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it might have been an albino knife fish. on aquabid i have seen what looks like what u are describing but not at that price.

In Aus, even a regular ornate bichir goes for $500+...I am sure that an albino senegal is what he saw.

we can get the albino bichirs up here for around 6.99 each, now if you want a rare pricy fish, go w/ the rhinopias w/ that coloration

Come to Canada....an LFS near me has an A+ grade chili red Asian aro for $30,000K....a bit more than a rhinopias, I suspect.

If I paid that much for a fish I would invest in an alarm system and insurance. HA HA HA. Then again, if I had the money I would probably pay that much.

IMHO $1500 Is expensive for this particular species in Australia as most stores will retail the Albino's for around the $900 Mark. Heck, Recently we had certain varietys of Asian Arowana's selling for $15,000 in Australia! Sure your paying alot for these fish but consider this - If cared for many of these big fish can live for 30 Years (No Bull) and where as we have things like dogs costing just as much and they generally dont survive as long. The reason prices are so sky high is that they have to be smuggled into the country. Because there is a market for them aswell (I personally love Odd Ball's and expensive fish like this) they sell reasonably well. ATM Im looking pretty hard at getting a $400 Fish that in the use would probably cost under $10. Crazy?

-Sutto

Ah. Show Koi. The sky is nowhere near the limit for some of the top Japanese show Koi. More like halfway to Alpha Centauri!

If you're dedicated, fanatical or just plain deranged enough to do so, you can pay a six-figure sum for some of the absolute top-bracket Koi. Yes, you read that right. Six figures. Some of these fish have a price tag attached that would buy you two Ferraris and still leave you enough change for a detached house. Pete Waterman of Stock, Atiken & Waterman fame is reputed to be a buyer of such fish.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

If you want expensive fish just go look at some koi. Just look for show quality koi and they're any where from $900 to $2500. Those are even the grand champs that go for a lot more

labrakitty, they are so far from bad its ridiculous. By far one of the better fish shops in Melbourne for price and service.

The fact you just paid out on that store cleary shows you need to learn a few things before you open your mouth.

The shop was in Melbourne and it is called Upmarket aquarium. They are really bad.]:| I would never buy anything there.

Whoever would pay that much for a fish needs a nice, snug-fitting straitjacket. Like tortis, I've seen those fish for about $10 or $11.

That would probably be Merodontotus tigrinus, one of several Pimelodid Catfishes that are confusingly referred to as 'Tiger Shovelnoses'. They retail for £1,000 a throw in the UK, and that's for juveniles. Among 'Big Pim' keepers it's a sky-high desirable species.

As for the hugely expensive Arowana, that will probably by the Asian Dragon Fish, which is CITES I protected. Consequently, all individuals of that species have to be captive bred if they are to be offered for sale, hence the microchipping scheme and pedigree data.They are considered purveyors of good fortune among Asians of Shinto or vaguely Buddhist persuasion, and are sky-high desirable among such buyers for this reason.

Last edited by Calilasseia at 17-Feb-2005 21:00

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Seen a species of shovelnose catfish about a month ago at the local lfs(don't know the exact name) for $800.

In a Fish store in Calgary there is a Arrowana that is microchipped selling for $30000 papers of blood lines included

That would be my friend Wayne's shop...a 4 minute drive from my front door (needless to say, Wayne gets a lot of my money).

In a Fish store in Calgary there is a Arrowana that is microchipped selling for $30000 papers of blood lines included

The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an bacon and egg breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

Oh look ... the link is to Sean Evans' website. I profiled him as a Bichir and other oddball keeper some time back.

Couldn't say how much something like that would be in the UK, but I reckon it would be a little bit more than $11 Canadian! However, whether it would hit four figures is a moot point ... the main reason for high prices of oddballs here in the UK is not because of bans in case they end up taking over our native waters (which are too cold for that fortunately), but shipping costs from wherever they live. Air-freighting a chunky fish and enough water to keep it happy from equatorial Africa is going to be an expensive process, and that'll probably push the price up around the £250 to £300 mark with ease.

One thing about Canada - it's too cold for too many exotica to unleash havoc like they can in Florida!

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I was in an aquarium and came across a sign saying: $1500 Albino Polypterus, yes each.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It looked like a long thing with no fins and it was albino.
Does anyone no what this is? And why it was so expencive???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last edited by Adam at 22-Jan-2005 23:57

it might have been an albino knife fish. on aquabid i have seen what looks like what u are describing but not at that price.

we can get the albino bichirs up here for around 6.99 each, now if you want a rare pricy fish, go w/ the rhinopias w/ that coloration

Daka

hmm I think we should all take a vacation in australia with some *carefully packaged* fish in our cary-on luggage

Didn't Toirtis say he recently got a grou of albino senegalus for $11 (CAN) each?

I got two for $11 each...my first two were $15 each.

I am not surprised at the prices in Aus, though....the ornate polypterid fry that I sell for $20 each here (and that sell at the LFSes for $25 each)go for $500-$800 each in Aus.

I know the shop where that was.

They are illegal to import into Australia hence commanding a large price tag.
Even regular Birchir cost around the $400-$500 mark here.

It's a fantastic shop though. Cheapest Bloodworms around, I drive 90 minutes to get them.

Polypterus senegalus is the most often seen albino polypterus. I have seen pics of an albino endlicheri and an albino ornatipinnis, both of which sold for around $2,000 US or possibly more.

as for the dorsal fin, the pics I linked to were of older fish. the older a polypterus gets the more "spikey" the dorsal looks. juveniles won't look as spikey and as LittleMousling said the one you saw could have easily just had the dorsal fin folded to its body.