paddlefish/shovel nosed sturgeon

[Allan]

Sorry, not a catfish question. However, didn't know where else to turn but this magnificent forum.

Polyodon spathula and/or Psephurus gladius are beginning to turn up in the aquarium trade!

Does anyone know, if one or both species are bred commercially? I suspect none of them are, as I find no info.

Thank You very much!!

Regards
Allan

[Richard B]

Not sure about paddlefish -i thought there was some protection on those?

Sturgeon are in the trade in great quantities so i think there must be an element of commercial breeding - unsure of the shovelnose species is one of them though...

[Allan]

Both species are Cites II.

An yes, it is weel known, that Acipenser ruthenus, Huso huso, Acipencer güldenstädti are bred commercially. Huso huso well protected, and only for maintaining the wild population.

But I find nu info on these two species, and that is what I seek. I am curios where these fish in the trade came from. Wild population or maybe commercially bred?
People buy them, then they die, it seems. It's so stupid. Even if they don't die, it seems a waste, unless they are commercially bred and populations maintained. Selling a surplus from population maintaining breeding can in some cases be ok, I think.
However, the max sizes (2,2-3+ meters) makes them unsuitable for most ponds, I think. Also, the one that feeds planton, is sure to die in many instances.
These two pictures taken by a dane who bought one a week ago, completely unknowing what is was. It died in a couple of days.
http://koidanmark.dk/forum/attachments/spa.jpg
http://koidanmark.dk/forum/attachments/spad.jpg

So still, information on these species appreciated.

Regards
Allan

[sidguppy]

the Chinese paddlefish unfortunately is extinct

so chances of this turning up in the trade are nil.

the US paddlefish is bred and I've seen small ones in the trade and mediumsized ones in zoos. 3-4 feet.
same size as the one in the pix wich is the American species as well.
but even then the tanksize needed is whopping. as far as know they can be fed with very fine commercial food, but you'd need a zoo-sized tank or pond to house a single one, otherwise the paddle would get damaged badly......

the few I've seen in a zoo where in a cooled tank the size of a swimming pool in France.
there were adult Wels in the same zoo as well. wich gives you an indication abouit the tanksizes.

talk about fishtanks wich start at 5000G and the largest ones go well into the 100.000G range. the paddlefish were mixed in with more regular kind of Sturgeons in the biggest tank, they also had several 2-3m long Huso huso in another indoor poolsized tank.

but remember, this was a zoo, specialized in coldwaterfish, mainly from Europe.
some of the tanks were marine, the one with the Huso, another one with adult Salmon (!), but most were freshwater.

I don't think it's possible to keep Polyodon in any home setup. it reaches 5 feet or more and unlike the Redtail, this is a fish that swims constantly, like a shark.

one can imagine that -with a lot of cash and a lot of room- it's possible to build a pond for sluggish fish like Redtail Catfish, Oxydoras, the TSN, the larger Potamotrygons etc.
but a tank for a fish that outgrows the largest Redtail and swims its entire life like a shark??

the Chinese Paddlefish was 4 times as long and weighed up to a ton......now who in his right mind would buy a pet (if it wasn't extinct) that reaches the size of a small whale???
I think anyone wanting to buy this knowing what it was, should go see a doctor or something. not right in the head.

[Richard B]

Sid - is there somewhere that categorically states the chinese paddlefish is extinct? I can find plenty of references to people suspecting it is & that none have been encountered since 2007. Chances are that it's gone but you gotta have hope.....