Miniature Animal Figure Collection
- Thread starter ollielloyd
- Start date
CollectA African civet, after and before:
Great job fixing it! Weird timing, I've been looking at african civet photos the last couple of hours
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
Dear forum members,
Here I present my fabulous newest additions that I'm so happy to have.
And you will think, yep you post additions in 26th December? Then for sure are a Christmas present!
Actually not! It got just in time but they're actually my auto Birthday present!
And my birthday is in July!
Then why post them now? Well, these are the Odyssey figures of my life! They arrived here just a day before my birthday. I calculated the timing very well! However, when I went to post office they gave me a burofax instead the parcel. I followed the instructions of the burofax and from this point it was a nightmare of several telefonic calls, registration in websites, emails and going again to post office various times for know what to do in order to receive the parcel. All was in vain. Days passed doing gestions and with no result. Finally about two weeks later I had to go to a planned travel. When I came back the first thing was going to post office once more for ask about my parcel. But meanwhile they sent it back to sender!!
The following months, waiting for instructions and doing reclamation was long and complicated. Finally, a couple of months later the parcel arrived to sender. Then more weeks passed doing gestions for postal system of each country paying for its fault. Spanish postal system did not admitted the issue and wanted to be Japanese postal system to assume the new costs. After several gestions from sender, Japanese postal system also didn't assumed that. Well, I had to pay again the shipping costs. Fortunately, not a very high quantity. After that, more weeks waiting, as the sender had other items in the queue that go first. Being unaware of this, I insisted the intermediary about this parcel from time to time, and as a result the sender was so kind to put my parcel in first place of the queue. About a week and half after the sending, the figures arrived. I was not able to enjoy them inmediately as I was in covid-related quarantine. But after I passed the quarantine I went to open the parcel and, full of excitement, admire these incredibly wonderful figures!!!
The main body of the parcel is the Colorata "Fossil Fish" set. it include primitive species of extant fishes, "living fossils". The picture represented in the box is a coelacanth, the archetype of a "living fossil" fish, and casually the only marine fish in the set. However I don't need a coelacanth as I had the unbeatable Ikimon/Kitan Club rendition. The inermediary was so kind for remove the coelacanth using it for another buyer, and remove the correspondent part of the price!
The box came with each figures wrapped in a double plastic baglet (with one part for the fish and other for the base), the booklet and a frame with a series of rods for attach each fish to its base. This is my third Colorata box, after the Raptor set and the Marine Fish set.
The first figure is the Chinese Sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis
Comparison item: Vanished Yangtze
The second figure is maybe the best of the whole set. The magnific Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas)
Comparison item: Water Monster in Amazonas
Third figure in the set is the Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula)
Comparison item: North American Fishes
Then it comes the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri
Comparison item: Underwater Queensland
Here I present my fabulous newest additions that I'm so happy to have.
And you will think, yep you post additions in 26th December? Then for sure are a Christmas present!
Actually not! It got just in time but they're actually my auto Birthday present!
And my birthday is in July!
Then why post them now? Well, these are the Odyssey figures of my life! They arrived here just a day before my birthday. I calculated the timing very well! However, when I went to post office they gave me a burofax instead the parcel. I followed the instructions of the burofax and from this point it was a nightmare of several telefonic calls, registration in websites, emails and going again to post office various times for know what to do in order to receive the parcel. All was in vain. Days passed doing gestions and with no result. Finally about two weeks later I had to go to a planned travel. When I came back the first thing was going to post office once more for ask about my parcel. But meanwhile they sent it back to sender!!
The following months, waiting for instructions and doing reclamation was long and complicated. Finally, a couple of months later the parcel arrived to sender. Then more weeks passed doing gestions for postal system of each country paying for its fault. Spanish postal system did not admitted the issue and wanted to be Japanese postal system to assume the new costs. After several gestions from sender, Japanese postal system also didn't assumed that. Well, I had to pay again the shipping costs. Fortunately, not a very high quantity. After that, more weeks waiting, as the sender had other items in the queue that go first. Being unaware of this, I insisted the intermediary about this parcel from time to time, and as a result the sender was so kind to put my parcel in first place of the queue. About a week and half after the sending, the figures arrived. I was not able to enjoy them inmediately as I was in covid-related quarantine. But after I passed the quarantine I went to open the parcel and, full of excitement, admire these incredibly wonderful figures!!!
