Aquaria Information from

WHERE DO YOUR FISH COME FROM? (CONTINUED)

    Many of the common tetras originally from South America are now farm bred and raised. Neons are imported from Hong Kong, as Florida breeders have been largely unsuccessful in their breeding attempts thus far. Black neons and Glolights both come from Florida. Hong Kong. Emperor and King Tetras, Blind Caves and large sizes of White Clouds, Head and Tail Lights, Black Tetras, Bloodfins, Von Rios, Lemon Tetras and Silvertips also come from Florida. But the baby (small) size of many of these types that wholesalers sell are from Hong Kong. 

   Black Phantoms come from Florida, yet Red Phantoms are wild caught in South America! Also still wild caught from South America are Hatchets, Cardinals, Pencils, Blue, Brass, Loreto, Rummy-nose and Bleeding Heart tetras. The large characins- chalceus, abramites, anostomus, exodons, hemiodus, chilodus (head standers) and prochilodus- are also caught in South America.

    As with everything in the animal and plant kingdoms, the largest variety of wild caught and native fishes come from South America and the neotropical region, including Central America. Also from these areas are Black and Chocolate Ghosts, Transparent Knives, Black and Silver Arowanas, Stingrays, all of the Shovelnose Cats, Corydoras (although Florida now raises Green Aeneus, Paleatus, Panda and Albino Cats), Otocinclus, Blue-eyed, Royal, Clown and other plecostomus (the common type is raised in Florida), Leaf Fish, Banjo and all Raphael Cats, Pimelodellas, Loricarids, Portholes and Hoplos. Due to weather conditions- particularly the rainy season- many are only seasonally available.

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