Fish laws

I'm curious, how many of you have taken the time to read your state laws in regards to aquarium fish? I've known what's banned here, but I've never taken the time to actually read the legal language and I must say I was somewhat surprised.

There is a list of specific prohibited species, as well as a ban on anything native to the state or established in state waters. But here is the definition of a legal non listed aquarium fish:
"Aquarium Trade Fish means those freshwater fish which cannot survive year-round in a wild environment above 30º north latitude (approximately from Jacksonville, FL west to Ensenada, CA) or below 30º south latitude (approximately from Puerto-Alegre, Brazil west to La Serena, Chile). Notwithstanding the foregoing, aquarium trade fish shall also include the goldfish (Carassius auratus), koi or Japanese carp (Cyprinus carpio), and guppies (Poecilia spp.), but shall not include tilapia (Tilapia spp.) which require a permit."

Seems like if they wanted to come after me for some reason, they could probably get me for keeping mollies if they wanted to lol. Very vague definition! I was googling to see if I'm allowed to collect natives (the answer is no), but I almost feel like if the law is written so vague clearly in the state's favor that they could come after me for any number of commonly available and completely responsible species.

Not cool. I wish we had a fish version of an organization like USARK.

 

In non-legal speak what does that mean?

 

Pretty much if it can survive north of Florida it's illegal. We're in New England. We get below freezing in the winter. But by the letter of the law, if the fish could survive in southern Georgia then it's illegal here. It just seems lazy like they didn't even try.

 

I know the East coast laws are more picky than ours. Especially Maine. They have some crazy laws going on.

 

Edit to add: if you're not familiar with USARK it's the US association of reptile keepers. It's kind of like the reptile version of the UCLA, it's an organization funded by hobbyists and trade members that lobbys against draconian laws about captive reptiles. We need that for fish.

I know the East coast laws are more picky than ours. Especially Maine. They have some crazy laws going on.

Maine is a disaster.
To whichever mod had to edit my post I'm sorry lol. I'm sure you can see what it bleeped and I'm legitimately surprised that word is censored.

 

Dang. I will have to check Nebraska's laws now out of curiosity. The only one i know for sure about aquatic life(besides size/bag limits on game fish), is that it is legal to catch wild box turtles and keep them as pets, but it is illegal to sell them at any point.

 

We have a few clearly defined reptiles and amphibians we can collect and keep along the same lines. Anything with fish though seems worded in a way to say "a bunch of stuff is illegal. We'll choose what to enforce when we don't like what you're doing."

 

We have a few clearly defined reptiles and amphibians we can collect and keep along the same lines. Anything with fish though seems worded in a way to say "a bunch of stuff is illegal. We'll choose what to enforce when we don't like what you're doing."

I am going to have to go down a rabbit hole here for regs on aquarium/aquatic pets. So far all of it is game fish regulations and a statute that states no one is allowed to keep wolves, cats(except domestic), bears or any wild birds or anything else on a conservation list without a special license or at a zoo accredited by whichever Zoo association.

Guess that is how i will spend my work day....finding those laws and b)finding out how i can get a license to have a bear as a pet

 

Don’t get me started on fish keeping laws in my state of Australia please.

 

I wish I was smart enough to start a lobbying organization dedicated to the responsible keeping of fish. I feel like collecting wild fish just sounds bad to the general public, but they're not part of the hobby and thus ignorant of the facts. The average Karen hears "people want to keep endangered fish in tanks. That's terrible!", and the benefit of an organization like this is when they come in and point out facts like a white cloud is $3 at the pet store, but functionality extinct in the wild. White clouds would not exist outside a specimen jar without the hobby. Or all those zebra plecos being smuggled out of Brazil.... where dam construction by the government is going to make them go extinct either way. Shame on us aquarists for trying to establish captive breeding and preserve a beautiful species.

We as a hobby could really use someone in our corner who can represent the good we do.

 

I wish I was smart enough to start a lobbying organization dedicated to the responsible keeping of fish. I feel like collecting wild fish just sounds bad to the general public, but they're not part of the hobby and thus ignorant of the facts. The average Karen hears "people want to keep endangered fish in tanks. That's terrible!", and the benefit of an organization like this is when they come in and point out facts like a white cloud is $3 at the pet store, but functionality extinct in the wild. White clouds would not exist outside a specimen jar without the hobby. Or all those zebra plecos being smuggled out of Brazil.... where dam construction by the government is going to make them go extinct either way. Shame on us aquarists for trying to establish captive breeding and preserve a beautiful species.

