# Does anyone know the names of any RARE FRESHWATER fishes?



## DarkRevoultions (Sep 5, 2008)

Hello.

I've been researching SO many fishes that are freshwater and are becoming rare. And most of the fishes that are freshwater and rare occur most in South America. 

Although other countries do have rare fishes probably due to pollution or over fishing. Although in South America, I heard that the rarest fishes are the Pirarucu or _Arapaima Gigas_ and the worlds largest freshwater catfish found in South America.

Although I love rare fishes, and I've been trying to find them in pet stores. although I can't. I myself actually grew up in South America. I grew up in Peru in the 1980's and I was able to get an experience on seeing how many varieties of fishes were like back then. Although now the fishes I once knew and loved are slowly becoming more and more rare.

Like I used to see Zebra plecos in the river behind my home, and they were everywhere but now I only see common plecos. That tells me that when I went back last year, things have changed drastically. Now that I hear that the government(s) in south america are starting to block river ways meaning that fishes can't get out or in. But I hear that zebra plecos are now illegal to get out from the wild. Along with other rare species.

Although angels and discus don't seem to be too rare. They are more common because people who breed them can keep them and sell them. Although people still do get them wild caught. 

So do you know any other rare freshwater fishes?

And do you think what the Government is doing is good? Or bad?


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## phil_pl (Apr 10, 2009)

the only "rare" fish i know of are all the cichlids from lake victoria since they added the fish that ate them all, how sad

WOW i just checked my source i can get the Arapaima Gigas, not too horribly expensive


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## DarkRevoultions (Sep 5, 2008)

Oh you live in South America?

Like I said before, I could see plecos a long time ago. Various species, and the rivers were not dammed yet and much of the wildlife was still very common and not as polluted as now.


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## Oldman (May 25, 2009)

There are lots of very rare, even extinct in the wild, fish in our aquariums. Most of the goodeid group are either quite rare or endangered in the wild. I even have some that are extinct in the wild. I would hesitate to let most people have any from my tanks because they are not pretty enough to be show fish and their preservation is a serious matter while most people do not take their fish very seriously. I do belong to a club that does a lot to preserve some of the goodeids but even there the care that they get is less than perfect.


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