FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I was just wondering if anyone knew where I could get a look at a comprehensive list of illegal fish? I know it varies from country to country but I've been doing some research and am interested in which fish and reasons why they are banned for sale. Its seems most are illegal because of agression or that they are endandured species.

I think people should have the right to access this sort of information easily.

Well I know of two that are illegal, one in the states and one that does vary in different countries.

In the US the Snakehead is an illegal fish. Because of its Aggressive invasive nature. It is being hunted down by fish and game officials in areas where they have been released in the wild. The can break through the glass of an aquarium and survive out of water for several hours, while attempting to find a lake or river.

The other is not so easy to categorize as it is banned only because of genetic manipulation. So only a few countries have banned it. The glo-fish. A type of Zebra Danio, usually in red and green. I think there might be a couple of other colors as well.

mts.gif" border="0"> I vote do you?
My Tanks at Photobucket

Not only does it vary from country to country, in the US it also varies from state to state. For example, piranhas and stingrays are illegal to import into various states of the US, but I see both all the time in Delaware. They might even do that in Canada as well with the provinces. In Australia, if I'm not mistaken, they have the reverse; they have a list of only what CAN be imported. I've tried to look for a single list for Australia for convenience (just so I can talk to Aussies here and know what they can get) but it's possible that their states also have varying laws.

Shame about the snakeheads. Not all species get that large, with even some dwarf species maxing out at maybe 8" long. They aren't all strong enough to break glass.

As basically the first GM pet, there aren't really precedents in place for the banning of Glo-Fish in certain countries, except perhaps the banning of GM crops? Doesn't make much sense to me.

I do know that here in the US we are banned from having African Walking Catfish; I haven't seen any clariids at all, ever, although it could be the LFS around here just have lousy selection. There is also a ban on trichomycterids (Fishbase), despite the fact that only a select few species are of the parasitic candiru-type and also that the family displays a huge amount of variation. The danger is, probably, what happens if these fish get introduced into the wild. In the case of some clariids, some have become established in tropical areas, if I'm not mistaken.

Fact is, a disappointingly large number of species of introduced species are released into natural waterways as a result of the aquarium trade, either directly by keepers or accidentally as they escape from fish farms, or even accidentally as Hurricane Andrew blows through and releases Lionfish into the gulf stream. It's quite unfortunate, but this is what countries like Australia are trying to prevent on their restrictions.

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

Varies from state to state and even area to area here.

The ones are banned in my home state (note I'm in the area that allows mosquito fish, and have permits to collect etc, so no telling me off when I put up piccies ) We are one of the only states that allows koi, but there are always mumblings that it will change.
nsw.gov.au/aquatic_habitats/aquatic_habitats/noxious_fish_and_marine_vegetation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/aquatic_habitats/aquatic_habitats/noxious_fish_and_marine_vegetation

These are restricted/banned from being bought over state lines (this can be because of risk to local industry, more suitable climate, rules not having been updated regularly etc) some of these are available regularly in pet shops so their threat level must be significantly less, but they do police things like piranha and snakeheads.
nsw.gov.au/aquatic_habitats/aquatic_habitats/importation_of_live_fish" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/aquatic_habitats/aquatic_habitats/importation_of_live_fish


There is a bunch of other stuff that we can't get, not necessarily because it is illegal or requires a permit, but because it isn't on the import list. If it doesn't breed in captivity and can't be imported (or imported as something that looks similar under a fudged name... so smuggled in broad daylight essentially) then we don't get to play with it. Some things get through, accidentally or intentionally, so we now have a nice selection of zebra plecs and CRS and even galaxy rasboras, but you pay through the nose for them because of the limited supply. Permits are generally reserved for wildlife parks and public aquariums.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

CRS? What's that?

Zebra plecs are also affected by a Brazilian exportation ban (as are leopoldi and henlei rays, if I'm not mistaken), so we hardly get to play with them either unless you've got a ton of cash. I've heard discussion that Brazil is considering banning exportation of undescribed species, which definitely knocks out dozens of L numbers.

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

I just found an interesting page on from Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Its a list in invasive species and they mention those creepy snakeheads!

http://www.in.gov/dnr/invasivespecies/illpossession.html

There are also some interesting links to some other areas and their regulations.

enjoy haha

P.S. Thanks for all the replies this is all very interesting!

im not sure but when your talking about the snake head are you talking about a walking catfish? kinda sounds like you are so ill chime in on this one

ive heard that they are able to break glass but i dont know if thats entirely true. i do know that they can crawl through your hood. they have extremely strong dorsal fins i heard a case where to prevent this a guy put three house brick ontop of his hood, and the fish got right through it. in most or all U.S enviroments they have no natural predators and they overpopulate like heck. but if this is something different then my post is completely irrelevant

i like feesh

Crystal Red Shrimp, technically not fishies . To the best of my knowledge, the prawning and aquaculture industry has managed to keep all shrimp off the permitted import list for risk of disease. trying to find amanos over here is virtually impossible. We do have a good range of natives in that area, so it isn't that dire, still a bit annoying though.




For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Ah I see. Wasn't familiar with that acronym. I was trying to think of a shark or something, lol.

im not sure but when your talking about the snake head are you talking about a walking catfish? kinda sounds like you are so ill chime in on this one

Nope, snakeheads (family Channidae) aren't walking catfish (family Clariidae) at all. Snakehads are actually closely related to gourami. Do a google search and take a look. This is an example of convergent evolution; snakeheads are adapted to do the same sort of things as walking catfish are, except in Asia where they come from instead of Africa where the walking catfishes originate. Snakeheads don't have a strong dorsal fin like the catfishes do, but otherwise they are air-breathing and predatory, and some species get big, similar to walking catfish. So while somewhat irrelevant, not exactly completely irrelevant.

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

As an added note, snakeheads have established themselves in Florida and Maryland...

The main reason governments prohibit species of fish is because they are invasive - once established, invasive species can populate a body of water to the point of completely stripping it of vegetation or fish life, depending on the species.

A second reason is CITES and other protective measures to keep aquarists from purchasing endangered species taken from their native waters (see the zebra pleco as an example).

><>

i see well still walking catfish are illegal so i guess that goes on to the list

i like feesh

There's a couple of interesting restrictions here in the UK as well. Mostly to do with species that have CITES implications, but one interesting one is the Bitterling, Rhodeus sericeus. I was able to buy these as a teenager, but now, if I want to keep them, I have to apply for a licence.

The full list of fishes that are considered potentially injurious to UK wildlife if released accidentally, and therefore covered by this licensing scheme, can be found here.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

a buddy of mine in a lfs was telling me alot of the time when illegal to buy or sale one type of fish some just simply rename it and continue on there merry way

Happens all the time Donovan. IDing fish is a skill that not all of those who are expected to check these things seem to work on building.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I really didn't know that about bitterlings.
I saw some years ago in a tank full of Dace..