Vanquisher wrote:I live in the State of Washington and may be moving to my Home town in Las Vegas Nevada. Raised Many Varieties of Fancy goldfish and I am thinking of Jaguar Catfish, because they interest me. If you know of a Vendor for these catfish please let me know
Welcome to Planet Catfish. I know of a place with one Jaguar Cats, Maidenhead Aquatics @ Oxford (Wheatley), but I doubt you want to fly over to England and then drive 50 miles to get a single fish - I'm sure they can be found a little bit closer to where you live right now. They aren't the most common fish, but not unobtainable either.
I'm from Turku, Finland. I've owned Paratocinclus jumbo in the past, and now I am the proud owner of an unidentified pleco, sold to me as L134 but I'm quite sure it's not that species... Oh, and I have four Sewellia too, no idea exactly what species those are either.
Originally from Belarus, educated in Moscow, Russia and in Ohio, USA, currently residing in Rochester, NY, USA, and having an uncertain future that may involve moving to a new and perhaps all-year-round warm place, say Hawaii?
Wuzup! Born an raised in da Bronx an now livin in Menominee Michigan. I have always had a thing for catfish when my stepfather got us a fishtank when I was ten. I have a 125 gal tank and a 30 gal. My 125 unfortunately is sitting at my ex-wife's house, (used to be my house) with S.American cichlids and pictus cats and a pleco. My 30 gal setup is with me at my girlfriend's house. The 30 gal is home to 2 julies, jewel cichlid and some pink cichlid I got from a friend and today I got 2 upside down catfish from the lfs. We have 3 lfs here within 20 minutes of each other, and if I want to see more I could drive for an hour and pick from 8 stores not including petsmart. I started the old world tank as I like to call it because my gf has an African motiff goin on her living room and thought the Afican species tank would be cool. I've helped 2 coworkers set up tanks and tryin to find more fish enthusiats around the hood!
I'm from Wisconsin, far north in the U.S.A., with long, yucky winters.
This comment won't have any scientific studies behind it, but I think Jools is "on" to something. This is my angle on his theory.
If we forget about catfish for a moment, and consider ALL fish species and other critters, I'm thinking that like many things, "Familiarity Breeds Contempt". So you may ask, "Jake, what are you getting at?" Okay... I'm about to explain.
I was fortunate to grow up on the shores of a freshwater lake, in Wisconsin. I caught more fish and critters on a hook and line, in a net, with my hands, and so on, than I could ever remember. It was great fun, but I have no desire to keep any of those species in any of my 27 tanks at home, even though I could easily get them, and for free, at that. Many of them are at least somewhat attractive, and some of them probably have some interesting habits. The problem is that I've seen them all a zillion times, and so, the "magic" is gone. But I wouldn't be surprised if someone put some of these fish in a store, halfway around the world, to learn that people were buying them, and excited to keep them.
Likewise, when I see some catfish from the Amazon River, that I've never seen before, then the "lure" and excitement are there. I want to have it. I'm willing to lay down good money for it.
To wrap up, I don't pretend that I have this whole thing figured out, and Jools theory might have some truth to it, without being 100% accurate -- but don't some of you agree that the concept of aquarists desiring "something exotic, from a faraway land" figures into his theory?
By the way, I've been a member for about a month, and I want to thank all of you for your contribution to this terrific site. I have already been blessed by some very helpful information, from a fellow member.
Blessings to all. Jake/Aquafinatic
Aspidoras c.f. Albater (and progeny) / Brochus Splendens / Corydoras Pygmaeus / Corydoras Aeneus (albino) / Ancistrus sp. L144 (gold & red calico & peppermint & long fin and progeny) / Syndontis (unknown types x 3)
Jake, I could not agree more. In fact, your concept spreads far beyong fish, clothing, and in some cases, mates. Thus, at this point in life, my wife and I are considering moving to Hawaii because having grown up and lived in moderate climates all our lives, part of our tug to tropics is that hard-to-define desire to live in an "exotic" place. You know, people from tropics vacation in moderate climates. We vacation in tropics. Viktor
One more note, though, Jake: I differ from you. Having lived for 15 years in USA and having caught plenty of catfish, I still like having them in my aquaria; it's fun for me, especially see them grow from babies into monster fish but right now I have only a 5" blue channel and 12" channel cat; I'd love to get a flathead, white cat, bullhead, and a few others - I have not fished for cats though for a long time, years, but mostly brown trout in our creeks. And having grown up in Belarus and fished all my childhood and youth, I still would love to add a big wels to my humble collection at some point... in his own pond... a 5-10 footer... do not know what other big cats live in eurasia...
To Jools: you say: "This may prove my "law of catfish keeper distribution" theory which is roughly: The total number of catfish keepers in any given area is inversely proportionate to the number of individual catfish occuring in the wild in that area. " Do you mean the percentage of the population? IMHO, the total number of catfish keepers needs to be normalized or say corrected for the total number of people living in any given area for the model to carry more graspable info.
Viktor Jarikov wrote:using less words: exotic is almost synonymous with attractive, desirable; by one definition, exotic means "everywhere but where you grew up".
Hi Viktor,
Hmmm... you were able to expand upon this idea. Now you've got me pondering this concept all over again!
On another note: I had to smile, (due to a coincidence), that you are "Viktor", from Belarus. This is why:
Over the past several years, we have had a number of visitors at our church, who come from Belarus. In fact, I've had the pleasure of sharing several meals with a man named "Viktor", who is also from Belarus. Viktor now lives at my friend's house, about 15 minutes from my home. He is an interesting person, and in addition to English and his native tongue, speaks fluent Spanish and one other language that I can't recall. My friend and his wife have invited Viktor to live with them, so he can save his money for other uses. He is trying to get "permission" to have his wife and sons come over from Belarus, to live here permanently. He also has an interest in aquaria, but not much money, so I'm donating a bunch of my fish supplies to him, so he can get his first tank up and running.
Best of luck to you.
Aspidoras c.f. Albater (and progeny) / Brochus Splendens / Corydoras Pygmaeus / Corydoras Aeneus (albino) / Ancistrus sp. L144 (gold & red calico & peppermint & long fin and progeny) / Syndontis (unknown types x 3)
Hey, Jake, thanks!! That's a cute coincidence, indeed, belarussians populating Wisconsin! Send my best to your generous friend and his wife and his tenant and my countryman and "tyozka" (russian for a person having the same name).
Viktor
Viktor Jarikov wrote:Hey, Jake, thanks!! That's a cute coincidence, indeed, belarussians populating Wisconsin! Send my best to your generous friend and his wife and his tenant and my countryman and "tyozka" (russian for a person having the same name).
Viktor
Hi Viktor,
Will do! I have to remember that word... "Tyozka".
After he gets some catfish in his aquarium, I'll introduce him to Planet Catfish! Maybe you two could chat... Jake
Aspidoras c.f. Albater (and progeny) / Brochus Splendens / Corydoras Pygmaeus / Corydoras Aeneus (albino) / Ancistrus sp. L144 (gold & red calico & peppermint & long fin and progeny) / Syndontis (unknown types x 3)
I've owned Paratocinclus jumbo in the past, and now I am the proud owner of an unidentified pleco, sold to me as L134 but I'm quite sure it's not that species... Oh, and I have four Sewellia too, no idea exactly what species those are either.
