I'm curious to know whether bulldog plecos are available here in Nz

What species name?

No but they potentially could be imported. Chaetostoma aburrensis and Chaetostoma thomsoni are both on the approved import list.

So I am assuming that they would only be imported if there was a reasonable demand for them? The species I was hoping to find was the L187a Chaetostoma sp.

So I am assuming that they would only be imported if there was a reasonable demand for them? The species I was hoping to find was the L187a Chaetostoma sp.

If the suppliers had them, if the importers thought they would be popular, if the wholesalers would pay the cost for them which is considerable per fish if only a few come in due to the quarantine testing and risk of losing the whole lot if a certain percentage die, all the way down to would the shops buy them at that price right down to whether or not the customer would say 'well I wanted them but I'm not paying that!'

Not being negative here and you possibly know this anyway but shops and wholesalers have been stung many times in NZ by customers wanting and then not buying ie zebra plecs.

[quotrror"]So I am assuming that they would only be imported if there was a reasonable demand for them? The species I was hoping to find was the L187a Chaetostoma sp.

If the suppliers had them, if the importers thought they would be popular, if the wholesalers would pay the cost for them which is considerable per fish if only a few come in due to the quarantine testing and risk of losing the whole lot if a certain percentage die, all the way down to would the shops buy them at that price right down to whether or not the customer would say 'well I wanted them but I'm not paying that!'

Not being negative here and you possibly know this anyway but shops and wholesalers have been stung many times in NZ by customers wanting and then not buying ie zebra plecs.

Well said Adrienne. Its always a risk for the importers and if they haven't been brought in for several years (that I know of) then there is likely to be a reason for it.

Maybe one day. From memory there was an article written by a member several years ago (before I was into keeping tropical fish) on breeding one of the species. So at least one species must have been here before.

I stuffed that last message some how bloody computers. That's a fair answer it's unfortunate that others have not followed through with sales and made it harder for the rest who are genuine. I shall remain hopeful and optimistic and maybe they will show face one day just like those rainbow cichlids I'm still holding out for :-)