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I've always a fan of the rarer, more unusual, (and often more expensive!) of the fish. If you've seen my posts for wishes, you've probably seen it filled with numbers of oddballs like rays and all that. Well, I've decided that each week I will introduce a new fish to you guys; I hope to introduce fish to you that few have heard of and fewer have kept. Those who know about it can post their comments, and those who have questions can ask. It should be educational for us all, I hope!

Well, the first fish of the week is probably THE most random fish ever to hit the market. I can almost guarantee you've never heard of it, and so it's a fitting fish to be the first Rare Fish of the Week.

RFotW #1 -- Polynemus paradiseus -- Paradise threadfin



This is probably one of the most unusual fish you will ever see or hear about. This fish is so rare that you can barely even find pics of it online...:%) Though brackish, it is euryhaline (can live in a wide range of salinity) and therefore can be kept in freshwater. It can be a finicky eater, but not moreso than other finicky eaters on the market that are more common.

Why the rarity? The fish is said to be a bad shipper. An active swimmer, it prefers water movement. Some even say the fish must continue swimming or it will die, using ram techniques for respiration like sharks. Also, the fish feels stressed confined in small spaces, of course being able to feel it with its feelers, so a large container would be necessary for shipping.

Price? In the US these things cost in the area between $100-$200.

Links:

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=8318&genusname=Polynemus&speciesname=paradiseus

http://arofanatics.com/members/skyliner/myfishstorm/?return=/members/skyliner/

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/show_article.php?article_id=111[/font]

[span class="edited"][Edited by Shinigami 2004-08-30 09:56][/span]

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

That's a really cool fish, and I like it, but I don't like it enough to pay 100 bucks for it. Keep up this fish of the week thing Shinigami--it's interesting.

*puts up hand* I've heard of it!

Actually I saw it in an issue of PFK once, which is probably why that last link is there. It's a good-looking fish for sure!

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

What size tank would you have to have to house this and what type of tank mates could you go with, if any?

Yeah Shini, give us some USEFUL information

PM/email/msg me if you have any questions/comments regarding me or my knowledge or if you want me to read a thread.

Haha. That's one cool fish! I saw it once at the LFS, but did not dare to plunge as the shop assistant could not really tell me much about it.

Cool idea for a series of threads, shini.

What size tank would you have to have to house this and what type of tank mates could you go with, if any?

This fish should probably be kept in a tank large enough to accomodate for the feelers so that the fish doesn't feel too confined. Therefore, this fish would have to be kept in an aquarium like the 125 gallon when larger, though at smaller sizes a 75 gallon would suffice. As an active swimmer and a fish that likes much room, it probably should be considered like a Bala Shark at the very least, if not more because of the spread of the feelers.

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

Lets trim the feelers *keeps in 2 gallon bowl*