Zebra plecs

[Rybka]

I know that these plecs are caught from the wild....and thats why they are so expensive but...they should try and breed them commercially because I can't afford them lol. In Australia they are very very rare and when I see them...the price is $300 at least. I really wish they would breed them commercially already..

Any Comments.

 

[aloaring]

Yep they are expensive here to £150 for one. I have heard of people breeding them but i think some of the breeders are controlling the numbers. becasue if they keep the price high they'll make more money! But a lot of plecs are expensive £50 or over for nice ones which i hate. The fish world is very unfair!!

 

[CFC]

The trouble with breeding zebra plecs is that they only have very small broods with only around 6 eggs laid by a female. This makes commercially breeding them in any numbers difficult and keeps the price high. The wild caught fish hold their price because their native waters are very deep and fast flowing which makes netting difficult so only small numbers of fish are caught each time.
Im afraid these are always going to be a very expencive fish and with their habbitat under threat of destruction by the building of a large hydroelectric dam their price is only going to go up.

 

[Teelie]

I disagree on that. I think their price will go down as more and more breeders get them and begin to sell the offspring. I'm not so sure on just how badly their habitat will be damaged either. It looks bad now, but in 10-20 years time that can easily change and it be preserved, or it could keep going downhill. No one knows the future for certain.

 

[Doggfather]

Another reason why that price is so high, in australia at least, is because it's now illegal to import wild caught fish into the country, which means the only source of these fish in-country is breeders. And as CFC mentioned, they only produce a tiny amount of eggs which make it hard to keep up with the demand.

Where in Australia are you?

 

[smithrc]

they do breed in captivity.. but the prices are still high - cos people pay it

Just like fuel

 

[Rybka]

I'm actually from Adelaide . I didn't know they only lay 6 or so eggs at a spawn...very interesting. Thanks for that info CFC. But I reckon they will become cheaper due to their increasing popularity. Some lfs's have said that they have been asked to get some by many customers lately. Who could blame them they are wonderful

 

[cory]

I disagree on that. I think their price will go down as more and more breeders get them and begin to sell the offspring. I'm not so sure on just how badly their habitat will be damaged either. It looks bad now, but in 10-20 years time that can easily change and it be preserved, or it could keep going downhill. No one knows the future for certain.

I have to agree. The people who I've talked to who have bred these fish say they are absolutely the easiest plecs to breed. So even with the small number of eggs laid by each female, it only stands to reason that the more people who breed them, the more fish will be on the market. Artificially jacked up market prices on certain types of fishes really make me ill.

 

[Teelie]

African Cichlids used to be far more expensive than they are now until they were bred to sufficient numbers and saltwater has come down even more significantly as it's been refined and perfected. The breeding of several saltwater fish in captivity has brought down their prices as well.

Zebras are only so expensive because people are willing to spend so much on them and because there aren't enough breeders yet to meet the demand. Fish keeping has become more popular in recent years I think and so the demand for some species of fish obviously goes up, and Zebras are definitely one of those high-demand species.

 

[Barday]

I went to my LFS on Saturday and they had 4 of them! I fell in love straight away! these plecs are the most gorgeous I have ever seen! I went straight to the counter:

Barday: I'll take 2 plz!

LFS Man: You do know that they are £120 Each

Barday: ........... Are you serious

LFS Man: Yep

Barday: On second thoughts I think I'll take that BN Pleco over there for £3 !!! )


Oh well, One day!!!!!!

 

[Cavafish]

I know where you are coming from Barday!! My most expensive fish is my angelicus plec at £30 (which I got my brother to buy for my birthday B) )

When we were in the LFS last we looked around all the tank at the plecs and they had a zebra in at £100. My other half thought it was "gaudy looking, and LOOK at the price " I agreed. I like subtle beauty. After a while I cooly said that we would take BOTH of the bristlenoses that they had as they were a breeding pair and the tank next to them had their last batch of gorgeous looking offspring. My other half was having major palpitations and signalling frantically behind the shopkeepers back at this point He didn't know the difference. I could only let him sweat for a while though before asking the price and being apologetically told that they were quite expensive at £12.50 for the pair.

Great fun. Recommend it. Divorce imminent

 

[Barday]

So have you had any offspring since you bought them?