I hope I can clarify these points for you. If I cannot via MFK, please send me a PM and I can send you my number, and I would be happy to answer your questions over the phone. First, me not being a vendor does not mean that I don't support hobbyists, or MFK. It is simply a decision on my behalf to conduct my business through my own site. As far as pond farming, I am not being critical of people that farm raise fish, or choose to pond farm. I am not saying it makes me special either. I am merely communicating my setup. When you farm raise fish, you have to deal with predation, cold weather, and other unknown factors that are not as easily detectable as you would find in smaller environments. It is true that you get better growth rate in ponds, but then you end up with potentially thousands of a specific species with no market for them. Additionally, many of the fish that are considered more desirable by some don't always do well in ponds. Many south american species, not all, do not produce in ponds (or produce very little in ponds,) as high PH levels cause calcification of the eggs and ovapile, preventing fertilization. So for example, that is why you see discus, uaru, psittacus, festae, fancy plecos, and many other species carry a higher price due to importing or a higher level of care.
As it relates to larger fish, depending on species, I raise them in large concrete vats, or large lined vats. As far as fish such as dovii, they are easy to import through many aggregators (Dolphin, Runnemans, Consolidated, Nautilus, etc). The larger the fish the higher the price as it impacts shipping. They can also be attained locally in south florida. I have brought in both recently and in the past, depending on what a customer wants.
Festae are seasonal and it is not always a guarantee that they trap. Most imported fish like festae, ornatum, atros, uaru fernandezyepezi are often imported under 2 inches and are caught by local fisherman in barrel traps. I typically purchase them when they are available. About 2-3 times a year, I bring in large festae that are 6-8 inches plus, and there are some people that have bought these large festae from me.
Additionally, when my festae spawn, I usually wholesale them out as F1 to various outlets. But as you know, it is not an easy fish to spawn, males and females don't get along, they spawn on and off, and are slow growing.
I hope I answered your questions. If I did not, please send me a pm and I would be happy to answer any further questions you have. While I often read MFK, I do not make many posts. That being said, I do sense cynicism and acrimony on your behalf toward me. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and who you purchase from. Simply said, if you don't like my fish don't buy from me; there are plenty of people to buy from, and hope you find what you are looking for. As for my fish, I stand behind my product, its origins, and do my best to provide good service at a reasonable price. I think many people here will attest to that. If I am misreading or misinterpreting your questions, please accept my apologies
