PlanetCatfish.com

Hi. I'm new to the forums, but I've been viewing this wonderful website for a few months. I love catfish (who doesn't?), especially Corydoras, but in my area of the east coast (USA), the species selection is weak. I hope that will change. Since I'm not very familiar with how to post messages, I will probably make some format mistakes. Please bear with me.

I'm looking forward to all the information and fun this website can offer.

Thanks.
deb

Never mind making mistakes. Don't we all?
Welcome and enjoy yourself.
Marc

Thanks, Marc, for the welcome! I'm on the east coast of the USA and it is about 10:30 am here. It did me good to see your post.

I've got a specific question about Chaetostoma sp., and I'll be posting it on the Loricaridae forum later on when I have more time.

I really do appreciate your welcome note.

deb

Hi! Welcome to the forum. I'm also from east coast USA, and know what you mean about the species selection of corydoras. The only ones I can find regularly here are the most common bronze and peppered - sometimes trilineatus, but they are rarely healthy looking. Although a couple of weeks ago I did find pandas at one store. Needless to say I was very excited and rushed home to make room for them. Didn't know when I would get another chance!

Hi, FishFin23. That's not the name your mother gave you, is it? I like it.
Well, thanks for the note. You are running into the same problem I am, and it seems to me it's come about gradually over the last 4 years. My first cories were eight C. habrosus. These tiny little guys lived for almost 5 years, and then something took them, one by one. I have not been able to get any since, or any of the "pygmy" Corydoras.
Just like you, I have seen C. aeneus, paleatus, and a species they mislabel as "julies". And you are right, they seem sluggish, and look raggedy. How are your pandas doing? I have had no luck with them. I tried them 3 times. The LFS gets them from a farm in Florida.
They actually had the nerve to tell me that no one wants to buy cories. Can you believe it?

deb

hi deb
and welcome to planet catfish

and a species they mislabel as "julies".

dont worry this also happens in the UK, with 'c. julii lookalikes' apparantly the
lfs, blame the wholesalers/importers , and they in turn
blame the collectors at source..

Of course, the LFS could "require" the wholesaler to supply a correct list.

When I phoned my LFS the other day to ask for Brochis Splendens he said "The list has a 'Brochis cat', it doesn't specify which variety". Now, I happened to have info from this forum saying that Splendens is the least expensive and most common variety, so we decided that if they wanted three times the money for a more rare variety, they would specify it more clearly if it wasn't a splendens. But in this case, the wholesalers list isn't very specific. And I'm pretty sure that other items on the list are equally unspecific.

Now, whether it's the wholesaler or exporter that doesn't specify it accurately is the next question.

Of course, the easy solution to this would be to have exporters and importers legally obliged to specify the accurate scientific name (and someone doing spot-checks to verify it), but it's probably too much to ask... . If that was the case, we'd at least know WHO is to blame for any wrongdoing: the LFS.

I'm pretty sure however that the biggest factor in this is that many customers do not really care about what fish they buy as long as it looks good/cool (in their personal opinion, which of course varies from person to person and with maturity of the buyer). At least some people learn to ask important questions like "How big does it get?" or "Does it eat the other occupants in the tank?" before they buy something....

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Mats

Hi, Medaka. I love Cheshire! We were there in 1983, on our way to the Welsh coast for the sheepdog trials.

Well, in my area C. leopardus, trilineatus, and julii are used interchangeably as names for a cory that is probably trilineatus. I have read, more than once, that only one of these is readily available, and that the other two are rarely caught. True?

This might sound strange, but I always take two guidebooks with me when I go out to look for cories in the LFS's.
I know the store employees think it is odd.

And Mats, you are right. A lot of people get Corydoras because the Fish Store Guy suggests they will keep the tank clean, and any species will do. This is not a lot of fun for those of us who are looking for a "specific" type!

It is so important to find a Fish Store Guy that will work with you!

deb

deb wrote:It is so important to find a Fish Store Guy that will work with you!
deb

You hit the nail on the head there... Many places aren't particularly interested in helping "difficult customers".

I stated it somewhere else too, but I'll repeat it: Many shops do have one or two people who know a lot. But the trouble is that the rest of the staff are not that interested, they're just there because it beats working at McDonalds or the local supermarket.

This isn't what causes the "wholesalers list problem" of course, but it also doesn't help customers getting good information.

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Mats

Hi again deb,

deb wrote:Hi, FishFin23. That's not the name your mother gave you, is it? I like it.

No, unfortunately my mom went with "Jessica" (what was she thinking?? )

deb wrote:How are your pandas doing? I have had no luck with them. I tried them 3 times.

The pandas are doing awesome. Thought I was going to lose a couple at first, but they pulled through (even despite the girl at the LFS dropping one on the floor!). In another week or so I plan on adding them to my new 30 gallon set up just for the corys.

hi deb

Hi, Medaka. I love Cheshire! We were there in 1983,

glad you like it did you visit chester? i live about 9 miles from there

Medaka,

Hi, again. Yes, September 1, 1983, we left Huddersfield early and continued south, stopping in Chester. A visit to an antiques shop yielded this information from the owner: "Princess Anne is the smartest member of the Royal Family!"
Then we had lunch at the King's Head, which as I recall was a triangular building, and we entered at the apex.
My notes said it cost L3.50.
We had a great time. Cheshire cheese is my second favorite cheese, with Wensleydale Blue being first.
Not that this has much to do with catfish. On the other hand, it's all part of who we are and how we got there.

deb