# New source of Wild South American fish with potential.



## Ed Seeley (29 Jan 2008)

Just thought I'd add a link to something that I think could be a really valuable source of fish for our tanks, especially things like Otos, cories and tetras.

TA Aquaculture, who I use for all my dried food and Brine shrimp (they sell really  good quality stuff for very good prices), are starting to import and sell fish imported from South America.  At the minute their range isn't too big, but what they have looks like real quality.  I haven't bought anything yet (so cannot personally vouch for the fish) but I am very tempted to order some of the Otocinclus as at Â£10 for 10 they are a lot cheaper than my LFS!  They also have Rummy nosed tetras (that look very nice) and Dwarf cories among others.
Tim (who runs the site) is a hobbiest who keeps and breeds a lot of killifish and not just an importer or retailer who ships things in and out with little regard for health and condition so I imagine these will be real quality.

Thought the link below might come in handy for some of you and obviously the range stocked will only improve if this is a success so that is why I'm putting this link here.  Please note I haven't ordered any yet and I, in no way, have any interest in this business apart from as a customer, but I am sure Tim will provide a quality service with these as he does with his food.

Anyway if you want a look, here it is;
http://www.ta-aquaculture.co.uk/Fish_Sa ... _Sales.htm


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## milla (29 Jan 2008)

Great link ed, Thanks been looking for a quality food supplier for a while.

Not sure about buying fish online though, needs planning so someone is their to take delivery on a work day.


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## Ed Seeley (29 Jan 2008)

milla said:
			
		

> Great link ed, Thanks been looking for a quality food supplier for a while.
> 
> Not sure about buying fish online though, needs planning so someone is their to take delivery on a work day.



Cheers Milla.  The food is absolutely brilliant quality.  I use their Red Crumb and the bog standard flake which comes in 150g bags.  Just store them in the fridge and put small amounts in some tubs for day-to-day use; it'll keep for ever then.

I've bought fish online a few times and also had fish sent from other fishkeepers from Chester and even as far away as Germany and eggs sent in water from Hawaii!  I have only had two losses when the Royal Mail 'mislaid' the parcels for a day (or 5 in one case)!  You do need to be able to sort them out though so I usually order fish during the holidays (as I'm a teacher I can't take a day off to recieve them!) or get them sent to school where I can put them in the tanks there for a few hours.

You're right; it does take planning though.   
I'm pretty sure I'm going to order 10 Otos from there and possibly a big group of Carydora pygmaeus and some Marbled Hatchets too to arrive during half term.


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## milla (1 Feb 2008)

Ordered assorted food from Tim on Wed, recieved Thurs and i have to agree - Superb quality.  

got the mixed crumb- moulded with water as suggested and this is the fiirst time i have ever seen ottos in a feeding frenzy for anything but fresh algae.

Same with flake and red crumb with the other fish, they definately appreciate the change from the usual flake.


And no nasty oily film either.

So from me and my fish, Thanks again Ed.


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## Ed Seeley (1 Feb 2008)

milla said:
			
		

> Ordered assorted food from Tim on Wed, recieved Thurs and i have to agree - Superb quality.
> 
> got the mixed crumb- moulded with water as suggested and this is the fiirst time i have ever seen ottos in a feeding frenzy for anything but fresh algae.
> 
> ...



Good stuff isn't it?  I used to think Tetra Prima was great, but this stuff knocks socks off it and at half the price (if not more!)
The only thing my Otos go for more than the crumb is Nori sheets - they love that too as a treat.
Glad you like it.


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## gratts (7 Mar 2008)

Eds, I hope you don't mind me asking, but which school do you work at?


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## GreenNeedle (8 Mar 2008)

Sorry to be a pain but can you put up the actual name as listed on theie site?

Mixed crumb seems to cover loads of different things, not to mention the grades on there. lol

I'm interested in replacing Tetra Prima pellets.  I get them quite cheap and the cardinals, Rams and Plecs absolutely love them but I would be interested to see if they react the same or better with this food as they have in yours.

Andy


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## milla (8 Mar 2008)

Andy

The mix the ottos and plecs go mad for is the

Spirulina & Astax blend - comes in one grain size - you mix with water and mould into pellets. Is like fresh algae pellets.

That said they also appear to like the Red Astax crumb on its own, as for the grain size that is going to depend on the size of fish you are feeding . i.e covers a range from fry up, your decision. I went for grade 2 0.5mm to 0.8mm as i keep threadfin rainbow fish and they only have small mouths.
Have seen a marked improvement in the colours and health of my threadfins since feeding with this.  better colours, more energy (shoaling rather than lazing about the tank) and fatter bellies. Is ideal for the smaller fish that are popular in the aquascaping scene.

The trpoical flake is better than any mass produced flake i have used before IMO.  And i think i have tried them all at some time in the last 20+ years i have been keeping fish.

Give it a try you wonâ€™t be dissapointed.


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## Ed Seeley (8 Mar 2008)

I only use the Red Astax crumb and the standard tropical flake.

If you click this link, http://www.ta-aquaculture.co.uk/Dried_Foods.htm and then click on the Hyperlink 'Red Crumb' then it takes you straight to that.  Even my _Pseudomugil gertrudae_, who were only eating baby brine shrimp at first, now eat it with gusto.

The flake is the Standard Tropical Flake near the bottom of this page, http://www.ta-aquaculture.co.uk/Flake_Foods.htm

It looks like Tim hasn't got the fish for sale any more.  Not sure why.


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## TDI-line (9 Mar 2008)

I think i'm going to try some of these as my tetra foods are nearly empty.


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## a1Matt (27 Mar 2008)

*Re:*



			
				TDI-line said:
			
		

> I think i'm going to try some of these



me too! Especially if Otos will eat it. I have never got mine to eat anything except greens before 

The blue tetras look interesting as well. I have never seen them in a LFS.

Thanks for the link


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## Ed Seeley (27 Mar 2008)

The link to the fish sales has been removed from the main TA Aquaculture site so I'd e-mail Tim for more details before ordering.


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## GreenNeedle (11 Mar 2009)

I've just ordered some of this food.

I got the:
Astax crumb Grade 2 for the Cory fry.  To replace first bites
Astax crumb grade 8 for the Otos & Corys. To replace tetra ruby prima pellets
Standard flake for the Rasboras.  To replace tetra ruby flake.

Will let you know how they like it 

AC


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## Ejack (25 Mar 2009)

He's now sold out of Grade 5 and Grade 8 as well as the Standard Flake 

Hope he restocks soon. I'll bookmark this link thanks a lot Ed, nice find.


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## Ed Seeley (25 Mar 2009)

Ejack said:
			
		

> He's now sold out of Grade 5 and Grade 8 as well as the Standard Flake
> 
> Hope he restocks soon. I'll bookmark this link thanks a lot Ed, nice find.



No worries.  He'll get some more in as soon as he can - the granular stuff is a big seller for him AFAIK.  I bought some of the Golden Pearls dry food last time and that's great stuff too.  It floats in the water column for longer and has got some Nothobranchius korthausae killifish onto dry food that really aren't supposed to eat it!!  Made life a lot easier at school!


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