My Chaetodontoplus Conspicillatus and Holacanthus Clarionensis

LOL!!! Where there is a will...
Click to expand...
We all hope you get them! Would be fantastic to have a pair here in the states.

There are no privately owned pairs of personatus in the US, although there was one up until a few years ago. The Waikiki Aquarium had two pairs as of last year... collected at Midway... one of which were the parents of the captive raised fish Karen Brittain raised.
Oh, and Reefaquariumnut, nice fish! I own many of the species you list and share the passion...
Click to expand...
Always loved the Waikiki aquarium, my parents lived a few blocks away from there, a few years back. I think I went to the aquarium 3 times a week just to enjoy the tanks.
 
kvosstra said:
Always loved the Waikiki aquarium, my parents lived a few blocks away from there, a few years back. I think I went to the aquarium 3 times a week just to enjoy the tanks.
Click to expand...

I go there each year when I'm in HI... no flipping dolphins or Shamus... just some of the best reef tanks in the world with many species being the only ones on public display in the world... including many Pomacanthids... one of which is pictured in Cantonesefish's avatar... :)
 
lol Chris... some ichthyologists may agree with you... :)

Even if it's Centropyge multicolor nahackyi, then it's the only one of those on display in the world... :)
 
copps said:
There are no privately owned pairs of personatus in the US, although there was one up until a few years ago. The Waikiki Aquarium had two pairs as of last year... collected at Midway... one of which were the parents of the captive raised fish Karen Brittain raised. Interestingly, for those who didn't see, the male personatus we caught back in '07 I visited in Japan last year, and it had reverted back to a half male/ half female coloration...

Oh, and Reefaquariumnut, nice fish! I own many of the species you list and share the passion...

Copps
Click to expand...

How do you know this for sure? Do you have contacts with every diver and every person that catches and sends fish to hobbyists in the states?

There is a world of people who keep fish privately in the states beyond the reefcentral crew.
 
Quick question. Why is Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus so expensive? I see them for sale pretty often, they're not exactly rare. What depth are they collected from?
 
jhawkor said:
Quick question. Why is Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus so expensive? I see them for sale pretty often, they're not exactly rare. What depth are they collected from?
Click to expand...

I may be wrong but i think its because they are all collected from lord howe island and their is only so many that can be collected.I am not sure what depth they are collected at though.
 
jhawkor said:
Quick question. Why is Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus so expensive? I see them for sale pretty often, they're not exactly rare. What depth are they collected from?
Click to expand...

I dont think "pretty often" is the appropriate term for their availability, as compared to the majority of other fish we see for sale. They are collected from New Caledonia (Lord Howe is a protected site), and the collection from there is few are faw bteween. In fact, most New Caledonia fish demand a premium price (emperors, clowns, etc).
 
melanotaenia said:
How do you know this for sure? Do you have contacts with every diver and every person that catches and sends fish to hobbyists in the states?

There is a world of people who keep fish privately in the states beyond the reefcentral crew.
Click to expand...

How do YOU know that he doesnt?!
 
jmaneyapanda said:
I dont think "pretty often" is the appropriate term for their availability, as compared to the majority of other fish we see for sale. They are collected from New Caledonia (Lord Howe is a protected site), and the collection from there is few are faw bteween. In fact, most New Caledonia fish demand a premium price (emperors, clowns, etc).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation. "Pretty often" probably isn't the way to say it but if you wanted one they aren't too hard to find.
 
melanotaenia said:
How do you know this for sure? Do you have contacts with every diver and every person that catches and sends fish to hobbyists in the states?

There is a world of people who keep fish privately in the states beyond the reefcentral crew.
Click to expand...

First of all, my knowledge of Pomacanthids goes well beyond the "reef central crew". I've studied, researched, and kept angels for over 20 years and have spoken at clubs and conferences from San Diego to Boston to Miami on the topic, including one where I address the masked angel's history in ichthyology and the hobby...

Secondly, Genicanthus personatus is not a fish that "every diver and every person that catches and sends fish" has access to. It is a Hawaiian endemic, and a very deep water and rare one at that. I've traveled to Hawaii at least once a year over the past 10 years and have dived every island and gotten to know divers, collectors, exporters, public aquarists, and ichthyologists there... While many fish are exported from there, they are shipped out by just a few dozen exporters, and while I only know a few, it is a tight community and word travels fast.

The numbers of Genicanthus personatus documented from the Main Hawaiian Islands are few... in fact the species was not even discovered until 1972, despite all of the divers in Hawaii even at that time... At the two locations where most all collection takes place, Oahu and the Kona Coast, this fish is rare even at depths down to 450 feet... there are a select few individuals with the capability (or guts) to collect that deep in Hawaii. In October of 2007, it had been over ten years since one of these fish was collected in the main Hawaiian Islands, when we caught this fish... http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1234494 In 2007 that was the only group commercially collecting with rebreathers in Hawaii...

While there are indeed a world of people that collect fish privately in the US, there are a very select few that collect very high dollar fish... some of those choose to keep their collections off the internet (I know a few), but one place they cannot keep secret from is the industry... everyone has sources for fish, and those sources when it comes down to it are a select few... especially for high dollar fish. In this country there are very few of these hard core collectors willing to pay over five grand for one fish... much less a pair... Also, the personatus in the above linked thread was offered for sale in the US by many outlets... the collector would have preferred it stayed in the US in fact... yet there were no takers, so it went to Japan...

So if even one personatus somehow slipped through this network of people to some unknown end hobbyist the chances would be slim... but a pair adds another dimension putting this well into the "beyond a reasonable doubt". In fact, when Jack Randall described this species in 1975 a male had never been even documented! Jack theorized that a male personatus may have striping like some of the other members of the genus he described... only after its publication were two males trawled at Nihoa, and he published a second description for the male, which has no stripes! :) This is not like some other rare fish (like some hybrids), that could trickle in unknowingly and may be out there...

Copps
 
jhawkor said:
John, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly is your job title?
Click to expand...

I'm a computer systems engineer contracted by the Navy. Our submarine trainer is installed at each submarine base, including Pearl Harbor, HI and Guam. When I'm not working there I'm usually doing something fish related... I also have a degree in biology though... I'm a Leo and I like walks on the beach... :spin3: Sorry for the hijack Reefaquariumnut :)

ccampbell57 said:
Angelfish God :fish2:
Click to expand...

As my wife points out... a job usually means you MAKE money from it...
 
450ft is serious diving. youll be hard pressed to find a private diver going that far down. would be very expensive imo but hey expense is relative so...
 
copps said:
I'm a computer systems engineer contracted by the Navy. Our submarine trainer is installed at each submarine base, including Pearl Harbor, HI and Guam. When I'm not working there I'm usually doing something fish related... I also have a degree in biology though... I'm a Leo and I like walks on the beach... :spin3:
Click to expand...

:spin2::spin3::eek2::mixed::spin1:
 
Lol.

I need more fish pics now to feed my addiction!

Incredible collection. When are the anthias coming and how many?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Coral beauty Sick - how do i treat
Replies
3
Views
72
leebca
L
V
Feedback on this stocking list for 30g
Replies
0
Views
162
Varanis
V
Z
Tank Sizes For Large Angels
Replies
6
Views
773
leebca
L
C
Tang aggression
Replies
3
Views
376
OrionN
OrionN
N
75 gallon set up and stocking advice
Replies
8
Views
256
Newham94
N
Back
Top