We as a hobby could really use someone in our corner who can represent the good we do.

It all reminds me of something my grandpa once said: "i am an active environmentalist, not an environmental activist"

 

I would love to do a native species tank some day. Zimmermansfish.com has been suggested before on FL for local Ohio fish. I happen to know him personally and got the run down on the laws and ins and outs in Ohio. So maybe when the kids are a little older... or when their rooms become the fish rooms or when I get the 75 or 125 gal I've been oogling for a while... I may dabble into native species. His set up is really quite inspiring.

 

apparently crayfish are illegal in utah

 

apparently crayfish are illegal in utah

They are illegal in a lot of states. Thats why at petco and petsmart they are usually called lobsters

 

In california your not aloud to purchase a ferret at all illegal,but if you buy one out of state you are legally aloud to keep them as a pet in california....pretty sure it's just each individual states way of covering their behinds in case the feds come cracking down on them.
I've had several of my friends here catch and keep turtles and catfish lol.
Miramar lake by my house at one point had to be drained because the bass cannot resist eating gold fish,only problem was a few goldies got the hook off their tails and ended up the size of a football and are invasive hahaba.

 

apparently crayfish are illegal in utah

Rip the Crayfish dream

 

I'm curious, how many of you have taken the time to read your state laws in regards to aquarium fish? I've known what's banned here, but I've never taken the time to actually read the legal language and I must say I was somewhat surprised.

There is a list of specific prohibited species, as well as a ban on anything native to the state or established in state waters. But here is the definition of a legal non listed aquarium fish:
"Aquarium Trade Fish means those freshwater fish which cannot survive year-round in a wild environment above 30º north latitude (approximately from Jacksonville, FL west to Ensenada, CA) or below 30º south latitude (approximately from Puerto-Alegre, Brazil west to La Serena, Chile). Notwithstanding the foregoing, aquarium trade fish shall also include the goldfish (Carassius auratus), koi or Japanese carp (Cyprinus carpio), and guppies (Poecilia spp.), but shall not include tilapia (Tilapia spp.) which require a permit."

Seems like if they wanted to come after me for some reason, they could probably get me for keeping mollies if they wanted to lol. Very vague definition! I was googling to see if I'm allowed to collect natives (the answer is no), but I almost feel like if the law is written so vague clearly in the state's favor that they could come after me for any number of commonly available and completely responsible species.

Not cool. I wish we had a fish version of an organization like USARK.

All I know is that a lot of things are illegal in California so google lol

 

Anyone who thinks collecting wild fish is bad should Google Project Piaba. Sustainable collecting helps the species, the environment, and the community of the fishermen.
Now you all have me curious. I’ll have to go look for Missouri fish laws.

 

On June 1st a new law will be implemented in Germany (and maybe in the whole of the EU, not sure right now, too early in the morning.) by which selling fish as a private person might become illegal.

Going by the law
- Stores have to have qualified personnel present at all times. If fish are sold while no qualified employee is present the store might lose the licence for selling live fish. Qualification is achieved in a 3-week-course with an exam at the end and costs about 700€ (tax deductable).
- Everyone who breeds fish semi-commercially (net revenue 500-1500€ a month) needs to have that qualification, too.
- Sale on Ebay, craigslist and the like is going to be illegal in a few months, provided that addendum is also passed.

I see a lot of fish either being sold illegally or flushed down toilets if the breeders are not willing or able to get the qualification. And I know many of the old guard (like 40 years in the hobby) already said they won't get the qualification and go on with business as usual. This is going to be a mess, I tell you.

 

On June 1st a new law will be implemented in Germany (and maybe in the whole of the EU, not sure right now, too early in the morning.) by which selling fish as a private person might become illegal.

Going by the law
- Stores have to have qualified personnel present at all times. If fish are sold while no qualified employee is present the store might lose the licence for selling live fish. Qualification is achieved in a 3-week-course with an exam at the end and costs about 700€ (tax deductable).
- Everyone who breeds fish semi-commercially (net revenue 500-1500€ a month) needs to have that qualification, too.
- Sale on Ebay, craigslist and the like is going to be illegal in a few months, provided that addendum is also passed.

