# Channel Catfish illegal in NY!?



## thenewseverum (Nov 23, 2010)

A customer had told me that Blue Channel Catfish are going to become illegal to sell in the state of New York. Now, I could understand why, if people are releasing them, but they are a good selling pond fish that everyone wants. Has anyone else heard anything about this? Same thing with sting rays, I heard that too.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

The blues arent native to NY are they? I think its the risk of what the blues will do to the channel cat population in the state waterways, its all about the almighty dollar, if the non natives get out of ponds during flooding(much like the midwest) the fish can get into the native water system and from there can have a severe impact on the revenue the state gets from sportsmen.

They do make great pond cats but if they are true blues then I am almost certain as a angler to say they are being released due to their size as a true blue cat can and has been over 150 pounds.


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## Scuff (Aug 10, 2010)

They're already banned in around 40 or so states, and with good reason. Once they get into native waterways, they reproduce like mad, and destroy the ecosystem. They have few to no major predators in most states, and they push out native species until there's nothing left but the catfish. They get entirely too large for most aquariums, and in my opinion have no place being sold in an aquarium store.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

Scuff is dead on, I fish for these things and I couldnt imagine ANY honest LFS selling these for aquarium use.
Here is just a little bit about the Blue cat from cat tracker bait company
"(ictalurus furcatus) The blue cat is referred to both other names, white, great blue, Mississippi cat, humpback, and its often mistaken for a channel cat. The blue cat can grow to large sizes, 30 to 50 pounds. However, the blue cat is the most capable of growing to enormous size... 185 to 250 pound blues have been documented by Mark Twain in his writings about American riverlife. Blue cat used to be abundant throughout North America, but they were commercially fished out of existance in several areas. They are making a comeback in some southern waters. Believe it or not, the blue cat may be among the species of fish who actually flourish in rivers that have been tamed by locks, dams and riprap which direct current into the center of rivers, carving out deep holes. It is in these deep chutes and holes where the blue cat thrives."

You are looking at a 10K gallon minimum with heavy current to properly house 2-3 of these fish.


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## thenewseverum (Nov 23, 2010)

Well idk, because Ive always seen them in LFS, My store sells them during pond season, I had 4 of them in my pond for 7 years, when they died they were close to 3 feet and weighed at least 20 or more pounds each. I mean sure, you have those stupid people who let them go, I can understand why they would get banned. I am just wondering due to the fact a customer was looking for them before the ban goes into effect.


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## Scuff (Aug 10, 2010)

thenewseverum said:


> Well idk, because Ive always seen them in LFS, My store sells them during pond season, I had 4 of them in my pond for 7 years, when they died they were close to 3 feet and weighed at least 20 or more pounds each. I mean sure, you have those stupid people who let them go, I can understand why they would get banned. I am just wondering due to the fact a customer was looking for them before the ban goes into effect.


Any LFS worth their salt will never be so irresponsible as to sell these fish, along with pacu and iridescent sharks. Just because a store carries a fish does not mean it is suitable for the average home aquarist.

I was speaking with David Lass the other day, and he mentioned that if the aquarium industry does not start policing itself in regards to the sales of inappropriate fish, the government will start doing it for us. I can guarantee you that we will not like the end result. Did you know that in Massachusetts, Neon Tetras are technically illegal to sell? They fall into the same family of fish as Piranhas (Characidae), and the law forbids the sale of 'piranhas and their relatives', which...you guessed it...includes Neons. Kind of stupid, huh? Now imagine they ban all catfish because some numpty released his full grown channel cat into the closest local watershed.

I know it's frustrating to not be able to buy the fish you want when you want it, but please keep in mind that the less of these things falling into the hands of irresponsible aquarists, the smaller the chance that it will negatively impact the rest of our hobby/industry.


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## thenewseverum (Nov 23, 2010)

Scuff said:


> Any LFS worth their salt will never be so irresponsible as to sell these fish, along with pacu and iridescent sharks.


Every chain pet store, as well as some self owned FS's all have Pacu and iridescent sharks. While I do try to explain to customers on how big these get, they insist on putting them in their child's 10G aquarium. I warned them, no longer my problem. For me, both of those fish are huge sellers, everyone wants them, TBH, if it was me, Red tail cats, Pacu, and Gar would be fish that should be banned. Considering VERY FEW people have the time, money, and space for these fish when they get bigger. Never heard about that with the Neons, that must mean that the fish stores there have no tetras at all. How boring!


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