Update: The Infamous Zebra Pl*co [l-046] Colony From Aquabid

[BrownBullhead]

Update: The Infamous Zebra Pl*co [L-046] colony from AquaBid

Some of you may have been following with interest the AquaBid auction that was for 13 x "adult" and 10 x "fry" of Zebra Pl*co [L-046]. There was much speculation about the validity of the auction, the identity of the seller, etc. The seller was in fact a Manitoba local, and his auction did end a while back. There was much concern and ballyhoo over the fact the buyer was from USA and the seller was here in Canada. Let it be known the transaction was consumated and all fish made it to NORTH CAROLINA, alive and well!!!

Our "Buy & Sell" section at ***** is accessible by registered WFF members only, so I thought I would share a quote of the final message by the seller, "Kigoma."

Posted: 08 Jan 2006 04:41 pm Post subject: Transaction Done

For those of you following the topic. The winner of the Auction showed up two days ago. We rented an O2 tank and packed the fish into two boxes, with heat packs inside fibreglass insulation lined styrofoam. He took these home as his luggage. The arrangements were made with U.S. Fish and Wildlife in advance at a port of entry in Chicago and they now safely reside in North Carolina. Everything has gone better than could have been expected.

The winner of the auction was a nice young man who is constructing a building on his parents property specifically for raising and breeding many different fish. He seems to be buying quite a bit from aquabid to establish a nice collection of different things including an existing group of zebra plecos that he will be adding these ones to. All of the zebra plecos now reside together in a designated 180 gallon tank. His well water is 75 ppm where as mine was 1000 ppm when we measured it here. I think the fish will be much happier in their new home.

The final price was $320 per adult and $150 per 1 inch fry. As well he had to pay $30 for the O2 tank rental and an additional $600 for hotel, flights and cab fare.

I wish him all the best in his adventures and hope to buy other fish from him in the future once he gets his operation up and running.

Thanks to everyone for their advice and interest.

Robert

For those who were out of the loop, the whole thing started as an auction on AquaBid and the following message on our forum:

Posted: 06 Dec 2005 08:30 pm Post subject: Zebra Pleco Colony

It has been a year since I have moved to Lockport and I am not having success breeding my Zebra Plecos with the Well water here. They are healthy and surviving, but I feel that their breeding potential is being wasted and the fish should be in the hands of someone who is more dedicated, and willing to put in the extra efforts to breed them. I have had success on several occasions with them in Winnipeg using untreated water from the tap and Extreme Water Current.

There are 13 Sexually Mature Adults, and approx. 10 of their remaining "fry". The Fry are over a year old and should be sexually mature in approx. another year and a half. If anyone is interested in purchasing these fish to attempt a breeding program I am willing to sell the group. I will sell them with some of the breeding caves I have had success with in the past.

I will only sell the entire colony to someone who is interested in trying to breed these fish. I will not sell individuals or pairs as I feel it is essential to maintain the colony for future successful breedings.

Please contact me with questions and/or reasonable offers if you are interested in purchasing the entire group of fish.

Contact me at *******@***.***

Sincerely,

Robert Hadath

 

[Genesis]

sweet fish

 

[fishing4exotics]

Interesting! I hope the buyer enjoys his fish. By the way, the ban on Zebra plecos only last for another 2 years. Then the Brazilian government can renew or lift the ban. So, You might want to wait a few years to get your true Zebra pleco. Takes a few years for Zebra plecos to mature to breeding size anyway

 

[BrownBullhead]

Perhaps this article will shed some light on the export status (present & future) of L-046...

http/www.tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/news_article.asp?id=417

 

[demonmagus]

zomg lovely plecs

Why did you put a * in pleco?

 

[BrownBullhead]

Honouring the superstition of certain fish keepers.

 

[PlecMama]

Yeah you never say the whole word because they are suppose to spontaneously die when you call them by their real name

I don't know how true this is but I always shorten to "plec" too, just in case.....

And btw - what an amazing picture of the fish!!

 

[smithrc]

Blimey - I bet they cost a pretty sum....

PS... watch this space.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

indeed!! (heh, heh, smith... i'm closer than you are )

 

[andywg]

Interesting! I hope the buyer enjoys his fish. By the way, the ban on Zebra plecos only last for another 2 years. Then the Brazilian government can renew or lift the ban. So, You might want to wait a few years to get your true Zebra pleco. Takes a few years for Zebra plecos to mature to breeding size anyway

But the Brazilian governmetn currently plans to build a huge electricity dam and flood the entire area the Zebra is native to...