I see a lot of fish either being sold illegally or flushed down toilets if the breeders are not willing or able to get the qualification. And I know many of the old guard (like 40 years in the hobby) already said they won't get the qualification and go on with business as usual. This is going to be a mess, I tell you.

As much as I feel the legislation is needed and overdue....I agree that many will try to either try to circumvent it (afterall how will private sales be checked and by whom)....or the fish will be paying the ultimate price and will be killed inhumanely.

 

Yes it would be interesting to hear how they intend to prove that you’ve exceeded the net revenue limit.

 

Yes it would be interesting to hear how they intend to prove that you’ve exceeded the net revenue limit.

The german aequivalent to the IRS is more powerful than the police or the courts here. They find out you have a non-registered side business and evade taxes you are in big trouble. Except you earn more than 200 grand a year. The rich have no reason to worry. But who gets rich selling fish in Germany? Nobody.

Also Germans have a nick for having security and insurance for everything. Buyers want receipts.
Right now if somebody sells fish privately online they only have to put a disclaimer like "As this is a live animal quality may vary, no refunds, no guarantees etc..." With the new law that disclaimer doesn't release the seller from responsibilities anymore, so buyers can demand compensation and go to the authorities. And if they do that the authorities will check in on the qualifications of the seller.

That's the only way I can explain how they might check on that.

 

On June 1st a new law will be implemented in Germany (and maybe in the whole of the EU, not sure right now, too early in the morning.) by which selling fish as a private person might become illegal.

Going by the law
- Stores have to have qualified personnel present at all times. If fish are sold while no qualified employee is present the store might lose the licence for selling live fish. Qualification is achieved in a 3-week-course with an exam at the end and costs about 700€ (tax deductable).
- Everyone who breeds fish semi-commercially (net revenue 500-1500€ a month) needs to have that qualification, too.
- Sale on Ebay, craigslist and the like is going to be illegal in a few months, provided that addendum is also passed.

I see a lot of fish either being sold illegally or flushed down toilets if the breeders are not willing or able to get the qualification. And I know many of the old guard (like 40 years in the hobby) already said they won't get the qualification and go on with business as usual. This is going to be a mess, I tell you.

Well there goes my dream for moving to Germany for their better fish availability/stores XD.

 

Well there goes my dream for moving to Germany for their better fish availability/stores XD.

I doubt that will change anything about that.

(and maybe in the whole of the EU, not sure right now, too early in the morning.)

Looked it up. Only Germany.

 

It honestly is sort of having the opposite effect on me than the law intended lol. My current thought process is maybe I should just collect the wild fish anyway and stay off the state's radar. That really seems to be the main takeaway from the law. Just don't give them a reason to come after you, because they can hem you up for any random thing if they so choose already.

 

This thread is both fascinating and hysterical (I’m in for a bear...I’ll take a cub please!)

It never crossed my mind that there would be fish keeping laws! I suppose that makes sense...we had an invasion of those super creepy fish that can come out of the water and walk around. Snakeheads maybe? Off to fall down the fish law rabbit hole...se ya next week.

 

On June 1st a new law will be implemented in Germany (and maybe in the whole of the EU, not sure right now, too early in the morning.) by which selling fish as a private person might become illegal.

Going by the law
- Stores have to have qualified personnel present at all times. If fish are sold while no qualified employee is present the store might lose the licence for selling live fish. Qualification is achieved in a 3-week-course with an exam at the end and costs about 700€ (tax deductable).
- Everyone who breeds fish semi-commercially (net revenue 500-1500€ a month) needs to have that qualification, too.
- Sale on Ebay, craigslist and the like is going to be illegal in a few months, provided that addendum is also passed.

I see a lot of fish either being sold illegally or flushed down toilets if the breeders are not willing or able to get the qualification. And I know many of the old guard (like 40 years in the hobby) already said they won't get the qualification and go on with business as usual. This is going to be a mess, I tell you.

After researching a bit deeper I found the final regulations. Here an abbreviated translation:

• 1 All sales-persons have to be trained and qualified.
• 2 Every person responsible has to have proof of qualification for these fields: husbandry, care, feeding, common diseases, normal behaviour.
• 3 Knowledge and qualifications have to be verifiable by the responsible authority at any time.
• 4 Personell has to update qualifications regularly.
• 5 New and detailed requirements for commercial trade with vertebrates are being set in place for every person in responsible position (e.g. owner, manager, branch manager) to gain a licence from the responsible authority. The licence has to be renewed after 8 years.
• 6 Also, a database/studbook has to be implemented, which lists stock, numbers and qualifications needed for reference for the authorities.

