"I recently became a victim of an supplier in China who sold me 2000 Garra Rufas but instead sent 2000 Tilapia Rendalli's.  Needless to say, U.S. Customs siezed the shipment immediately"

"I have been reading and talking to many people, including the U.S. Customs Police who took my shipment about the recent influx of "Doctor Fish" being imported into the United States.   The experts tell me that there is no such thing as a Chin Chin or hybrid Gara Rufa.  The fishes that are being sold as Chin Chin are simply baby Tilapias.  The U.S. Customs Police told me that they have stopped 90 percent of shipments of fish declared to be "Garra Rufas" at the United States airports because in reality, the fishes are baby Tilapias.  So when suppliers say they are selling "Hybrid Garras", they are really giving people baby Tilapias.  In fact, about 90 percent of the spas in the U.S. that advertise the use of Doctor Fish are actually using baby Tilapias.  Some of these spa owners don't even know what a true garra looks like.

Tilapia is also refered to as a "trash fish" here in the U.S. because it is so cheap and is often associated with poverty.  The United States Fish and Wildlife Governental Agency several years ago declared it to be illegal for live Tilapias to be imported to the US because these fishes are so strong and fast-breeding that they kill most of the local fishes in the rivers and ponds.  This is what is refered to as "invasive species"-- species that threaten the local animal population and thus threaten the local ecosystem.  Although what happened to me several days ago with the fish shipment sounded humiliating, I was actually lucky the Customs Police did not handcuff me and take me to jail.   Please warn your customers in the U.S. who are thinking about buying "Chin Chin"-- they could possibly get arrested and end up in jail for a couple of days."

Robert ..........
Saint Petersburg, FL