Texas Cichlids Illegal in Louisiana...

[phoebeq]

I had a visit from Wildlife and Fisheries the other day while at work. They came in asking if we had any Texas Cichlids. I told them no, but I have carried them before and could order some if necessary, thinking they might want some for display purposes. They informed me that it is illegal to sell or own them in the state of Louisiana. Apparently because our water conditions are so similar to that of their natural habitat, there have been some problems with people releasing locally them when they get to big and aggressive. Problem is bigger in the New Orleans area apparently. I told them that I would no longer be ordering them and that I would let my regional guy know and have him tell the rest of the Louisiana stores. This kinda annoys me. People are so irresponsible... They ruin if for all of us responisble fish keepers! He told me that it wasn't to the point of citing us for prior "offenses" but if they came back and I had them, then they would take action. They were very nice about it, and I do not blame them at all. I just hate that there are people out there that are that careless...

Anyway, I was wondering if they are illegal in any other states. Just curious...

 

[jworth]

thats odd...

 

[phoebeq]

I thought so too, but apparently it is true...

 

[nuggets]

sounds like a scam to me! did you get proper id from them .they would never go store to store they dont have the time funding or resources for that!!!!!

 

[phoebeq]

Um...they were definitely real officers...full uniforms and were in a wildlife protection agent truck. Definitely the real deal. They didn't go store to store. They were told by a lady, that was caught breeding and selling them, that she bought one at petco. That's why they came to us.

 

[nuggets]

you do realize that texas cichlids or not just in the waters of texas but they are in many of the southeren states waters naturally because of croos breeding.and unintentionally .some just call them different names.Texas cichlids have been deliberately and accidentally introduced into the wild throughout the subtropic southern United States from Texas to Florida (where water temperatures rarely dip below 48 degrees F), where they have flourished, and are often caught incidentally when fishing for sunfish and other panfish. Most anglers outside South and Central Texas do not recognize the fish and they are released,

 

[Bderick67]

First it will be texas cichlids, then all other SA/CA cichlids will follow. Soon as they figure out that the other cichlids could live and thrive in local waters.

 

[nuggets]

they know

 

[sandtiger]

you do realize that texas cichlids or not just in the waters of texas but they are in many of the southeren states waters naturally because of croos breeding.and unintentionally .some just call them different names.Texas cichlids have been deliberately and accidentally introduced into the wild throughout the subtropic southern United States from Texas to Florida (where water temperatures rarely dip below 48 degrees F), where they have flourished, and are often caught incidentally when fishing for sunfish and other panfish. Most anglers outside South and Central Texas do not recognize the fish and they are released,

If you're trying to imply that Texas cichlids are native to any other state in the U.S. other than Texas you are mistaken but yes, they have been introduced outside of their natural range including Louisiana.

 

[Bderick67]

Seems they have been illegal for some time now. From Oddball's sticky

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=477450&postcount=17

D. No person shall have in possession or sell in this state a piranha or Rio Grande Cichlid; except that, piranha may be possessed and displayed at the Aquarium of the Americas, Audubon Institute, New Orleans, as authorized by a special permit issued by the department, under conditions the department deems necessary to prevent their introduction into waters of the state. Neither the permit nor the conditions and requirements thereof shall be required to be adopted pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act.