I'm all but against those regulations, but the bold passage of bullet point 5 is the one problem for private breeders that are in the grey area between commercial and non-commercial. The revenue numbers above mark that grey area from a tax law standpoint.

 

Still having no luck even finding any regulations here that do not directly apply to gamefish or bait fish. May have to contact the 1 aquarium club in the state, see what they know about it. Though i did see an article amd a licture from the Game and Parks department where someone caught what looks like a tiger oscar on hook and line at a lake in my town a few years ago. I do know there are laws applied to "ingasive species", which around here is mostly bait fish and zebra mussells.

 

So I just also learned that taking and transporting native fish is allowed for use as bait but not as pets.... what?

So if I go dipnet a fundulus diaphanus, I'm allowed to put it in a bucket, drive to another body of water across the state and jam a hook through its body. That's totally legal. But don't you dare take one home and feed it!

 

So I just also learned that taking and transporting native fish is allowed for use as bait but not as pets.... what?

So if I go dipnet a fundulus diaphanus, I'm allowed to put it in a bucket, drive to another body of water across the state and jam a hook through its body. That's totally legal. But don't you dare take one home and feed it!

We have like 2 bodies of water we can use a net for bait. If we catch bait, we have to use it on the same body of water, too. But we can get baitfish at a bait shop and use it wherever. Though it is illegal to dump bait buckets, as often the minnows are actually shad that often grow too quick for most of the predators to eat and end up wrecking the ecosystem in a lot of lakes especially. And sometimes those minnows are baby carp. Just never know.

 

I live in SC and I spent a week talking to DNR about a way to get a license to own a Dwarf Snakehead. They finally told me no, the only person they would be willing to give a license to is Clemson University for the Fish Hatchery Program, and even then they would have to prove they really needed it.

 

The german aequivalent to the IRS is more powerful than the police or the courts here. They find out you have a non-registered side business and evade taxes you are in big trouble. Except you earn more than 200 grand a year. The rich have no reason to worry. But who gets rich selling fish in Germany? Nobody.

Also Germans have a nick for having security and insurance for everything. Buyers want receipts.
Right now if somebody sells fish privately online they only have to put a disclaimer like "As this is a live animal quality may vary, no refunds, no guarantees etc..." With the new law that disclaimer doesn't release the seller from responsibilities anymore, so buyers can demand compensation and go to the authorities. And if they do that the authorities will check in on the qualifications of the seller.

That's the only way I can explain how they might check on that.

Thats not cool. What if the buyer is ignorant, like not knowing about the cycling process, and they kill the fish... now the seller is responsible. That is one weird law, but we all know, regardless of country, the lawmakers can be really stupid at times.

Still having no luck even finding any regulations here that do not directly apply to gamefish or bait fish. May have to contact the 1 aquarium club in the state, see what they know about it. Though i did see an article amd a licture from the Game and Parks department where someone caught what looks like a tiger oscar on hook and line at a lake in my town a few years ago. I do know there are laws applied to "ingasive species", which around here is mostly bait fish and zebra mussells.

Zebra mussels have been found in marimo balls!!! Anyone who purchased a marimo ball after Feb 2021 is asked to destroy it. Either boil it or freeze it. Put it plastic ziplock bag and toss. Zebra mussels are evil creatures.

 

Thats not cool. What if the buyer is ignorant, like not knowing about the cycling process, and they kill the fish... now the seller is responsible. That is one weird law, but we all know, regardless of country, the lawmakers can be really stupid at times.

For that there are other laws that are already in effect. For that case you mention that's all within the risk of the buyer. There is no law demanding the seller to check whether the buyer is qualified*. The seller has to assume the buyer knows what they're doing. As soon as the buyer opens the transport bag at home the seller is no more responsible. Nothing changes about that.

* Except it's one of the long list of exotic animals that demand qualification for the owners, like meercats, monkeys, big cats... But getting such a licence as a private individual is costly and takes a lot of time here. Luckily, imo.

