Blue Eyed Panaque

[Joemuz]

I heard that Blue eyed panaque are classed as an endangered species and arn't allowed to be sold any more, is this true?

 

[Sandamarly]

Don't know but am pretty sure i saw one for sale yesterday here in Cornwall

 

[Joemuz]

Yeah beacose about a year ago now befor i got my 1st tank i'm shure i saw one too!

 

[Darkstar]

Not true as far as I am aware. From what I've heard they are located deep in 'guerilla' territory which makes it very unsafe to go and collect them.

 

[Joemuz]

Oh as they are one of the most beautifull pleco i have ever seen! And i have only seen pictures!
Does anyone know much about these fish or are they fairly un hear of and un common?
Thanks a lot Joemuz

 

[Darkstar]

They used to be quite common until they stopped being shipped. Then they suddenly became a prized catch to fish owners and now if you want one you'd be looking at having to spend about a grand to get hold of one.

They are certainly pretty, but I could think of a lot of other plecs I think are far prettier.

 

[nmonks]

Blue-eyed plecs, Panaque cochliodon, are not rare in the wild. The problem is that their natural habitat is Colombia, specifically the parts "run" by the drug barons. It simply isn't safe for fish collectors to go to these rivers anymore, and thus you don't see wild-caught fish on sale. As others have mentioned, they used to be fairly common in the trade. I had one during the late 80s and early 90s, and it cost around £10, which, allowing for inflation, would be comparable to an inexpensive oddball plec today.

One of the downsides to this particular species is that the wild-caught fish were often very sickly. While this is sometimes true for other Panaque spp. as well, compared with royal plecs, Panaque nigrolienatus, blue-eyed plecs seem to be much less easily restored back to health. The pathogen has been documented in the scientific literature, and is a bacterium similar to Rickettsia spp. (which in humans cause things like typhus).

http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panaque
http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickettsia

They are attractive fish, though very shy and somewhat picky about water conditions. Many old aquarium books refer to this species as Panaque suttoni, a completely different fish.

Cheers, Neale

 

[KathyM]

One of the "Rusty" plecs is known to have blue eyes too sometimes (Blue Eyed Red Fin? http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/speci...?species_id=43 ). They're much more common.

 

[kev350d]

There you go ...Nice cheap one for you

http/www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/php/detail63_57357.php

 

[goldencomet]

£1000!! and I thought zebras were expensive

 

[Joemuz]

SWEET MOTHER OF MARY OF SISTER OF ABRAHAM OF BROTHER-IN-LAW OF MOSES!
Where on earth am i gonna find £1000! im only 14!!!
1 min............
.............Mum.......Dad.........Please can i have..............hahaha
I dont think they will fall for that one! lol
The blue eyed panaque is probably the most prettyest plec i have ever seen, but there are still probably some real stunners a little more affordable out there for me!
Thanks a lot Joemuz

 

[KathyM]

There you go ...Nice cheap one for you

http/www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/php/detail63_57357.php

He's been trying desprately to flog that fish for months now - different story every time he posts an ad too, as some other folks on another board found out.

 

[Joemuz]

Sounds a bit dodgey to me...... 8)

 

[kev350d]

Reason they are so expensive......

Columbian drug lords were stuffing them with opium hence the £1000 price tag ...



Well at least you'd think so lol

Just think of the aquarium set up and contents you could have with another £1000 to throw at it..

 

[PENNYWISE]

I saw them advetised earlier on "BADMANS TROPICAL FISH GALLERY" but it did not say ho much