The main body of the parcel is the Colorata "Fossil Fish" set. it include primitive species of extant fishes, "living fossils". The picture represented in the box is a coelacanth, the archetype of a "living fossil" fish, and casually the only marine fish in the set. However I don't need a coelacanth as I had the unbeatable Ikimon/Kitan Club rendition. The inermediary was so kind for remove the coelacanth using it for another buyer, and remove the correspondent part of the price!
The box came with each figures wrapped in a double plastic baglet (with one part for the fish and other for the base), the booklet and a frame with a series of rods for attach each fish to its base. This is my third Colorata box, after the Raptor set and the Marine Fish set.
The first figure is the Chinese Sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis
Comparison item: Vanished Yangtze
The second figure is maybe the best of the whole set. The magnific Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas)
Comparison item: Water Monster in Amazonas
Third figure in the set is the Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula)
Comparison item: North American Fishes
Then it comes the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri
Comparison item: Underwater Queensland
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
The fifth figure of the set is the saddled bichir, Polypterus endlicheri.
Comparison item: Nile River
And the sixth and last figure for the set is an Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus).
Comparison item: Bonytongues
However, the Colorata set is not the only thing in the parcel. Together with it I also asked about other figures from different Japanese brands.
Here, my favourite of all: the wonderful Kaiyodo ChocoQ Animaltales Series 6 Japanese Giant Spider Crab (Macrocheira kaempferi).
Comparison item: North Pacific Crabs
Then it comes the Kaiyodo Bottlecap Figure Collection, Chambered Nautilus (Nautilus pompilius)
Comparison item: Deepwater Mysteries
Another comparison item: Cephalopod Realm
Comparison item: Nile River
And the sixth and last figure for the set is an Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus).
Comparison item: Bonytongues
However, the Colorata set is not the only thing in the parcel. Together with it I also asked about other figures from different Japanese brands.
Here, my favourite of all: the wonderful Kaiyodo ChocoQ Animaltales Series 6 Japanese Giant Spider Crab (Macrocheira kaempferi).
Comparison item: North Pacific Crabs
Then it comes the Kaiyodo Bottlecap Figure Collection, Chambered Nautilus (Nautilus pompilius)
Comparison item: Deepwater Mysteries
Another comparison item: Cephalopod Realm
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
Then another fish, the Kaiyodo Aquatales great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)
Comparison item: Pelagic Pals
And the last one, I promise! For those of you that only like tetrapods, finally here comes: the Eikoh Miniatureplanet Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii):
Comparison item: Come closer dear fishes
Another comparison item: Surprised buck
Final comparison item: Chelonia
Comparison item: Pelagic Pals
And the last one, I promise! For those of you that only like tetrapods, finally here comes: the Eikoh Miniatureplanet Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii):
Comparison item: Come closer dear fishes
Another comparison item: Surprised buck
Final comparison item: Chelonia
Dear forum members,
Here I present my fabulous newest additions that I'm so happy to have.
And you will think, yep you post additions in 26th December? Then for sure are a Christmas present!
Actually not! It got just in time but they're actually my auto Birthday present!
And my birthday is in July!
Then why post them now? Well, these are the Odyssey figures of my life! They arrived here just a day before my birthday. I calculated the timing very well! However, when I went to post office they gave me a burofax instead the parcel. I followed the instructions of the burofax and from this point it was a nightmare of several telefonic calls, registration in websites, emails and going again to post office various times for know what to do in order to receive the parcel. All was in vain. Days passed doing gestions and with no result. Finally about two weeks later I had to go to a planned travel. When I came back the first thing was going to post office once more for ask about my parcel. But meanwhile they sent it back to sender!!
The following months, waiting for instructions and doing reclamation was long and complicated. Finally, a couple of months later the parcel arrived to sender. Then more weeks passed doing gestions for postal system of each country paying for its fault. Spanish postal system did not admitted the issue and wanted to be Japanese postal system to assume the new costs. After several gestions from sender, Japanese postal system also didn't assumed that. Well, I had to pay again the shipping costs. Fortunately, not a very high quantity. After that, more weeks waiting, as the sender had other items in the queue that go first. Being unaware of this, I insisted the intermediary about this parcel from time to time, and as a result the sender was so kind to put my parcel in first place of the queue. About a week and half after the sending, the figures arrived. I was not able to enjoy them inmediately as I was in covid-related quarantine. But after I passed the quarantine I went to open the parcel and, full of excitement, admire these incredibly wonderful figures!!!
