MARINE FISH KEEPING IN NEW ZEALAND

[orectolobus]

Hey You Kiwis out there:

What is the marine fish hobby like in your magnificent country? Is there a good selection of fish available? Are there active marine societies in some of the larger cities? Any info on the hobby on the South Island would be greatly appreciated!

My wife, Janine, is a true blue Kiwi and one of these days we will move "home." We visit her family in Invercargill quite often and I have not been impressed with the marine fish trade in that area. I am sure things are better further north, but I am interested in knowing how much better???

Thanks tons for the info!

 

[ophiuroid]

Hi there,
Don't know directly, but there might be someone there you can contact (though you may have this site already!):

http://www.fnzas.org.nz/

Have a soft spot for the South Island myself, as it is where I met my husband while doing some dissertation research (Dunedin). Once again, I would like to thank the American taxpayer for funding that very productive trip!

 

[Scholesy]

Hi Orecto, Ophi asked me to have a chat to you about this as I'm a long-suffering aquarist in New Zealand. The marine scene here is actually pretty sad. You can count the number of shops in the country on 2 hands that sell marine fish, which arrive infrequently and the selection is modest is the nicest way of putting it. Depending on where you were based, the 3 best places are (in order) Auckland, Christchurch, and New Plymouth. I live in Wellington, and there is one shop that I will never buy from - the owner is arrogant, his prices outrageous, and his stock ich-Aiptasia-algae infested.

Prices of everything is very expensive here - so I strongly suggest you bringing back equipment if you do re-settle. As examples:

Aquamedic Turboflotor Skimmer: $1000NZ = $470US
Yellow Tang (juvenile): $140NZ = $65US
Leather coral (small): $80NZ = $37US
SeaClone skimmer: $400NZ = $180US

As you can see, prices are inflated by up to 300% on some items.

There are a small number of reefkeepers in NZ, and if you get to know some of them they may be able to help with frags, for a small donation. Live rock is not permitted in this country anymore by the crazy government, because the small, tropical animals could wreak havoc in our icy waters if an aquarist - who used to pay huge sums for a small lump of such rock - dumped it into the sea. Go figure.

Sorry about the rant.

Anyway, if you do come to NZ and settle in Wellington, keep in touch - I'd like to hear from you.

FWIW: my tank....

43g, yellow tang (juv), percula, coral beauty, cleaner shrimp, 5 x glass shrimp, blue starfish, carnation coral, leather coral, zooanthids, caulastrea, local filamentous pink algae, tubeworms, bits and pieces.

1.025sG, pH 8.1, kH 11, PO4 0, NH3 0, NO3 <5ppm, NO2 0, temp 26.5C

3 x NO tubes w/- reflectors, Eheim 2228 canister, modified SeaCLone skimmer.

All the best!
Scholesy

 

[ophiuroid]

Yikes. I know there is an extraordinarily good selection of local, but alas dead, marine inverts in New Zealand (esp. in Wellington where I spent a week or so at NIWA). I know the Kiwis are very, very active in monographic works of their native marine inverts....and there are a lot of unique forms. I guess it does not surprise me to learn that they are very concerned about introductions. Did they come around and confiscate all LR? :wink: If you can bag a giant squid for them, they might be willing to talk I also had some success with cream buns.

 

[Scholesy]

Coldwater / temperate species.... that's another story! I'm a volunteer at a Marine Education Centre here in Wellington and have ready access to snapper, octopus, seahorses, conger eels, carpet sharks, lobsters, anenomes, starfish, etc etc....

Any visitors from the US or Canada coming to Wellington NZ; email me and I might be able to tee up a behind-the-scenes visit in exchange for some Big Red chewing gum LOL

 

[Carringtonite]

Hi, I will be the first to admit that New Zealand (especially the South Island) is more than a bit backwards when it comes to reef keeping. I'm at Otago University and the saltwater fish scene is near non-existent here in Dunedin. Christchurch (where I from) is better with five stores that stock marine fish. Most of the fish prices seem to be comparable to America except for ones from Hawaii (like yellow tangs). However, selection is limited and you are probably going to have to order most of the fish you want. Custom tanks are reasonably priced, but equipment can be expensive here. Your best bet coming from America is to bring all your non-electrical stuff with you. For lights, pumps, heaters etc. you are either going to have to bite the bullet and buy it here (where its covered by the consumer guarantees act) or import from Australia or Europe where the voltage is the same and prices are better. I suppose one benefit of a backwater reef keeping society is that when you do manage to scrape together a good set-up, it will be all the more rare and appreciable here :wink:


I'm on the lookout for fellow hobbyists in Dunedin and Christchurch, someone to swap stories, advice etc. Send me an email or PM.

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

Live rock is allowed, but only if it has an "allowed" coral growing on it! A truly mad situation.

You can buy dead rock at the wopping price of $4.50US (or more) per kilo.

If you want snails, you have to collect them yourself. Fortunately the common snail around costal Auckland is both reef safe, and a ferious eater of algae.

The list of allowed organisms is very restricted. For example, no Xenia are allowed. However, as you can imagine, all sort of things are here that aren't allowed. Xenia being one example - you just have to know who has some to get a cutting.

Want a coral added to the list? No problem so long as you've at least $1500US per species to pay for the rubber stamping of the forms.

Salifert test kits, or all things, are very cheap here. Tanks are very cheap too. Just about everythig else is very expensive.

Until very recently, it was all but impossible to buy a decent skimmer locally. One of the local hobbyists is now bringing in one of the German brands. His website if aqua.net.nz

Salt? Well, it's expensive. A 8kg bag of Instant Ocean goes for between $25US and $40US.

Want a Yellow Tang? Well, you might have to wait six months until one of the handful of importers can be bothered brining some in.

The odds are stacked against you in NZ. I recommend that you bring everything you're ever going to need with you.