Hey all! I want to share some pics with you from a recent Hong Kong trip. Of course, I had to make a special trip to the famous Gold Fish Market
! Let me tell ya, the shops selling freshwater aquatic plants and fish are numerous. The depth and breadth of flora and fauna are unbelievable! Interestingly, salt water/reef tanks are in the minority, unless you count the ones in restaurants
.
Some notes:
- Most stores don't seem to have a problem with tourists taking pictures and I did so often in full view of store owners and employees. In some stores, I was not able to photograph many nice tanks because a "no photo or video" sign was prominently displayed above some choice tanks.
- Most shop keepers speak little English. My broken Mandarin was not much help. Cantonese is the norm. By and large service was was brisk but courteous.
- Obviously, I could not take home any livestock or plants. I was not even so sure about driftwood..and they had a lot of really nice pieces for cheap
. I bought 3 Shou stones home only to have one of them confiscated by customs because there was soil (Aquasoil) trapped in some of the holes 
. - Intense competition between so many stores in a small area means that living and non-living stuff is relatively inexpensive as $1 USD = $7.50 HKD. Examples in HKD: ADA MH bulb $480; small bottle of Green Gain and Green Bacter $85; 30 mm ADA pollen glass beetle $500; 500 ml Tropica TPN+ $198. I was particularly impressed by the selection of trimless tanks that give the ADA ones a run for their money. These beauties make the ones we see in here in the US look like garbage. Cash only, no sales tax.
- I was really impressed by the passion and interest that people of HK have for freshwater fish and tanks. I can only hope this hobby starts to take off more in the US.
Enough talk
Enjoy the slide show!
http://s469.photobucket.com/albums/r...view=slideshow