iHerp_Australia_-_November_-_December_2018

“That’s easy,” said Mai Yui Hua. “The pet market is well
known and there is a subway station right outside.”

I had limited free time in Guangzhou and had been told
that I should take a look at the aquarium fish market,
which also contained a few small reptile shops sand-
wiched in a corner. Mai, the very helpful girl who
managed the serviced apartments I was staying at, was
assisting me to make use of the excellent Metro rail
system. And she was right; I walked out of the subway
exit directly outside the front entrance of Huadiwan
market.

Huadiwan is huge, and despite time constraints I was to
visit the market three times during my stay in Guang-
zhou. Besides ornamental aquarium fish, aquariums and
accessories, there are large areas that specialise in pets

(birds, along with cats, dogs and other small animals),

turtles, potted plants and landscaping, and rosewood

furniture. Like some other markets in China, Huadiwan

(also known as Yuehe pet market, or Fangcun pet

market) has acquired a certain notoriety over the years

due to trade in protected or endangered wildlife, and the

less than ideal circumstances in which animals are held.

However, this appears to be slowly changing. I was

informed by industry sources of a government raid a few

months back, in which approximately 90 vendors were

questioned over illegal sale of coral; apparently at least

some did time in jail. As a result I did not see a single

piece of live coral in the market.

Visitors in previous years have also reported seeing large

numbers of presumably wild-caught African tortoises and

caiman for sale, together with signs warning of the sale of

illegal reptiles. Again, I didn’t

see a single caiman or

tortoise in the entire

market. Several writers have

been critical of the treat-

ment of dogs and cats, in

particular. I wasn’t overly

interested in the pet section,

but I must admit that

conditions in this area were

not so good. Hundreds of

budgerigars were packed

into small cages like sardines

and left in full sun without

water. I wondered how

many would succumb to the

heat on a daily basis; surely,

at the very least, this could

The Gecko Factories

of Guangzhou.

Paradox beardies, pied

iguanas and giant bullfrogs.

John McGrath investigates.

Image by Eric Isselee.

PLUS

not be good business practice for the vendors?

Likewise, in the aquarium section, many traders

operate just a small bank of tanks, into which they

routinely cram thousands of fish, so that they can

hardly move. The difference being the fish, in

general, look in remarkably good condition, and the

water is always crystal clear. I remarked on this

apparent paradox when I met up with some

Australian aquarists and we agreed that the only way

they could maintain this environment was by

not feeding the fish and by conducting large

daily water changes. The fish did not look

underfed, which led me to conclude that there

must be a very rapid turnover, although this

was not evident on the occasions when I was

present.

This place is fascinating for anyone with even a

casual interest in aquarium fish. Predictably,

there are thousands of koi carp, arowanas,

flowerhorns and blood parrots, but there are

also freshwater stingrays, huge gars, Tiger

Shovelnose Catfish and Redtail Catfish to name

but a few. There is also a whole aisle devoted to stalls

which manufacture miniature aquatic ‘gardens’ attached

to driftwood (the entire area is rigged with elaborate

misting systems), and there a number of shops that

specialise in beautiful aquascaping. Thankfully, I did not

spot any live fish or turtles sold as keyrings, but a number

of stalls were selling bright pink and green frogs, which

are produced by bombarding the unfortunate

creatures with lasers, or injecting them with industrial

dyes. There were also baby turtles with garish designs

painted onto their shells; a practice which has been

roundly condemned on Chinese social media in what is

probably indicative of changing attitudes.

Below left: many vendors of aquarium fish operate just a

small bank of tanks, which are crammed full of fish.

Above: bizarre pink and green frogs are produced using

lasers, or by injecting the unfortunate creatures with

industrial dyes.

Left: the practice of painting garish designs on baby turtles’

shells has been condemned on Chinese social media.

Below: turtles are simply presented en masse in plastic

tubs.

All images by John McGrath unless otherwise noted.