Who are the major Tropheus/Tang breeders still operating in AUS?

[timothy2]

Hi guys, 

Have been out of the Hobby for around 8 years and pretty heartbroken to see the state of things these days compared to the busy and energetic forums and abundant supply of a wide range of high quality Tangs we had a decade ago. I used to be very active on a number of forums back when I was in QLD many of which don't even exist anymore (e.g. tropheus & frontosa fanatics, QLD cichlid trader). Those that do remain seem to be a shadow of their former selves with far less activity and stock available. Has this activity and availability of stock moved to other platforms or has there been a general exodus of people from the hobby and with it stock?

I now live up in Darwin where there is very little available in the cichlid space and basically nothing when it comes to Tangs. My main question is who are the remaining big Tang breeders around AUS? Looking to get some Tropheus up here to start with, who still has good quality WC or F1 colonies going? Been trying to track down contact details for old breeders I knew like Jims Tropheus and Deb in VIC but no luck as of yet. 

My other question is whether anyone is still getting WC or german bred stock imported into AUS? Last I recall (a long time ago) they were trying to introduce new import testing requirements which were going to send prices sky high. What happen to the old importers like Loyd Ashton (anyone have contact details for him been meaning to catch-up?), Meng at Keysborough or Parkesg?

Cheers, 

Tim 

 

[brucem]

I didn’t think NT residents were allowed to keep cichlids for fear that anything released into the natural waterways could be devastating for native fish.  Has that changed?

[timothy2]

Hey @brucem, my understanding is that they've changed things so that the import list for the Territory, whether from interstate or overseas, reflects the federal import list for allowable imports from overseas. So Tropheus are fine but obviously some other favourites like Altolamprologus can't come up which is pretty gutting. I've got some friends in NT Fisheries and biosecurity I'm getting confirmation from. 

No clubs or auctions up here like down south to interact with other hobbyist and gauge what is getting around so forums like this are the only way I can gauge things. 

Have you got any idea of whether anyone is still importing from overseas?

[brucem]

That’s interesting.  It’s good you’ve got friends in the right places.

I understand that there are some people starting to import again.  But I haven’t heard of them advertising to the public yet.