Why are there so many Rhinopias on the market

[mjdlonghorn]

These fish use to be few and far between. I had only seen pictures of them on the internet. Now even my lfs is selling them, usually this guy only has a tank full of blue chromis and yellow tangs. never anything exotic.

Other websites like the marine center even have them on sale. Does anyone know exactly why these fish, which where so hard find, are now readily available. I dont believe it is supply and demand. For as long as I have been in the hobby people have been willing to pay top dollar. Retailers would have waiting list. It is not like collectors where unaware of their value.

I am worried that the ocean is being sucked dry of these creatures.

Doesnt it take this fish longer than normal reef species to reach sexual maturity?

[seapug]

The availability of fish is often sporadic-- can be from a number of different reasons depending on where they come from. When they are available, they usually end up at wholesalers all at the same time so they suddenly become "common" when only months earlier they were impossible to find.

Some fish are only available when they migrate into shallows for breeding. Others are only allowed to be harvested during a season dictated by local governments to protect their populations (like Deer or duck season for hunters). Others are captive bread, so availability is dictated by the spawning/growout period-- thousands are raised from spawn then made available to wholesalers