Hassar "iheringi"?

[MatsP]

I saw something labelled as H. iheringi in the Farnham MA branch. According to Fishbase, that should be H. affinis, which is from Rio Parnaiba in Brazil - an unlikely import location, IMO. So, I guess it's one of the other Hassar species (or something else similar) - if it's a Hassar species, I'd go with H. wilderi rather than H. orestis, based on the shape of the snout.

It had "no wood" on the label - anyone have a good reason why?

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Mats

[Chrysichthys]

Meaning it can't be kept with bogwood in the tank? I can't think of any plausible reason.

[Richard B]

Maybe there was, or had been, another species in the tank which was not suited to water containing bogwood???

[MatsP]

Maybe there was, or had been, another species in the tank which was not suited to water containing bogwood???

It said "no wood" on the particular label for that fish - not the tank.

I can't really understand why they wouldn't want to live in a wood-containing tank either, I'm just curious.

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Mats

[Richard B]

Oooooo - i'm hooked on knowing why now - grrrr - this is gonna bug me

[Chrysichthys]

Maybe 'cause they use bogwood to hide under so you can't see them (like ninety per cent of my catfish).

[MatsP]

Maybe 'cause they use bogwood to hide under so you can't see them (like ninety per cent of my catfish).

Yes, but that's not really a good reason to keep them without wood - they will just find something else to hid under, don't you think?

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Mats

[Birger]

MatsP on Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:51 am

Chrysichthys wrote:Maybe 'cause they use bogwood to hide under so you can't see them (like ninety per cent of my catfish).



Yes, but that's not really a good reason to keep them without wood - they will just find something else to hid under, don't you think?

Generally yes...but a store may want to keep them as visible as possible even though the fish is uncomfortable

[MatsP]

MatsP on Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:51 am

Chrysichthys wrote:Maybe 'cause they use bogwood to hide under so you can't see them (like ninety per cent of my catfish).



Yes, but that's not really a good reason to keep them without wood - they will just find something else to hid under, don't you think?

Generally yes...but a store may want to keep them as visible as possible even though the fish is uncomfortable

Yes, I understand that. However, the note, as I understood it, was indicating that "not suitable in a tank with wood" rather than "don't hide this fish as we want to sell it".

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Mats

[Birger]

You can maybe only put this with the list of things seen and heard in some pet shops that makes a person bite their tongue and think, yipes...what's with that!!

[MatsP]

Yes, it sounds like one of those... I just wondered if there was any substance to it...

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Mats

[Richard B]

Hassar will (if kept in small groups) shoal in open water without hiding (Mats do you remember those at Amwell?).

That said a lone specimen would probably wanna be somewhere other than on obvious display

[TP]

I was in the south visiting my folks this Christmas and wanted to see the Imparfinis that I had read about in Mats post so visited MA in Farnham. I took the opportunity to ask the person in the shop why the Hassar was labelled up with no bogwood and he said it was a load of nonsense and had no idea why the person that did the labels had put that on there. There was only one left as the rest had been sold but it was a really nice looking fish.

As far as the shop went I thought it was good and had a nice selection. I guess they must have somebody there interested in Puffers as I have never seen such a selection before. If I still lived in Fleet I guess I would visit it quite often.

The Imparfinis were pretty cool but the logistics of taking fish home wasn't practical so they remain in Farnham!!

[Richard B]

Good work TP on sussing the "no bogwood" scenario.

Pity you couldn't take the Imparfinus with you - they are a superb little fish - i'm so glad i got mine

[MatsP]

I was in the south visiting my folks this Christmas and wanted to see the Imparfinis that I had read about in Mats post so visited MA in Farnham. I took the opportunity to ask the person in the shop why the Hassar was labelled up with no bogwood and he said it was a load of nonsense and had no idea why the person that did the labels had put that on there. There was only one left as the rest had been sold but it was a really nice looking fish.

Obviously that message has not been transferred across ALL of the staff (or better yet, removed from the label!), as the chap I was talking to didn't have any idea.

As far as the shop went I thought it was good and had a nice selection. I guess they must have somebody there interested in Puffers as I have never seen such a selection before. If I still lived in Fleet I guess I would visit it quite often.

Yes, they have a good selection of those - shame I'm not particularly interested in those myself

And my feeling was that they were somewhat low on interesting plecos and other catfish - but still much better than some other shops which are local to me. And I suppose it's not really the right season for plecos right now...

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Mats