Recently I have noticed that pretty much every monster fish selling website has piraiba catfish for sale @1-3”, prices from 70-120$. Does anyone know why this is? Are they really true piraiba and where do they originate from (Peru, Suriname…)? Have any regulations changed that allow these baby to be imported in such large numbers? I am considering purchasing, but it just seems to good to be true!
True Piraiba catfish-why are they so cheap all of a sudde
- Thread starter Peacock_bass_fr
- Start date
These are from Colombia.
As for their ID, it's controversial.
One thing for sure is that they max out at 3ft in captivity as reported by peers globally. Same as the same fish from Peru and Brazil (IME).
They do NOT look like the capapretum we used to see regularly for years and now we don't. These new true-looking piraiba are called capapretum by some, e.g. Predatory Fins.
On the personal experience level, only Suriname piraiba grows to 5ft at 7yo and continues growing easily but their export from Suriname is very rare and when it does happen, the prices are 5x-10x higher and the fish are not 2-3 inch babies but larger, 10-18 inches usually.
As for their ID, it's controversial.
One thing for sure is that they max out at 3ft in captivity as reported by peers globally. Same as the same fish from Peru and Brazil (IME).
They do NOT look like the capapretum we used to see regularly for years and now we don't. These new true-looking piraiba are called capapretum by some, e.g. Predatory Fins.
On the personal experience level, only Suriname piraiba grows to 5ft at 7yo and continues growing easily but their export from Suriname is very rare and when it does happen, the prices are 5x-10x higher and the fish are not 2-3 inch babies but larger, 10-18 inches usually.