Do any local fish stores sell Biota cultured fish?

[segooey]

Specifically, I'm interested in getting one of their Green Mandarinfish and perhaps a super aiptasia eating Matted Filefish.http://biotapalau.com/usa-wholesale-inquiries/If not these, does anyone local sell captive raised (i.e. eats prepared foods) Mandarinfish/Dragonets?

 

[mwilk19]

I've never seen anyone offering them. I'm waiting for AlgaeBarn to start selling them again. Biota is expanding their facility and they are supposed to be available sometime this month. I want to get a captive bred Mandarin and Regal Tang and then eventually a captive bred Yellow Tang.

 

[alanbetiger]

Reef remedies in Denton (not sure if they're still around) used to do monthly orders from ORA you could add anything to. If not any store should be able to do a special order for you from ORA for a mandarin

 

[jccaclimber]

ORA stopped breeding and selling Mandarins a while ago, I think it's been a couple years.If anyone finds a local source for Biota fish I would like to know who they are.

 

[alanbetiger]

I was definitely not in the know. But I did email ORA and got this response from Jordan Noe the Director of Sales.[Good morning Alan, great to hear from you! Sadly we are not actively producing mandarins, and we have them listed as][?]<em style="color: #222222;font-family: arial, sans-serif;font-size: 12.8px">not currently available</em>[?][on our website. We may be able to trickle out a few of our remaining specimens later this year, but I?m not sure. I can absolutely keep you posted, where do you live? What stores in your area do you like to shop at?]?<u></u>?<u></u>If you?re ever looking for any ORA aquacultured animal, please don?t hesitate to reach out and contact me directly. I?m happy to help!<u></u><u></u><u></u>?<u></u>Jordan Noe<u></u><u></u> Director of Sales<u></u><u></u>Oceans Reefs and Aquariums<u></u><u></u>o |?772.252.6706<u></u><u></u>c |?541.908.4552<u></u><u></u>[www.orafarm.com/]

 

[Oscarmk]

Is there a place online you can buy a mandarin fish that will eat prepared foods?, would definitely be interested.

 

[mwilk19]

Algaebarn now has captive bred Mandarins available. The fish is $80 and shipping is another $60+. I'm not sure why shipping is so much more than usual.

 

[Oscarmk]

 

[mwilk19]

My wife bought me for my birthday a Mandarin and a captive bred Regal Tang from Algaebarn. I'm trying to add as many captive bred fish to my tank as I can. Even though they are expensive, I believe that captive bred is the future of our hobby.

 

[DNA]

You probably will not find many LFS that will sell biota stuff since they sell to the public and are a direct competitor to them.

 

[mwilk19]

I thought I'd post a few pictures of my captive bred Mandarin and Regal Tang. The Mandarin is very small but I have a lot of pods in my tank and he has no other competition so he should be fine. The Regal is hiding under my RBTA which sends me into panic attacks.View attachment 283

 

[jccaclimber]

The mandarin looks a bit pale in the pictures, is that just the pictures and blue lighting? ?I'm looking forward to seeing how these guys do. ?Is the regal eating well?

 

[mwilk19]

It's just the coloration of the picture. Photography is not my strong suit. He's small so he hasn't acquired that deep blue yet. The Regal has been picking at the rock. He's still adjusting to tank life. I'm guessing that both of these fish were in holding tanks so a reef tank with rock may be a new experience for them. Both of these fish were 3 to 4 times more in cost than what you would pay in a LFS but I believe that this will be the future of our hobby. Prices will come down as the techniques and processes become more successful.?

 

[jccaclimber]

I'm with you on that one. ?I would put up with the $80 price tag on a captive bought mandarin, although in my case I already have one in the tank. ?Ended up getting one from a fellow reefer (before I found out about Biota) last year after waiting over a year for a captive one from somewhere else.

 

[Oscarmk]

Not only that but captive bred usually means less diseases and much better chance of adapting and thriving in our systems.

 

[mwilk19]

Not only that but captive bred usually means less diseases and much better chance of adapting and thriving in our systems.? ?"]I was just talking to my wife about it. The Regal Tang has probably never been in a tank with rock. More than likely he spent all of his time in grow out tanks so that might explain why he's a little freaked out in my tank.

 

[mwilk19]

Happy to report that the Regal Tang ate mysis with gusto this afternoon and the Mandarin spends his day hunting for pods.

 

[Mike R]

Great news!

 

[jenkinscrew]

That's awesome, glad they are doing well!