How do you tell if wild caught?

[ocellatus]

My LFS will order me in a Delhezi, but its gonna be pricey as his supplier claims they're wild caught. He did say that about my Ornate as well.

I know a great many are being farm bred nowadays, so how do you distinguish?

Should there be a marked differnce in colouration? Any other physical characteristics? Activity level? (So my Ornate would act more like a wild log than a tame one? )

O

 

[is300zx]

usually size and price. 2-3" ones are usually farm breds. also a lot of farm bred delhezis don't have clean nice bars on them. usually only partial stripes or sometimes none at all. ornates though I probably won't be able to tell unless I got a really small one.

 

[dovii88]

agree

 

[ocellatus]

So if it's really small the chances of the Ornate being farm bred are higher? Mine still had a small remnant of external gills, and was about 6" long.

O

 

[klipsch]

So if it's really small the chances of the Ornate being farm bred are higher? Mine still had a small remnant of external gills, and was about 6" long.

O

yup, my ornate is farm bred he is already 8" and still has external gills.

i agree in some species like delhezi, endli, other rare bichir species it is easier to tell if its wild caught but in some species ornate, senegal etc.. you just have to trust your seller.

 

[is300zx]

So if it's really small the chances of the Ornate being farm bred are higher? Mine still had a small remnant of external gills, and was about 6" long.

O

yup, if it's around 2-3" it'll most likely be farm bred. bigger ones will be harder to tell since i've also seen farm bred ornates sold at 5-6".

 

[beblondie]

To add to post #2 from is300zx
If you're buying at big box stroes and most mom and pop stores odds are they are farmbred
If you really want to be sure its WC contact toyin at Rehobothaquatics in the vendor section he deals only in WC bichirs

 

[ocellatus]

Thanks for the feedback folks. Really, for my first Ornate & Del I wasn't too worried if they were wild caught or bred (except for the $$$ difference )

I have heard so many testimonials about Toyin's quality, when I finally get an Endli I'll be looking his way for sure....

For those who have purchased WC, what have been the advantages? Or is it mainly to acquire fish that haven't been captively bred as yet?

O

 

[estuary]

Thanks for the feedback folks. Really, for my first Ornate & Del I wasn't too worried if they were wild caught or bred (except for the $$$ difference )

I have heard so many testimonials about Toyin's quality, when I finally get an Endli I'll be looking his way for sure....

For those who have purchased WC, what have been the advantages? Or is it mainly to acquire fish that haven't been captively bred as yet?

O

my laps were WC, full of worms (3 diff types) took me 6 weeks to get them healthy watch were you get them from. toyin also were my endli is coming from soon very soon