What type of fishes are wild stock?

**Kane** · 28th Jun 2008, 23:32

Like to check, is all the cardinal tetra sold in Singapore LFS all came from the wild? Or is there a mixture of wild and farm breed for cardinal tetra in our LFS.

And beside Cardinal tetra, what else fish are from the wild? is all pleco from the wild too?

Thanks for any answers given

**Quixotic** · 29th Jun 2008, 00:52

I don't believe they will mix farm bred and wild cardinal tetras together. I am sure there are differences in the prices, and I don't believe any LFS will mix them on purpose.

Paracheirodon axelrodi has always been a very difficult species to breed, until there was some breakthrough not too long ago. It has been mentioned that many breeders are now producing the fish, probably majority are from the Czech Republic.

It is not known if the Asian farms have managed to reproduce them, at least I haven't heard of this. It is also to be noted that cost of shipping and/or regulations would be a consideration when importing fishes.

Therefore, I can't be sure if they are farm bred or wild fish, but... I do *think* that majority could still be wild fish (I could be wrong).

Some interesting reads,
See Wikipedia, Cardinal tetra, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_tetra (as of Jun. 28, 2008, 16:46 GMT).
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.u....php?news=1009

As for plecos, no, not all of them are wild. Hypancistrus zebra (L046) is almost certainly farm bred (export of wild L046 is banned). Some Ancistrus spp. (bristlenose) are almost certainly farm bred as well.

**Kane** · 30th Jun 2008, 23:34

how about other tetras? what other tetras are wild?

**Quixotic** · 2nd Jul 2008, 01:13

There are hundreds of tetra species in the world, so I don't suppose you are asking me to list them.

Species that are rare, are *probably* wild stock, as these may not be readily available in the trade. Those that are readily available in the trade can be both farm bred and wild fish, so there is no actual way to know. Neon tetras are almost certain to be farm bred as they are very easy to breed.

Anyway, why the preoccupation with wild fish?