Captive bred vs. wild caught

[anbosu]

Did they not work out due to feeding issues?
Do you think that captive bred mandarins would be marketable if they would eat readily available frozen foods such as PE mysis, LRS, Hikari etc.?
I'm wondering if I should start raising them again....

Most people had difficulty getting them to continue eating prepared foods once they were moved into their tanks.

Rufus, to answer your original question, I think once you get over the $1,000 price tag for a fish, there is a really limited market. Moving it to $10,000 it gets even smaller. Part of the issue with the clarions is they are a large fish in addition to being expensive. I think it would be easier to move peppermints, or even the personatus if it came to that, but ultimately you have a very limited population. Now, if you can get breeding down to the point where you can sell these fish for $500-750, I think you have a huge potential market, because that brings a whole lot of additional customers into the fray.

Personally captive bred is always preferable to wild caught, but the prices have to be somewhat in alignment.

 

[jnc914]

It is funny reading back on this thread now knowing that Rufus was privy to the Cb Personatus availability

 

[snorvich]

Most people had difficulty getting them to continue eating prepared foods once they were moved into their tanks.

Rufus, to answer your original question, I think once you get over the $1,000 price tag for a fish, there is a really limited market. Moving it to $10,000 it gets even smaller. Part of the issue with the clarions is they are a large fish in addition to being expensive. I think it would be easier to move peppermints, or even the personatus if it came to that, but ultimately you have a very limited population. Now, if you can get breeding down to the point where you can sell these fish for $500-750, I think you have a huge potential market, because that brings a whole lot of additional customers into the fray.

Personally captive bred is always preferable to wild caught, but the prices have to be somewhat in alignment.

Clarions are also more than mildly aggressive when mature. Very similar in nature to an adult Passer.

 

[snorvich]

Just regarding paka's comment... My guess is theres a demand for CB mandarins but, given a preference in a reef tank, the mandarins will go for live pods. Competition from pod eaters as well as competition from other fish who can eat pellets etc...will limit long term hobbyist success. After all, a mandarin can't get all its food from an aquarist who say feeds twice a day. JMO.

PS before anyone recommends a mandarin diner to ensure enough food, don't forget any small fish that can fit will give that a try too.

None of the above means I'm against CB mandarins; just noting that the problems encountered when keeping them are still present.

I agree. The primary basic problem is that they cannot compete for food. If there are sufficient copepods, no problem. But every mandarin I have kept will eat frozen but they eat constantly so that would be difficult to sustain them if copepods are exhausted or insufficient.

 

[Nuluxe]

Premium for captive bred is a plus for me, knowing the purchase is much hardier and parasite free. Compared to wild caught, it's a risk not quarantining them.

 

[humaguy]

Clarions are also more than mildly aggressive when mature. Very similar in nature to an adult Passer.

nah, they are not that aggressive...they actually tend to be worse when smaller and mellow with age and size...

 

[snorvich]

nah, they are not that aggressive...they actually tend to be worse when smaller and mellow with age and size...

How old is yours?

 

[humaguy]

the first pair have been together for almost 4 years and the second pair about 2 years...the 4 have been in the same tank for over a year...