My tour at Niko's

h.l_nathan

h.l_nathan

New Member
I came to Niko's work facility at about 5pm for he's a very busy business man. Spent half an hour waiting for the Man, but it was well worth the wait.
He drove me and my wife down a small road leading to a barn yard...
I turned and said to my wife. Isnt this like in one of those horror movies.
We proceed into his barn. What a scene.

First thing you see once you enter the door was the Ray mega tank. Fat fat healthy rays swimming about.

He showed me around his breeding tanks and tanks where the pregnant females that are about to give birth.

i was lost. feeling like a little kid going into a toy store.
Once i saw some of the rays that was going to be available soon. I knew that by the time the next group order comes along I'm gonna have to get myself a few.
I would strongly suggest that if anyone ordering rays for the next order should cough out a bit more and fly over to see what you're getting.
Thats what i'm planning to do for the comming march order.

Sorry people no pics to be posted yet, but i'll post them up once i get back to Canada
 
Right on Nathan! I am so glad you got to meet him and see the facility...its just incredible isn't it? :) ;) :cool:
 
Picture will have to wait, but in the mean time something to drule about. a new breed of his super big spots P14s looks so nice...
His colections of white rays and one with white gene that he will keep for now until he can have them more readily available.

Theo I thought my wife wasnt a fish person, but she was more interested in seeing around Niko's facility than me. And the hospitality that Niko shown me was amazing coming from a rich rich guy like that. Really down to earth and he acted as though he wasnt worth alot of $...

But I would have to say the picture is nothing compare to seeing his rays in person.
For anyone interested in buying some in March, just spend 600$ fly there and pick and see the actual mother and father of the pups u are getting is strongly suggested.
 
It's great the way he is so down to earth, just an all round nice guy. He took a whole day off a few years ago for me, introduced me to high level hobbyists, professionals and fish business guys. Even brought me into his family for dinner etc., etc. I wasn't even a customer, just an enthusiastic hobbyist. What's more, I found all of Nico's friends to be the same way. Just really really nice down to earth people who are passionate and know a lot about the fish they keep. Unfortuantely Frank was always working so I have not met him yet. Next time.

Incidentally, when I asked Nico why he showed me such hospitality, his reply was that he knew what it was like to be in my shoes. He referred to a visit he made to Taiwan some years back where EVERYONE just opened their homes and tanks to him to check out. He said when you are willing to fly around the world to check out fish, you deserve to be shown hospitality. I really like that attitude. :)

Yeah, I agree, go there if you can. I actually drove 12 hours each way from Denmark to Holland - in 48 hours! - just to see him/his set up again this summer.

If you can not make it over to see the rays you will buy, the next best thing is the photos he sends over for you to choose from. Speaking on behalf of everyone who was involved in the last group order, it can get confusing to figure out the specific rays as they grow since their spotting/patterns can change. In the end though, I am pretty certain we all got the fish we identified via the photos. :)
 
Theo I found out flying around Europe is pretty cheap. I paid 26pound one way from Milan to amsterdam. and the ticket from canada over was only 1100 for 2 both ways, so i think its not hard to fly over there.
On the picture thing he told me he hates taking pics of them because it stresses his rays group out even if he just took 1 out for pictures. Also the spots on the rays comes and goes when they are small, so you could be like one in the picture, but 2 month time they change drastically.
 
Ryan Air was great, talk about cheap! The owner was in the media saying he wants to weigh passengers so the fat people pay more! Also, he wants to get rid of the toilets on the plane so he can squeeze in more seats. When I flew them you were not allowed to bring your own food on the plane (have to buy their prepared sandwiches), and they weighed my carry on luggage. So yeah, cheap price but at a price. :D

Seriously though, if Nico says the fish will be top quality, I don't even need photos. And if I really care about it, then yes, fly over for sure. Given how long these rays live, and the kind of investment serious ray keepers tend to make in them, then a flight over to personally pick out some fish makes sense.
 
maybe i can book a trip to see his facility sometime next yr so i can pick out my rays!? will he accomodate to a past customer!? lol.
 
m_class2g said:
but the experience. once in a lifetime. cant put a $ amount on that!!

one day id also like to travel to asia and pick out an asian aro to bring back.
Click to expand...

Yeah it amazing. If you decide to go to Asia for aros, the best place to go see is actually in Taiwan at a place call ILong tea house.
 
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