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HI!!

I am searching for a breeding report on Garra rufa, if anyone has seen this somewhere, that would be nice.

I was noticed by a biologist friend that these fish are being used lately in SPA and other "wellness center".
A company is selling these by 1000...the things that comes to my mind once I saw that was...well that is one massacre in route...I really wonder what is the survival rate of these fish in those SPA center ....this is the "IN" threatment and more and more center are willing to use this.
I know this skin threatment is being used in Turkey for a long time, because this fish occurs naturally in some small pool there...but "exporting" it inside swimming pools, tanks...

Cheers
Yann

What makes you think they are even Garra rufa?

Hi!!

Good question, I haven't seen the fish, but I believe they are what they pretend to be.
At least they are sold that way. They also say they are being mass bred..probably with the help of hormons.

But I was wondering if this fish has been bred "naturally" under aquarium conditions and how it happened.

Cheers
Yann

They're a highly variable and poorly known species, probably comprising a whole complex.

And there are other species too. For example, there is a picture of a bona-fide wild caught Garra ghorensis here on FishBase, and this matches exactly the species we see for sale as G. rufa.

Not saying it is definitely one or the other, just pointing out the ambiguity!

Oh, and no idea about the breeding I'm afraid.

garra ghorensis is critically endangered.....I don't think it's a likely candidate to flood the market in their millions

also; the ghorensis has clear fins and a white belly.
the rufa will develop fins with a reddish hue when in good health and a dark belly

I bought 10 rufa's a few months ago. supposedly captive bred, they were tiny.
I've kept them outside in a pool; but it was a roomy pool, filtration, plants, other fish, NO chlorine.
a temporary pond, sort of.
I lost a few unfortunately after adjusting them for tanklife, but the remaining 7 do fine, they're grazing all day

funny thing; they eat algae, they seem to accept all the diverse foods I give them, but they also clean me!
I was planting Vallisneria's in the tank a few days ago (food for the Etroplus canarensis) and everytime istuck my hand in the tank they would stop with whatever they were doing and start grazing me
it tickles

i have read that Garra rufa only grazes on humans when theyre kept underfed, but obviously mine haven't read that article
despiote brown and green algae, lots of plants, stones and wood and daily feedings, they graze me
and they don't touch the other fish! wich is good.

a really nice fish to keep in a tank so far. lively, peaceful and fun to watch.

but I agree they shouldn't be kept in a true pool or a bucket or something. thy deserve a proper set up tank or pond.

I was wondering if this fish has been bred "naturally" under aquarium conditions and how it happened.

Probably not, definitely not in any quantities; the only loaches I know of which are commonly bred under normal aquarium conditions are a few balitorids, notably Sewellia lineolata.
A quick search of the net suggests Garra rufa (or whatever species of Garra it really is) are being artificially bred in large quantities in south east asia.

As for the wild population I've (anecdotally) been told it's a common fish where it occurs, and like all fish from the eastern mediterranean I expect it's more threatened by habitat loss through water extraction than overfishing.

Hi!

Thanks for your answer...I also think this fish is being bred in mass using artificial methods...

I did saw some offer for sale with stating "German bred" so makes me wonder.

Otherwise do you know of any potential species of Garra being bred naturaly in aquarium??
Cheers
Yann

Hi,

several species of Garra have been "naturally" spawned in the aquarium.
Have a little trouble to come up with a decent "proof", since loaches are not really my center of interest.

But in an article available online in DATZ (http://www.datz.de/Garra-rufa---Eine-Bi ... 4DC51C80BE), a short account on breeding them in the aquarium is given (only in German, I´m afraid).
There is a small collection of additional reports on that, but I´d prefer to direct you to the loaches section of IG BSSW (http://www.ig-bssw.org), one of the guys there should know (and have done it themselves).

Hope that helps,

Cheers, Sandor

HI Sandor!!

Many thanks for the link and the information!!

Cheers
Yann

sidguppy wrote:garra ghorensis is critically endangered.....I don't think it's a likely candidate to flood the market in their millions

True, but it only takes a few individuals to be hormone bred and passed around, and you have many thousand.

There is some more info on G. rufa here.

Garra flavatra is one of the few that has been bred in captivity. See here.

By the way, Garra aren't loaches, they are cyprinids!

Hi!

Many many thanks for you very usefull help regarding this topic...
cheers
Yann