flatfish Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 This looks decidedly suspect. http://www.trademe.co.nz/pets-animals/fish/fish/tropical-fish/auction-459681089.htm It looks nothing like the columbian catfish I googled but it does look like a brown bulhead, our very own pest catfish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Picture looks very yellow, I thought the pest catfish but they are black not yellow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 i concur, brown Bullhead... colouration varies between individuals from what I have seen. probably a lighter colour since it hasn't been in a silty stream, and is being housed in a tank with white substrate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 http://conservation.govt.nz/upload/documents/science-and-technical/PF04barnes.pdf bit of info on them Turns out that they are not on any MAF list as illegal or anything yet... though they are known invasive species Might be legal in that case... lodged a MAF call so they can check it out themselves. Seems the responsible thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Yeah, definitely not a Columbian catfish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 It looks nothing like the columbian catfish I googled but it does look like a brown bulhead, our very own pest catfish. But... but it's so pretty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatfish Posted March 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thanks for the clarification cricketman. Sounds like they might be legal...... although the title is misleading, $80 per fish seems a bit excessive, and I'm sure that MAF doesn't want them sent around the country to establish new populations. Still sounds dodgy to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 I thought any catfish (pest) that were caught had to be killed? :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 There is more than one way that an organism can be unwanted. They can also be declared that by a Regional council, as has happened with blue tounge skinks in Auckland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 i concur, brown Bullhead... +1 That paper you linked to mentioned that they caught more than 6000 of them in lake Taupo! Selling for $80/fish on TM!... now thats just a business venture waiting to happen! :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 80 per fish is steep, but they are awesome fish! invasive though, so really keeping them may cost you dearly. having them in a small size is quite cool though, so you can see it grow, rapidly im sure. they are hungry fellas. i am getting planetcats to ID the fish to be sure. but someone has said that it is a north american catfishs pecies most likely, which would indicate, it is a bullhead. make sure you get an email from maf to say its ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.PROPHECY Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 i use to keep bullheads with my oscars and aros , in my old tank. they got to about 45cm when i had them an pretty agro even the oscars wer scared of em. id definitely say that is a bullhead , mine were similar in colour once in the tank. i always thought they wer illegal so just kept that on the low when i use to keep em, an in the end i did put them down an grounded them up for fish berley haha no other option... anyway anyone wana buy some ill do them for $30 each :facepalm: hahahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 From what I've found I believe squirt is right that they should have been destroyed at capture. Also believe that they shouldn't be being sold or spread around the country. sellers line that he bought it off a breeder contradicts his own listing.. Breeding the columbian is extremely difficult and has never been proven to be sucessful in captivity then at the questions.. Got this fish from a breeder who bought it from a importer Not on the Import list either... Someones telling porkies... :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 anyway anyone wana buy some ill do them for $30 each :facepalm: hahahaha I'll do them for 15 and a shiny button... :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: minimum order 1000... gots to make it worthwhile... :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Ill sell you godzilla for $1000...... true story true story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinox Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 sounds pretty interesting, so you think this dude just cought them and trying to sell them? :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 yeah, i can try to catch godzilla i fyou want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 We used to have them when I was a kid, before they were on the "you must kill on sight" list. Caught them as little wee things about 20mm I would guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 got a call back from MAF, they are illegal, they are checking up on it. not on trademe anymore, so that at least stops them being shipped inter-island or whatever... She said it may come down to Auckland regional council to decide if they want MAF to get more involved with finding them, which they have to still check etc... :dunno: half-result?? System in NZ is stuffed... Should be that if it is not meant to be here MAF have right to nuke... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 Should be that if it is not meant to be here MAF have right to nuke... I thought that was the case? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 apparently not... :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatfish Posted March 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 Thanks Cricketman. It sounds like the problem has been sorted. I used to catch heaps of them in the Waikato while fishing for koi and I thought they had to be destroyed, well at least the koi had to be. At least this might stop another auction on TradeMe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 they are pretty hardy, can live in cold and tropical waters! kinda like snakeheads but not as agro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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