 

After researching a bit deeper I found the final regulations. Here an abbreviated translation:

• 1 All sales-persons have to be trained and qualified.
• 2 Every person responsible has to have proof of qualification for these fields: husbandry, care, feeding, common diseases, normal behaviour.
• 3 Knowledge and qualifications have to be verifiable by the responsible authority at any time.
• 4 Personell has to update qualifications regularly.
• 5 New and detailed requirements for commercial trade with vertebrates are being set in place for every person in responsible position (e.g. owner, manager, branch manager) to gain a licence from the responsible authority. The licence has to be renewed after 8 years.
• 6 Also, a database/studbook has to be implemented, which lists stock, numbers and qualifications needed for reference for the authorities.

I'm all but against those regulations, but the bold passage of bullet point 5 is the one problem for private breeders that are in the grey area between commercial and non-commercial. The revenue numbers above mark that grey area from a tax law standpoint.

Those regulations seem to be for the purpose of animal welfare rather than environmental protection. They seem reasonable to apply to full time commercial wholesalers and retailers. A bit excessive for hobbyists who sell small numbers of fish if that part time activity is considered ‘commercial’.

 

A bit excessive for hobbyists who sell small numbers of fish if that part time activity is considered ‘commercial’.

Yes, the law is mainly targeted at animal welfare, but it also has an environmental element.
By law here commercial is only defined by net revenue, so even a breeder that sells 2 fish á 250 bucks a month is eventually considered commercial. That's why many people are afraid it might be detrimental to wild populations if the species is barely available as tankbred.

 

Mainer here.

I know our laws well. I disagree with others saying theyre crazy, but I will say they are strict. Here in Maine we have very sensitive ecosystems with fisheries that are very rare these days. Cold water fisheries where Native Brook Trout still reproduce in the same waters theyre been in since becoming land-locked. Same with our Native Salmon fisheries.

There are lots of fish on the banned list and I will agree 100% that Maine is an old state that likes reactive laws in general. That said, we have severe problems with invasive plants, fish and snails here so the state is VERY proactive with fish, reptiles, plants, etc., coming in and being sold. Im not willing to risk more of our rare, native and sensitive ecosystems to potential invasives until people stop dumping unwanted pets in the wild and until people stop moving fish, plants and animals from water to water.

Look at Florida and the Iguana & python problem. Look at whats happening in Texas with Plecos. That all started because some moron thought dumping their pets in the wild was no big deal. Billions of dollars are spent every year in this country combating invasive species.

Until people can act like responsible adults, Im good with the bans.

 

Mainer here.

I know our laws well. I disagree with others saying theyre crazy, but I will say they are strict. Here in Maine we have very sensitive ecosystems with fisheries that are very rare these days. Cold water fisheries where Native Brook Trout still reproduce in the same waters theyre been in since becoming land-locked. Same with our Native Salmon fisheries.

There are lots of fish on the banned list and I will agree 100% that Maine is an old state that likes reactive laws in general. That said, we have severe problems with invasive plants, fish and snails here so the state is VERY proactive with fish, reptiles, plants, etc., coming in and being sold. Im not willing to risk more of our rare, native and sensitive ecosystems to potential invasives until people stop dumping unwanted pets in the wild and until people stop moving fish, plants and animals from water to water.

Look at Florida and the Iguana & python problem. Look at whats happening in Texas with Plecos. That all started because some moron thought dumping their pets in the wild was no big deal. Billions of dollars are spent every year in this country combating invasive species.

Until people can act like responsible adults, Im good with the bans.

Nebraska, i haven't been able to find much as far as fish laws, at least for aquariums. The usual for bait fish and not dumping leftover bait from your minnow buckets because you never are for sure what all the "minnows" really are.

One thing we do have going for us as far as some of those aquarium turned invasive species, they often do die in the winter. Though, a couple years ago, someone did catch an oscar in a lake in town...

 

It honestly is sort of having the opposite effect on me than the law intended lol. My current thought process is maybe I should just collect the wild fish anyway and stay off the state's radar. That really seems to be the main takeaway from the law. Just don't give them a reason to come after you, because they can hem you up for any random thing if they so choose already.

This right here is why there are laws.

A woman from Mass moved up here a couple years ago. Spent a PILE of money having a pond built and then put goldfish in it. She was offered a $10K fine OR the state could empty the pond and destroy all the fish. She claimed she didnt know the law. Ignorance is not an excuse.

Personally, I thought they should have emptied the pond, destroyed the fish AND fined her.

We also had an Asian restaurant owner keeping Koi in a tank in the lobby. Game wardens confiscated them, fined him over $5K and then he spent over $20K fighting the state.