The main body of the parcel is the Colorata "Fossil Fish" set. it include primitive species of extant fishes, "living fossils". The picture represented in the box is a coelacanth, the archetype of a "living fossil" fish, and casually the only marine fish in the set. However I don't need a coelacanth as I had the unbeatable Ikimon/Kitan Club rendition. The inermediary was so kind for remove the coelacanth using it for another buyer, and remove the correspondent part of the price!
The box came with each figures wrapped in a double plastic baglet (with one part for the fish and other for the base), the booklet and a frame with a series of rods for attach each fish to its base. This is my third Colorata box, after the Raptor set and the Marine Fish set.
The first figure is the Chinese Sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis
Comparison item: Vanished Yangtze
The second figure is maybe the best of the whole set. The magnific Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas)
Comparison item: Water Monster in Amazonas
Third figure in the set is the Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula)
Comparison item: North American Fishes
Then it comes the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri
Comparison item: Underwater Queensland
That's quite a lot of hassle indeed! At least you finally got them! I ordered a figure from Japan early last year, and at this point I'm pretty sure it's walked off the face of the earth somewhere. Seller doesn't have it, and I don't have it... at least it was inexpensive...
Very nice figures though, many of which are on my list to get eventually! I agree the spider crab is particularly good, the only one of the posted figures I already have.
Very cool! Sorry they caused you so much hassle, but at least they arrived in the end! I have had my eye on some of the Colorata fish sets, they're wonderful figures, but the price has given me second thoughts...Dear forum members,
Here I present my fabulous newest additions that I'm so happy to have.
And you will think, yep you post additions in 26th December? Then for sure are a Christmas present!
Actually not! It got just in time but they're actually my auto Birthday present!
And my birthday is in July!
Then why post them now? Well, these are the Odyssey figures of my life! They arrived here just a day before my birthday. I calculated the timing very well! However, when I went to post office they gave me a burofax instead the parcel. I followed the instructions of the burofax and from this point it was a nightmare of several telefonic calls, registration in websites, emails and going again to post office various times for know what to do in order to receive the parcel. All was in vain. Days passed doing gestions and with no result. Finally about two weeks later I had to go to a planned travel. When I came back the first thing was going to post office once more for ask about my parcel. But meanwhile they sent it back to sender!!
The following months, waiting for instructions and doing reclamation was long and complicated. Finally, a couple of months later the parcel arrived to sender. Then more weeks passed doing gestions for postal system of each country paying for its fault. Spanish postal system did not admitted the issue and wanted to be Japanese postal system to assume the new costs. After several gestions from sender, Japanese postal system also didn't assumed that. Well, I had to pay again the shipping costs. Fortunately, not a very high quantity. After that, more weeks waiting, as the sender had other items in the queue that go first. Being unaware of this, I insisted the intermediary about this parcel from time to time, and as a result the sender was so kind to put my parcel in first place of the queue. About a week and half after the sending, the figures arrived. I was not able to enjoy them inmediately as I was in covid-related quarantine. But after I passed the quarantine I went to open the parcel and, full of excitement, admire these incredibly wonderful figures!!!
The main body of the parcel is the Colorata "Fossil Fish" set. it include primitive species of extant fishes, "living fossils". The picture represented in the box is a coelacanth, the archetype of a "living fossil" fish, and casually the only marine fish in the set. However I don't need a coelacanth as I had the unbeatable Ikimon/Kitan Club rendition. The inermediary was so kind for remove the coelacanth using it for another buyer, and remove the correspondent part of the price!
The box came with each figures wrapped in a double plastic baglet (with one part for the fish and other for the base), the booklet and a frame with a series of rods for attach each fish to its base. This is my third Colorata box, after the Raptor set and the Marine Fish set.
The first figure is the Chinese Sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis
Comparison item: Vanished Yangtze
The second figure is maybe the best of the whole set. The magnific Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas)
Comparison item: Water Monster in Amazonas
Third figure in the set is the Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula)
Comparison item: North American Fishes
Then it comes the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri
Comparison item: Underwater Queensland
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
Actually they tend to be fair-priced, or they was one or two years ago when I bought some of the sets. A whole set can be found for around 50-60€ and if you divide the price for the number of figures you get a similar price for figure than the western brand figures
Actually they tend to be fair-priced, or they was one or two years ago when I bought some of the sets. A whole set can be found for around 50-60€ and if you divide the price for the number of figures you get a similar price for figure than the western brand figures
I agree with this; they seem expensive, but there's 7 to 15 figures in a set. The same number of Schleich or CollectA for example would be just as much or even more. The one drawback however being that many of the Colorata figures (mainly the fish) are relatively small comparatively, and not quite the same detail as some companies.
