For 2 years I kept a pair of Motoro sting rays, and some day I hope to keep rays again. During the same period I also kept 3 Lima Shovelnose catfish. I dont know if these are considered exotic in this discussion but in the fish keeping world they are considered advance due to the water quality issues as well as their tankbuster status.

My rays where captive bred and where almost mature enough to breed themselves, I have no idea if the Lima's where captive bred or wild caught.

I did have two breeding colonies of plecos at the same time, the common Albino Bristlenose plecos, and the less common Clown pleco. Too my knowledge both colonies are still producing locally so they help to limit in a small way wild caught fish being sold as pets.

I got out of fish keeping not because I couldnt afford it at the time but I wasnt putting the time in during the summers. Now that I have the time I dont have the money.

Some of the fish I kept like my Royal and Snowflake plecos may be more common in the lower 48 but are still consider exotic and fetch a rather high price here.

A lot of tankbuster and exotic breed keepers in the states try and breed their fish to try and stop wild caught fish being sold as pets.

I know its not the same mentality as those who want to keep a penguin or a marmot.