Time changes and (some) people learn. Some years ago one of our best breeders, Günter Kopic, tried to sell about 20 nearly adult P. nagyi at at fair for special fish (Apistogramma, Spaerichthys, special barbs and others). He demanded 5 Euros for one individual. He sold none. People said: 5 Euros for such a small fish? No, much too expensive! – I am quite sure, the situation would not be very different today. But I admit, that this here (the environment of the P-P) is something different. There are people – f.i. the members of our project – who have a more realistic view on the value of such a small endangered fish. But I doubt that this a widespread conviction already. In the U.S. and in many other countries the price for “ornamental fish” in the pet shops – “dead? No problem: buy a new one!” – has resulted in super-market-like dimensions. Even in Germany it was hard work to come to the conviction that a pair of Paros should cost at least 15,00 Euros, some more (parvulus, ornaticauda). Transnational transfers work if the single fish is either big like a Discus or cheap like a Neon; all our hitherto experience shows it does not yet work with Paros. Hopefully we can change it, then there will be a way to go on. It may work already presently with definite specialized partners, but these connections must be established beforehand. Otherwise it’s a play with uncertain result hat no breeder will be ready to undertake.
And Bill: Buying from a breeder personally means that you get what you want, species and sex. Sometimes even with locality. That’s an important difference and it may cost a bit more. Pet shops have mixed calculations, breeders are specialized and must calculate acutely. As the world of today is, the value of an animal is to be expressed in money. You cannot describe a Paro as endangered and rare and sell it for a few cents only.
But we discuss matters here, in the P-P. This is the right context to get understanding from well-informed people. If you start this discussion in a normal aquarium journal you are surrounded by special-price offers and meet dozens of people who do not consent at all. It’s this climate of the super market which makes international distribution of Paros as difficult as it is up to now. Most aquarists are not open for discussions on rarity or threat; for them the price is all. This even leads to the opposite end: Koi junkies spend hundreds of Dollars for one – big – fish; it’s an investment like a house or a car. We Paro-friends are extremists, a minority that must pay the real price of good transport for fish often in their caves not to be seen at all. But there is no alternative: Breeders sometimes have too many fish and aquarists in other parts of the world have too little. They must be connected. Therefore we discuss things here.
There is a better solution, however, in the long run: There should be more Paro-breeders not in Germany only, but in many other countries too; that should minimize the ways and costs for transport. To my impression, this is in the very beginning in the U.S.only, and in very early stages in many European countries. Let’s discuss this as one prime issue at our first international meeting next year in Hamburg.