TRUE Western Australian Personifer Angelfish on LA tonight!!!

As this is the first/second specimen offered for sale in the USA I think it's fair to say that 99.9% of board posters will not have seen the mask in real life. This also goes for the people probably looking to buy the fish from LADD. That being said we have seen it in pictures, so we have a fair idea of what to expect.

Honestly I think people seriously allow rarity to influence their opinions on beauty in a significant manner. If you showed This fish to a novice next to half a dozen large more common angels this would be one of the last picked out of the lineup on looks alone. Now we know it's rare, it is valued more highly, but I don't think that we should use that as an excuse to pretend that it looks better. It's being sold for rarity, not looks. If it's easier to justify the price by pretending it's the prettiest fish to ever hit private aquaria, whatever floats your boat.

Side note, just tested the theory with my wife. Showed her adult pictures of four large angels, this was the least favorite. Not even close, and she knows nothing about the availability of any of the fish. I think most of us would experience similar results if asking other non-specialists.

I'm not saying that this fish could not look nice in an appropriate tank, with the right tank mates. I'm saying that for less money I think (and most people seem to think) you could get a better looking fish, with equally interesting character. Or at least a very similar looking fish.

I am not bashing those who choose to buy this fish, as it's their money and they can do what they please with it, but let's be honest about why this fish is so interesting (rarity) and not try and make excuses to justify our wants and needs. I would pay more for some fish for other reasons, and I can't say everyone agrees with me, but I like to think I'm honest when explaining it. I'd pay more for a pair of Fu Manchu lions than a pair of dwarf fuzzies. Many people would not agree with that, but it's what I like. I don't need to pretend that the Fu lions would be more active (unlikely the case) to justify my decision.

This exemplifies threads like these in a nutshell (and I am certainly not attacking you, shinypenny). But, making comments on "beauty", "ugliness", and "value", which are totally subjective issues is ridiculous and moot. I would rather die than have a yellow or hippo tang in my tank. Yet, what are the most popular, and most "attracted to" fish in this hobby? You guessed it. To comment on whether or not this fish is worth it based on your intrepretation of a subjective issue is futile. I can make the same argument for many of the fish that people buy as "beautiful". I dont like them at all, so does that make the "ugly" and "not worth the money"? Of course not.

As for the pricing or deemed value, unless you can provide the same product for less, no one here has any right to complain. I understand that maybe some have been able to acquire some and place them here in the US for cheaper. But, I would argue, IN NO WAY are they the product. Same species? Perhaps. However, a quarantined, conditioned, and healthy fish is not the same as one that was in the ocean 72 hours ago.
 
Side note, just tested the theory with my wife. Showed her adult pictures of four large angels, this was the least favorite. Not even close, and she knows nothing about the availability of any of the fish. I think most of us would experience similar results if asking other non-specialists.


You should do the same thing and take your wife to the nordstrom designer purse section and whick one she picks. I bet it won't be the cheap commonly seen ones :lol:

J/k, but that is what I thought about when I read the above statement.

Once again, its whatever floats your bloat. I keep a pair of "expensive bi-colors" as many under educated and novice people have called them through out the years. For me, its more about the subtle items of fish and their individual markings.

I personally do not that the space for a True Personifer so to me, they are just another awesome specimen that I can appreciate as a fellow hobbyist. I've never understood the "I am better than you and your opinion in fish is crap" approach.
When people talk about pricing, I just wish people would just stick to the topic. I don't come over to your house and look at your lexus coupe and tell you that your were an absolute fool for overpaying for a toyota.

With that said, I appreciate fish for the beauty of the fish and the fact that someone will enjoy these fish on a daily basis and not the price tag. I have no problem saying, please keep threads like these on topic or don't post at all. What some people admire might not be the same thing as your neighbor and what makes a person think they are better than their neighbor.
 
in regards to your first paragraph, youre right.

we're sapian-we judge ourselves based on others around us. its instinct and everyone at some time or another has done it.


enjoy your tank/tanks for what they are. i love conpsics, hell i love the entire species. not because its a carrot i can hold over another mans head but the subtle beauty and different behaviors most chaetodontoplus have.


i can only hope the true personifier goes to some one with the same mind set because most animals perchased as perverbial carrots suffer.





You should do the same thing and take your wife to the nordstrom designer purse section and whick one she picks. I bet it won't be the cheap commonly seen ones :lol:

J/k, but that is what I thought about when I read the above statement.

Once again, its whatever floats your bloat. I keep a pair of "expensive bi-colors" as many under educated and novice people have called them through out the years. For me, its more about the subtle items of fish and their individual markings.

I personally do not that the space for a True Personifer so to me, they are just another awesome specimen that I can appreciate as a fellow hobbyist. I've never understood the "I am better than you and your opinion in fish is crap" approach.
When people talk about pricing, I just wish people would just stick to the topic. I don't come over to your house and look at your lexus coupe and tell you that your were an absolute fool for overpaying for a toyota.

With that said, I appreciate fish for the beauty of the fish and the fact that someone will enjoy these fish on a daily basis and not the price tag. I have no problem saying, please keep threads like these on topic or don't post at all. What some people admire might not be the same thing as your neighbor and what makes a person think they are better than their neighbor.
 
Yea, that is odd. Must be some kind of mistake. It looks like a Meredithi in the picture too, no black band on the tail.
 
I have thought about that...But it doesn't make sense either...

The email this morning said "True" and so did the description under the picture on the update. Also, the fish is under 3.5" and according to copps, it doesn't usually begin to develop until 4". jawsee has a pair around the same size and only one is starting to show the black line.

Also, Im pretty confident that Kevin knows exactly which shipment they came in on and her collection location. I dont know him personally but He doesn't sound like the kind of guy that makes a mistake!

There is also a meridithi around the same size that is on DD for $150 that has been there for a few weeks now. It doens't make sense for them to release the same fish for double the money. Plus, the first two Personifers released were male if I remember correctly, and this one is a female.

Either way, Im excited to see what happens and you cant beat the price if it is a "True" personifer. Im meeting up w/ Copps Sunday so i'll get his opinion as well!

I'll be sure to post some pictures when she arrives Tuesday!

truePersonifer.png
 
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Since there has been numerous other Western Australian fish being listed I am sure this is a True Personifier. Maybe supply has increased significantly on this fish which would mean a drastic drop in price.

I know Kevin personally. Maybe an error in price but I doubt it. I would expect there are other variables to account for the lower price.

With some of the other high end additions coming to LA DD soon should be some great additions coming!
 
Here is the Meridithi available on LA DD... Im no expert but notice that the pectoral fins are black on the Meridithi and Yellow on the Personifer...

Meridithi.jpg
 
That is a pretty little angel!
And I'd be more than happy to have even one of those "Expensive Bi-color" angels. I have a pretty good idea what they are! LOL

Matthew
 
Was just chatting with Live Aquaria, it is indeed a TRUE personifier. There was an error in price, it should have been $399, not $299 so obviously price has come down siginificantly and Ryan you got an awesome fish and price!

Another is going up tonight at the full 399.
 
WOW! Awesome! I saw the sneak peak and I was wondering if the pricing would be different. Did they say why the pricing was so much lower?

I was talking with copps yesterday at a speach he gave and he was saying that he has seen large 6" true personifers with no black line in the tail, and he as seen 2.5" true personifers with the black line in the tail. He commented on the possibility of a gender significance but left it at that.

Either way, these are females unlike the perviously released male specimes which I believe has a lot to do with pricing as well. I am very excited to get this fish and equally excited to see what happens with the change!
 
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