Up here in Maine, the state is serious about the laws. There are IF&W employees who patrol our facebook pages looking for people buying/selling illegals.

Nebraska, i haven't been able to find much as far as fish laws, at least for aquariums. The usual for bait fish and not dumping leftover bait from your minnow buckets because you never are for sure what all the "minnows" really are.

One thing we do have going for us as far as some of those aquarium turned invasive species, they often do die in the winter. Though, a couple years ago, someone did catch an oscar in a lake in town...

Lots of fish can live in the wild compared to what people think. In the wild, temps slowly drop, fish acclimate and go into a "hibernation" like state. Their metabolism slows and they dont require hardly any food. I think there are a lot more fish that could survive than what people think.

Up here in Maine some people put Carp into their own ponds in the 1800s. We still have a large population of Carp here because of that, and theyve done a LOT of damage to a couple of rivers over the years.

 

This right here is why there are laws.

A woman from Mass moved up here a couple years ago. Spent a PILE of money having a pond built and then put goldfish in it. She was offered a $10K fine OR the state could empty the pond and destroy all the fish. She claimed she didnt know the law. Ignorance is not an excuse.

Personally, I thought they should have emptied the pond, destroyed the fish AND fined her.

We also had an Asian restaurant owner keeping Koi in a tank in the lobby. Game wardens confiscated them, fined him over $5K and then he spent over $20K fighting the state.

Up here in Maine, the state is serious about the laws. There are IF&W employees who patrol our facebook pages looking for people buying/selling illegals.

Lots of fish can live in the wild compared to what people think. In the wild, temps slowly drop, fish acclimate and go into a "hibernation" like state. Their metabolism slows and they dont require hardly any food. I think there are a lot more fish that could survive than what people think.

Up here in Maine some people put Carp into their own ponds in the 1800s. We still have a large population of Carp here because of that, and theyve done a LOT of damage to a couple of rivers over the years.

Carp have done a number to some fisheries around here, thanks to flooding....what a great way to ignore all the laws, Nature!

 

Right. But if Carp werent transplants flooding wouldnt be a concern. They arent Native to the Americas.

 

I have no problem with potentially invasive fish being illegal. My issue comes with the law being written so vaguely in the state's favor that should they so choose, they could technically come after you for a fish that would never survive new England climate. Anything that can survive outside of south Florida is technically illegal by the letter of the law. North Florida and Massachusetts are dramatically different climates. I have no problem with something being illegal to protect our local water bodies.

 

For that there are other laws that are already in effect. For that case you mention that's all within the risk of the buyer. There is no law demanding the seller to check whether the buyer is qualified*. The seller has to assume the buyer knows what they're doing. As soon as the buyer opens the transport bag at home the seller is no more responsible. Nothing changes about that.

* Except it's one of the long list of exotic animals that demand qualification for the owners, like meercats, monkeys, big cats... But getting such a licence as a private individual is costly and takes a lot of time here. Luckily, imo.

I would so have a meercat farm!

 

I would so have a meercat farm!

Get to study and find a certified Zoo to get hands-on training in meercat husbandry, build an appropriate enclosure, get your abilities and the enclosure certified and maybe you can aquire a pair of them in a year or two.

 

Get to study and find a certified Zoo to get hands-on training in meercat husbandry, build an appropriate enclosure, get your abilities and the enclosure certified and maybe you can aquire a pair of them in a year or two.

I can see the look on my wife’s face now when I tell her I need to go to meercat husbandry training courses!

 

Yeah, I have. Oklahoma mostly banned various species of catfish and carp, as well as the red claw crayfish. None of that's very surprising considering how voracious and invasive all those animals can be.
They've also banned freshwater stingrays, electric fish, and piranhas. It's probably for safety reasons.

However, they also banned bony-tongued fish, which includes arrowana and the African butterfly fish. I can understand banning the humongous monster fish, but the AFBs are pretty small and probably wouldn't survive the winter. If I had to guess, some legislator threw a blanket ban on the group without noticing that not all of its members grow so freaking huge.

Curiously, I don't see any bans on redtail catfish?? Very odd considering how prevalent they are in the trade despite how stupidly HUGE they are. People are far more likely to release one into the wild than they would an extremely expensive arrowana.
Granted, I don't recall ever seeing a fish store in OK stock these, but I've only been to like 3 and that could just be owners' discretion.