Proper rare fish

[rumblesushi]

This is a thread about fish that are genuinely rare, I'm curious as to which fish really are.

A lot of fish that are labelled as rare, really aren't that rare. Such as Asian Aros, sure they may have a depleted wild population but they are bred in abundance. Every other Asian member on here has one. Same as tigrinus, they aren't really that rare.

And azuls, supposedly rare but these days every other pbass keeper has one or more.

So how about fish that are really rare? As in a very small wild population and seldom bred in captivity. I'm not talking about colour morphs either, simply rare species.

Here are some from the top of my head...

Channa Barca - somewhere around 10 in captivity, no recorded breedings in captivity, they are rare for sure.

Cuban gars - they seem pretty rare. Very small wild population in Cuba, and not exactly mass bred in captivity.

True hoplias aimara - seemingly a fair few in Japan, only a handful in America, and I've only known of 1 in the UK.

P14's aren't exactly easy to get hold of, but I'm not sure how rare they are exactly.

 

[exzolt]

what about the australin lung fish. or an endangered species i have seen a few kinds of species in lfs before would thoes be rare?

 

[Oddball]

Cochliodon suttoni - blue-eyed pleco

 

[Oddball]

Devil's Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) - less then 4 dozen remain in the wild.

 

[Jason]

The majority of the rare fish i run into on the net arent bit, they are predatory and hell most arent even overly colorful.

For my contribution to rare fish would be...

damn..off the top of my head i cant think of any that oddball didnt mention already...

i know a great many of the local specific livebearers from central american are facing heavy preasure from developments.

i'll also chime in pretty much any endemic to lake victoria (damn nile perch)

jason

 

[Jeox]

maryland darter. worlds rareist fish

 

[rallysman]

I think that the siniperca chuatsi could be considered rare in the states (in the hobby anyway) I'm sure they are all over elsewhere.

 

[ashdavid]

You are right Rumble, the fish you mention are indeed rare in the hobby. The "Tocantins aimara" is currently the rarest aimara in the world in an aquarium ,with only one in captivity. And the C. barca is the rarest snakehead in the world too and your numbers on them is about right too. I think there is a clear difference between rare in the hobby and rare in the wild.

 

[Oddball]

I think that the siniperca chuatsi could be considered rare in the states (in the hobby anyway) I'm sure they are all over elsewhere.

Cross that one off. We're looking for genuinly rare fish in wild populations. Here's a legitimate one to keep the ball rolling:

Chasmistes cujus - Cui-ui - Species of US sucker. Grows to 28". Only exists in Pyramid Lake, Nevada (spawns up the Truckee River). CITES I since 1975 (critically endangered).

 

[R1_Ridah]

HYDROCYNUS GOLIATH.....rare in the Hobby but then again ?

Since there is really no definite study of these guys in the wild how do we know they are not truly RARE. You figure they swim in the same river systems and lakes as Vittatus & Forskalli's but yet very difficult to catch in abundance. It's proven that they can be caught since Japan get's them in every so often. Yes, they are solitary as they get big but they are imported at 3-4" in size. Even if the arguement is that they were collected in a war torn country, a handful is still caught for import. Probably explains why the small numbers. Because there is not an abundance out there... ?

How many do we know that's in the U.S alone ?????

I can count 4 that's currently in the U.S...and 1 of them is probably the biggest kept in a home aquaria.

How many in UK ( I know David has one) how many more ?

How about in Japan ???