Given the choice would you purchase a wild caught or tank raised Cichla and why? I'm sure this has been tossed out before, but would like to hear some fresh thoughts on this.
Wild Caught vs. Tank Raised Cichla?
- Thread starter oscarfishguy
- Start date
It depends on the quality of the cichla. If they are bred from wild parents or even just from two quality unrelated specimens, I'd take the captive bred cichla. There's no impact on wild stocks and they will most likely be easier to convert off live food or be already off live.
Bahia kelberi are a good example of captive bred cichla. They are in no way inferior to the wild kelberi Rapps imported IMO.
Bahia kelberi are a good example of captive bred cichla. They are in no way inferior to the wild kelberi Rapps imported IMO.
If you intend to breed wild has a much better gene pool. If you want display fish captive bred are better.
Thanks for your thoughts. I agree that quality is everything. I am raising fry from my pair of monos and trying to market to the lfs. The problem I am facing is that they are just peacock bass to them. I thought there might be a premium for tank raised b/c they should have a higher survival rate as they don't have to become acclimated to living in a tank vs. the wild. Any thoughts on this?
Unfortunately that's gonna be the case with most any LFS you go to. I worked at one for several years and it's not often if ever you really run across many diehard enthusiasts...at least in my experience. I'd try a local aquarium club, craigslist, even here as avenues of sale for the juveniles.
Thanks for the input! I guess a the end of the day retail is retail and unique and special fall by the wayside to price and turnover. That explains the success of the Petco / Petsmart models. Its a shame though.