better just enjoy fish for fish or your going to forever be disappointed.

[EMTBMIKE]

I question more of the common fish that are supposedly wild caught. Such as yellow labs, saulosi, demasoni and so on. These fish are extremely common in the hobby. Are they really going to go out and collect these fish if they can be bred by the lake side?

[eggzackary]

Just treat all the fish you have as "wild caught" and you will never be let down or disappointed......

[Bev N]

I don't think this is just with Africian Cichlids either. There are fish out there being sold as wild that I'd bet the farm are tank raised due to the constant availability. Some fish are seasonal but if they are on the list year round from different exporters chances are they are not wild caught. They may however be from wild stock. I've seen that with one list out of Germany. The angelfish are a wild strain but it clearly states German Bred. This place states if they are tank raised or wild caught but I'm betting a lot do not.

[fischfan13]

I question more of the common fish that are supposedly wild caught. Such as yellow labs, saulosi, demasoni and so on. These fish are extremely common in the hobby. Are they really going to go out and collect these fish if they can be bred by the lake side?


I never see WC Yellow Labs, and if a person claimed that they had WC Labs they would have to have the utmost respect in the hobby for me to believe them.

[emartin]

I never see WC Yellow Labs, and if a person claimed that they had WC Labs they would have to have the utmost respect in the hobby for me to believe them.
I've seen a lot of people claim to have them, and I know for a fact that Old World imported them some time ago (or at least I think it was Old World, and this was a few years ago).

I know Larry Johnson says he has a breeding colony of wild ones, and since he's been to Malawi the past decade almost I don't see any reason to doubt his are legitimate...!

[emartin]

Personally I think the majority of fish sold as wild on importers lists are legitimate. I've seen a lot of suspicious Tanganyikan wild fish though that are super small... I personally think it's possible that if these small ones are wild, then they were hatched from wild caught mouth brooding females or the whole school was caught.

I also think that the lake side centers have just got a lot better at transitioning the fish over to swimming in glass boxes... Which is why they typically come in decent shape, and importers don't want to keep buying fish sold as wild if the exporters pack them badly and don't quarantine them and let them adjust to small swimming areas anyway. I have had wild malawi though not eat on me, come in full sized, etc. My Nyassachromis boadzulu's are full sized for example, and none of them ate at first for over a week...

Either way, even if they are bred on the lake side, the parents are wild caught, they aren't line bred, and not closely related to any existing tank raised strains... Which is good enough for me if I want to breed certain fish...

~Ed

[Mark]

Breeders/Suppliers/Wholesalers,,,,,IMO ,,,all the same.

If they already have this "reputable" business,,they'll sell you anything and call it whatever they want. They are all in it for the money. JMO


I believe that most of these so called "WC" fish are coming from farm vats/ponds. They may be the fry (F1) of the original WC parents growing out?
Either way,,,they'll have the same features of the parents,,,therefore calling them WC when they sell them as adults,,,,,,,,,?????? $$$$$$$$$$$

How many of us can actually tell a quality "WC" fish to a Tank raised "show" fish??


Mark

[fishboy]

im still waiting for a dummy to start posting w/c firefish... that would b the funniest thing ever:smilewinkgrin: ..good thread.. i agree with the yellow labs.. i wouldnt believe they were wild unless i saw them coming out the lake myself... as far as dealers,, yes,, there in it for the money so anything they bring in from there farms can be sold to u as w/c for big bucks... if u buy as a w/c,,, u have the right to sell as w/c.... whether u believe it or not..

[joe_jaskot]

If it takes me a while to catch the fish out of my tanks, can I sell them as while caught? LOL!