PlanetCatfish.com

It was very good. Together with the fish shop tour it made a great long weekend for me. it was as much about people as about fish.

Not having been to a convention before, I wasn't sure how it would be. It was very welcoming and there were all sorts of people there. This was not an old-fashioned club meeting in flat caps, but a true convention trying to move forward with modern fish-keeping. Along with Jools and Ian, amongst others there was Ingo Seidel, Dr Peter Burgess, Johny Jensen, I had dinner sitting next to Dr David Ford (I gave him a few tips ). There were some excellent talks by very knowledgeable people. Just a nice group of people with invaluable experience of keeping and breeding catfish and other fish, happy to share their knowledge. There was also a CSG 'Market place' with bargains to be had and reps from other fish-keeping bodies.
Unfortunately I missed the last day as I had fish to collect, which worked out really well.
I came away thinking I will do my best to attend next year. And also thoughts of a fish-collecting trip to South America and maybe a shop tour in Germany/ Netherlands.

From what I've heard, if you are after catfish, the continent does not offer very much. People in the UK are much more catfish minded then we on the continent

However, in cich lids, the matter is a bit different. What we got, and what you got dos not overlap - so you will be able to have some interesting finds - while we could do the same in the UK

In other groups of fish - for life bearers I'd suggest going to scandinavia, for anabantoids I could not say

Bas,

I don't know what the shops in the Netherlands has to offer in general... But I would say that my LFS went through their two suppliers that they get things from, and the list of "interesting" catfish was pretty close to zero species. Ok, there were a few corys, a chaetostoma, a few Synodontis [one labeled "False decorus" - presumably a hybrid]. The one I thought was a bit interesting was "Banjo cats". Yes, occassionally, they have some much better things on offer, but far from always.

Yes, if you know where to go in this country, you can find some nice fish. But I'm sure that if you go to the right shop(s) in the Netherlands, there are some interesting things there too.

Yes, I have a couple of shops that carry some more unusual stuff within 40 minutes driving distance. But the best shops are more like 1.5-4 hours away (that's one direction). And I'm sure you can find some nice shops if you drive somewhere around 100-300 km.

Edit: And there is of course the saying "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" - but when you get there, it may turn out that you were just looking at it in less detail.

--
Mats

Obviously, the UK is a bit ( ) larger than the Netherlands, and therefore I might forget the 5 or 6 good shops mentioned on this forum are quite far apart

But I can mention only 1 shop for catfish in NL - and than only for L numbers. Ít's an hour and a half by car from my house

In Germany it might be better, but than that's an 80 million people country, 600 * 800 km or so. A bit large for 1 day

Coryman sent me some pics from the convention and here they are:

I really enjoyed it, best one in a few years I'd say. I have to say however that both days I slept late, I mean Haavard late, normallly I've been on emails for an hour beofre brekafast - not this weekend. It was great to see JJ again as not seen for years. Nice to relax with Mats, Richard and Tony. Some other super talks with anyone daft enought to hang around me for more than a couple of minutes.

I also should mention the talks which I thought were very good indeed. Venue was actually really good, could have been a fawtly towers special, but ended up doing the business.

Jools

Glad you all enjoyed the weekend, I know I did..
But you will all have to try harder for next year.(promise me you'll try harder to keep up) When Coryman, Alan Vazier and myself looked around at 4.30am there were no one else to be seen, apart from the night porter. & we got up for breakfast,,!!
I don't know young 'uns these days; can't stand the pace

Any way its the CSG's Spring auction this Sunday; early indications looks like it will be a good one.