Plecostomus now Banned!?

Can someone please confirm this report which is now circulating.

"I'm sure we've all had this fish at some point in our lives. But authorities have now banned this fish because it has caused major problems throught the world, the worst cases being Mexico & the Philippines. Apparently they are causing problems in Richards Bay as well. So now the common & hi-fin Pleco will be banned from the pet trade." (C.Wayne)

 

yes correct

Liposarcus spp. Plecostomus

 

Henk, do you have the new blacklist?

I think it's rather silly though. Plecos aren't even established pests (they're not even sure if they're a threat, just a "possibility"). Think about Goldfish, Carp, Swordtails, Guppies, etc. They're pests as well, hell, the govenment knows that they're pests. But because of a possibility, they're banning plecs?

 

This is the list that went into Goverment Gazette 3 April 2009. Gazette number 32090. Notice 349 of 2009, Department of Enviromental Affairs and Tourism.....

Abramis spp. bream spp. indicates all species
in the genus
Acantharcus spp.
Acheilognathus spp. bitterling
Acipenser spp. sturgeon
Ameiurus spp. bullheads
Amia calva Bowfin/Mudfish/Dogfish
Amphilius spp. Golden African kuhli
Anabas spp. Climbing perch/Climbing fish
Anguilla spp.
Aphanius spp. minnow
Aplocheilichthys spp. killifish
Arapaima gigas Arapaima
Bagrus spp.
Barilius spp.
Bathyclarias spp. Catfish
Centrarchus spp.
Chaca chaca Frogmouth catfish
Channa spp. snakeheads
Chela spp.
Chetia spp.
Chiloglanis spp.
Chologaster cornutus
Chondrostoma spp. Nasling
Chrysichthys spp.
Cichla spp. Peacock cichlid
Colossoma spp. pacu
Coregonus spp.
Cottus spp.
Croilia spp.
Cyprinodon spp. pupfish
Docimodus spp. Catfish
Elassoma spp.
Electrophorus electricus Electric eel
Engraulicyprus spp.
Enneacanthus spp.
Esox spp.
Eutropius spp.
Fundulus spp.
Galaxias spp. galaxias
Gambusia spp.
Gasterosteus spp.
Gephyroglanis spp.
Alien Invasive Species / Freshwater Fish SANBI 18 November 2008 invasives@sanbi.org 2 of 35
Glossogobius spp.
Gobio spp.
Gymnallabes spp.
Heterobranchus spp.
Hucho hucho Huchen
Huso huso Beluga sturgeon
Hydrocynus spp. African tiger fish
Ictalurus spp.
Idus idus Silver/Golden orf
Jordanella floridae American flagfish
Lampetra spp.
Lates spp.
Lepomis spp. sunfishes
Leptoglanis spp.
Leuciscus spp.
Liposarcus spp. Plecostomus
Lota lota Burbot
Luciosoma setigerum Apollo shark
Malapterurus spp.
Marcusenius spp.
Mesobola spp.
Micropterus spp. (except the 3
species in Category 2) Bass (except the 3 species in
Category 2)
Misgurnus spp Weather fish
Myleus spp. Brown metynnis
Neochanna spp. mudfish
Neomacheilus spp. Loaches
Notemigonus crysoleucas Golden shiner
Notropis spp. shiner
Oncorhynchus spp.(excluding
rainbow trout) Trout / Salmon
Ophicephalus spp. Snakehead
Opsaridium spp. barilius
Oreochromis spp.(excluding
Oreochromis hybrids in zoning
category for aquaculture)
tilapias
Oryzias spp. Rice fish/Geisha girl/Golden mede
Osmerus eperlanus Smelt
Paragalaxias spp. Paragalaxias
Perca spp. Perch
Percina spp. Percina darters
Petrocephalus spp. Mormyrid
Petromyzon marinus Lamprey
Phoxinus spp. Minnow
Plecostomus spp. plecostomus
Pogonopoma spp. catfish
Pomoxis spp.
Protopterus spp. Lung fish
Pseudocrenilabrus spp.
Alien Invasive Species / Freshwater Fish SANBI 18 November 2008 invasives@sanbi.org 3 of 35
Pseudorasbora spp. Whiptail sturgeon
Pseudorinelepis spp. catfish
Pterygoplichthys spp. plecos all species
Pungitius spp. stickleback
Pygocentrus spp. Piranha
Pygosteus spp. stickleback
Rhinelepis spp. catfish
Rhamdia spp.
Rhinichthys atratulus atatulus Black-nose dance
Rhinichthys atratulus obtusus
Rhodeus spp.
Rooseveltiella spp. Piranha
Rutilus spp. Roach
Salmo spp. (except brown trout and
Atlantic salmon) Trout and salmon
Salvelinus spp.
Sargochromis spp.
Sarotherodon spp.
Schilbe spp.
Serrasalmus spp. piranha
Siluris glanis European/Wels/Waller catfish
Thymallus thymallus Grayling

 

Hold on - are these the only blacklisted species?

 

correct

 

So this is the common pleco?

 

Ok then I'm quite stoked - I see no mention of Potomotrygon or Parachanna.

 

so i csn talk about my jewels and Herotilapia multispinosa on the forums now?

 

its not law yet - JZ is tooooooo busy flying SAA

 

why does it say then :

Liposarcus spp. Plecostomus
Plecostomus spp. plecostomus
Pterygoplichthys spp. plecos all species

Are those all the common pleco?

 

those are all the synonyms for the same thing....

from planet catfish:


735. Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii (i:4, k:2)
736. Pterygoplichthys anisitsi (i:1, k:0)
737. Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (i:2, k:7)
738. Pterygoplichthys etentaculatus (i:1, k:1)
739. Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps (i:31, k:154)
740. Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus (i:16, k:76)
741. Pterygoplichthys lituratus (i:6, k:0)
742. Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus (i:1, k:2)
743. Pterygoplichthys pardalis (i:24, k:164)
744. Pterygoplichthys parnaibae (i:4, k:1)
745. Pterygoplichthys punctatus (i:3, k:7)
746. Pterygoplichthys scrophus (i:9, k:43)
747. Pterygoplichthys sp. (1) (i:1, k:0)
748. Pterygoplichthys sp. (L154) (i:0, k:0)
749. Pterygoplichthys sp. (L164) (i:2, k:4)
750. Pterygoplichthys sp. (L313) (i:1, k:3)
751. Pterygoplichthys sp. (L347) (i:1, k:2)
752. Pterygoplichthys sp. `Rio Callaru` (i:3, k:0)
753. Pterygoplichthys weberi (i:16, k:7)
754. Pterygoplichthys zuliaensis (i:1, k:0)

 

On the bright side it'll stop all the pet shops from selling Plecos to everyone with a tank as an 'algae eater' and not telling them that their little 45cm tank is too small to keep a pleco in.

 

true Vee - they will be in the trade for a little while to come still....

 

I'm also curious - which plec is this? (googled the latin name, google's got nothing)

 

see this post: http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showpost.php?p=11365&postcount=12

 

Do you see any ancistrus on the list of names i posted?! i sure dont...

Its ONLY common plecos and their family thats banned. including the gibbiceps

 

Henk what's a good alternative for a cleaner fish?

I have always liked Synodontis Upsidedowns, but I'm not really sure they do much.

The Petricolas are also very cool, but quite small and very expensive especially in schools.

 

hoplos are nice imo