The Red Wolf (Erythrinus erythrinus) is a species I have wanted ever since I first learned of them; a wolffish that remains reasonably small and displays much more colour than the typical wolves that are often seen? What's not to like? The lengthened dorsal fin adds a certain flash, and the activity level is often described as higher than the larger wolves
But I buy fish only locally, not by mail, and Winnipeg is not exactly awash with well-stocked aquarium stores, so I had never actually laid eyes on a Red Wolf in person, let alone had the chance to buy one. Our one exceptional fish retailer/importer has listed small numbers of this species on at least two occasions over the past few years, but they always seemed to show up when I was working remotely from home. I would watch the stock list on their website and hopelessly see the Red Wolves dwindle in number and sell out, usually just before my scheduled flight home. Dang!
Well, it happened again. They showed a small number (7, I think?) as having arrived along with a number of other species as part of a shipment from Peru. Peru? That's the locale that is supposed to have some of the more colourful of the species! Great! I want one! I watched the website daily; 7 one day, 7 the next day, still 7 the next...and then, two days before my flight home: gone! Son of a...
So flight day (yesterday) arrives, my wife picks me up at the airport, and we swing by that retailer to pick up some food and other supplies on the way home. I meander about checking the tanks, and come upon one labelled as Rainbow Wolf (i.e. Red Wolf). It's empty, of course. I stand staring glumly at it as the guy brings out my order from the back room; I commented "Missed them again, didn't I?"
He frowns. "The wolves? I thought there was one more left in there?" He looks in, then says "just a sec..." and reaches in to lift the Poret foam Mattenfilter that they use across the back of all their tanks...and out pops one fairly skinny 3-inch Red Wolf!
He's hiding now in the 40gallon breeder that I keep set up all the time for just such an emergency. It's filled with driftwood, some flowerpots, and a heavy growth of Java Moss and Duckweed; it remains populated with a colony of guppies whose only mission in life is to keep the tank cycled and healthy, ready for those relatively rare occasions when I bring home new fish. When I added the wolf I removed all but a half dozen or so; in the 24 hours since then at least two have vanished, so I'm pretty sure I know where they went. Haven't actually seen the wolf since he went in, but I plan on sitting quietly in front of the tank tonight and hope to catch a glimpse.
My wife asked me this morning how the wolffish was doing. I replied that I thought he was okay, but hadn't actually seen him once he left the bag. She asked where he would eventually go to live; I allowed that the 40 would likely be his home for the next year or so at least.
"You mean that tank that you can never see into?" I replied in the affirmative.
"And this is a fish that hides a lot?" I said it probably would, yes.
"What else are you gonna have in there with it?" I answered that it would be in a single-fish tank for life.
She rolled her eyes, shook her head...and gave up.
But I buy fish only locally, not by mail, and Winnipeg is not exactly awash with well-stocked aquarium stores, so I had never actually laid eyes on a Red Wolf in person, let alone had the chance to buy one. Our one exceptional fish retailer/importer has listed small numbers of this species on at least two occasions over the past few years, but they always seemed to show up when I was working remotely from home. I would watch the stock list on their website and hopelessly see the Red Wolves dwindle in number and sell out, usually just before my scheduled flight home. Dang!
Well, it happened again. They showed a small number (7, I think?) as having arrived along with a number of other species as part of a shipment from Peru. Peru? That's the locale that is supposed to have some of the more colourful of the species! Great! I want one! I watched the website daily; 7 one day, 7 the next day, still 7 the next...and then, two days before my flight home: gone! Son of a...
So flight day (yesterday) arrives, my wife picks me up at the airport, and we swing by that retailer to pick up some food and other supplies on the way home. I meander about checking the tanks, and come upon one labelled as Rainbow Wolf (i.e. Red Wolf). It's empty, of course. I stand staring glumly at it as the guy brings out my order from the back room; I commented "Missed them again, didn't I?"
He frowns. "The wolves? I thought there was one more left in there?" He looks in, then says "just a sec..." and reaches in to lift the Poret foam Mattenfilter that they use across the back of all their tanks...and out pops one fairly skinny 3-inch Red Wolf!
He's hiding now in the 40gallon breeder that I keep set up all the time for just such an emergency. It's filled with driftwood, some flowerpots, and a heavy growth of Java Moss and Duckweed; it remains populated with a colony of guppies whose only mission in life is to keep the tank cycled and healthy, ready for those relatively rare occasions when I bring home new fish. When I added the wolf I removed all but a half dozen or so; in the 24 hours since then at least two have vanished, so I'm pretty sure I know where they went. Haven't actually seen the wolf since he went in, but I plan on sitting quietly in front of the tank tonight and hope to catch a glimpse.
My wife asked me this morning how the wolffish was doing. I replied that I thought he was okay, but hadn't actually seen him once he left the bag. She asked where he would eventually go to live; I allowed that the 40 would likely be his home for the next year or so at least.
"You mean that tank that you can never see into?" I replied in the affirmative.
"And this is a fish that hides a lot?" I said it probably would, yes.
"What else are you gonna have in there with it?" I answered that it would be in a single-fish tank for life.
She rolled her eyes, shook her head...and gave up.
