where can I get rare morays?

[goldenboy]

Ok heres the deal. I am finally going to set up a tank for a single moray, and decided on the Stout moray Gymnothorax Eurostus or the Barred-fin moray Gymnothorax Zonipectus due to there smaller size.

Anyway, I e-mailed the marine center about pricing on these guys and get a reply that they have seen them before but rarely, and that I will never be able to get one. I thought that they were supposed to deal in rare fish and get them for you if they didn't already have them, SHEESH.

So does anybody know of another place that deals with rare fish species?

 

[texman]

If the marine center says that you can't get it, they are probably correct. I once asked them about the angelfish which is on the cover of the angel and butterfly book, and they told me that I might be able to get it if I specifically hired a diver in where-ever that angel is from to get it - they told me that they might be able to get me in touch with such a diver, however the overall cost may be $10,000 plus - and the fish might die enroute. Therefore, if they say no chance, it is probably true.

 

[wombat1]

The peppermint angel??? 10,000 would be a bargain!!! I heard it sold for 14,000 in Japan.

 

[Entacmaea]

But then again, its rarity and price might suggest it is not the best idea to take such a rare specimen from the wild...

Just a thought :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

But then again, its rarity and price might suggest it is not the best idea to take such a rare specimen from the wild...

Just a thought :wink:

Actually, the rarity of the peppermint angel has less to do with it's rarity in nature, rather it is due to the fact that they are from such deep water that collection is extremely dangerous for the diver. There have been speculations that the peppermint angel may be found in many more areas than where we know of it today, since divers so rarely go down that deep.

 

[texman]

I will fund the trip for one person (maybe one of you guys) to go over there (wherever that is) and get me a peppermint angel. Of course the funding will only come after I have a peppermint angel in my tank, alive and eating flake food. Furthermore, I will not pay for any decompression chamber charges, hospital fees, or funeral expenses for the diver who stays down too deep for too long.

 

[AgentSPS]

I'll go! I am a certified deep diver and I will fly out there. My plan is to strap my tank to some poor old native. Give him a laminated picture of the fish and a net. When he returns with the fish, I will give him $20 us dollars. This is standard practice for Marine Center right? LOL.

On a serious not though...

Talk to Robert at Aquatic Reflections. I have found rare fish on Marine Centers site and asked him to get them for me and his quotes were way lower. He also uses some different shipping methods than others. See what he has to say. I was in his shop the other day and he had two killer dragons. One almost got his finger!

[email protected]
925 829-1200

 

[Reefguide]

Am I mising something?? Pay 10k for an angel? Ouch !!

What is the most ever paid for an aquarium fish, invert or coral that you guys are aware of?? And who the hell paid it? :lol:

 

[AgentSPS]

I know a dead Tuna (Sashimi) went for $35,000 at a fishmarket in Tokyo!

 

[platapus]

Dumb question, but ill ask it!

So if the peppermint angel lives in such deeps, how are you going to keep it in your home aquarium that at best could only be about 2-4 feet deep?

 

[AgentSPS]

Dumb question, but ill ask it!

So if the peppermint angel lives in such deeps, how are you going to keep it in your home aquarium that at best could only be about 2-4 feet deep?

Yeah that is a good question...Many fish adapt well as long as they make the adjustment from the depths. Temperature is a bigger factor than light. A lot of coldwater fish placed in a warm water environment only last a few years at most.

 

[Glenn W.]

Anybody got a pic of this alleged Pepermint Angel? I would love to see a fish that can demand a $10,000 price tag. 8O

 

[johns120]

I'm sure you're aware of the rare species section of www.ffexpress.com but if not, you can try.

 

[LilFishInBigPond]

Few years, try few months (with this particular angel). Rare fish are just hard to get, to far away, to deep, collection of them not allowed or very few of them. Clarions aren't rare in their environment, but they command $2,000 to $5,000 if your lucky enough to get one.

Asain fish collector pay huge sums of money for the best, and so do asian food fish buyers. Check Blue Planet dvd, they've got a extra clip with fish markets in asai. Tuna selling for $150,000. $35,000 would be a great deal on a tuna the size of a volkswagen.

 

[wombat1]

Took me a while, but here's a picture and info: http://ichtyonb1.mnhn.fr/Summary/Specie ... m?ID=25427
From 53-120m in depth, so temp is about the same as near the surface. I heard this fish went for 14,000.

 

[naesco]

So if it that rare why wouldn't you want to leave it in the ocean!!!

Am I missing something?

 

[Anonymous]

That fish isn't very pretty. It's not but-ugly like that albino tang . I sure as hell woudn't pay much for it.

Louey

 

[goldenboy]

I don't care for the angel much myself. It's ok I guess, but give me a flame or coral beauty any day over that one.

Anyway back to the original topic thread thiefs!!!! :evil: :wink:

In the August issue of AFM Scott Michael has an article on moray eels that has a table of various morays and there max size. I may be wrong, but I doubt that he would waste his time comprising a table of morays that were imposible to get. The list also has a lot of very common morays like the chainlink and snowflake moray.

Thanks for the links to other online dealers!!!

 

[imow]

So if it that rare why wouldn't you want to leave it in the ocean!!!

Am I missing something?

Its not rare in the oceans, ita rare to the hobby , due to the dangers associated in capturing it.

 

[LilFishInBigPond]

THANK YOU, imow, thats my point exactly. Not rare in ocean, rare in hobby. Too damm deep, many dangers in deep diving. Repeated deep diving causes many horriable ailments. Deep divers don't last long, it's not a great career choice. It's not like deep divers retire @ 65 on pension, more like 35 w/ bone problems !!!

Goldenboy, ever thought about pm'ing Scott Michael on this board or posting this thread in the Aquarium Fish Forum? You'll probably get a quicker response.