See photos (Colorata Reef Fishes Humphead Wrasse, lionfish, and Hifin Shrimp Goby with Safari Sumatran Rhino and Schleich pangolin)
As far as detail, Colorata is pretty decent, but when directly compared to a brand like Kaiyodo/Yujin, the difference in quality becomes obvious. Colorata at left, Kaiyodo/Yujin at right in the photo below. The difference is pretty striking. Unfortunately the Kaiyodo reef fishes line is discontinued, and many of the figures are rare and expensive. I've only managed to get my hands on about a third of the set. The Colorata set does include many species difficult or impossible to find elsewhere, and so still worth it in my opinion.
Attachments
It's discontinued unfortunately... and thus if you are lucky enough to find it available it will be somewhere like Ebay.
I've been looking all day and no one seems to have it
I've been looking all day and no one seems to have it
Which sadly is very typical for discontinued figures... I have a few i keep an eye out for but it's extremely rare I see them, and when I do they're typically pretty expensive.
For the sake of obtaining figurines for a future diorama at WdG, I would like to ask the local experts for recommendations regarding the best commercially available options for the following animals:
- Cone snails
- Glaucus atlanticus
- Box jellyfish
- Barracuda
- Stonefishes
- Lionfishes
- Surgeonfishes
- Rabbitfishes
- Pufferfishes
- Stingrays
- Weevers
- Chimaeras
- Dogfishes
- Striped eel catfish
- Cuttlefish
Thanks in advance for your help.
- Cone snails
- Glaucus atlanticus
- Box jellyfish
- Barracuda
- Stonefishes
- Lionfishes
- Surgeonfishes
- Rabbitfishes
- Pufferfishes
- Stingrays
- Weevers
- Chimaeras
- Dogfishes
- Striped eel catfish
- Cuttlefish
Thanks in advance for your help.
Last edited:
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
If you get into Japanese figures, then it's fairly easy to get some of these.
-There is no cone snail figurine to date AFAIK. I did a homemade Marbled cone at 1:20 scale.
-Glaucus atlanticus have an unbeatable representation by Ikimon-Kitan Club Nature Techni Colour. Belongs to the series "Seaside Creatures" and it's a magnet. Released in 2018, is still in production and many collectors have it. I think is near scale 1:1.
-Box jellyfish. The only one I'm aware of, belongs to the venomous creatures set by Kaiyodo CapsuleQ "The Complete Poisonous and Dangerous Creatures", that also includes two colour versions of Salamandra salamandra, one (about 1:2 I think) Scolopendra hardwickei, one (about 1:15 I think) Potamotrygon leopoldi (in my wishlist), and the (1:1?) box jellyfish that belongs to species Carybdea brevipedalia. Released in 2021, they're in production. But probably will be difficult and expensive to get the cubozoan alone instead the whole set.
-Barracuda. You saw in recent posts of this thread that I got the superb Kaiyodo Aquatales great barracuda. It's in production and still relatively cheap. There are other barracudas in the trade, the second better would be probably the Chap Mei barracuda that is much larger than the Kaiyodo counterpart and a bit too comical/exaggerated but still realistic. Other barracuda figurines such as K & M or Club Earth are discontinued, hard to find and worst in quaility/appareance (the Club Earth almost looks like a trout).
-Stonefishes. Only one I'm aware of: the Safari LTD Synanceia verrucosa. Very well done, about scale 1:10-1:12 I think, it belongs to the Venomous Creatures TOOB (together with bat ray, tarantula, cane toad, Indian cobra, fat-tailed scorpion, giant centipede, Komodo dragon and yellow-bellied sea snake) and I think it would be more difficult to get and more expensive alone instead buying the whole toob. Apparently, it's still in production so it would be not difficult to find. By casuality I've found one that I was not aware of: the Colorata Coral Reef Fish box one (read next paragraph).
-Lionfishes. Multiple options available. First, the genus Dendrochirus have a very good 1:10-1:12(?) representation in the Colorata Coral Reef Fish box, that also includes clown anemonefish, clown triggerfish, emperor angelfish, humphead wrasse, moorish idol, ribbon eel, saddle butterflyfish, spotted garden eel, Stonefish, Yellow Boxfish and Yellownose Prawn Goby. As always, is better to buy the whole set than the zebra lionfish alone. However, maybe for you is better to buy only the lionfish since the other fishes are not poisonous. The set is still in production and available. Besides that, a much lesser known, and I assume retired, Zebra lionfish is produced by Action Products, series "Deadly Kiss", and a Twinspot Scorpionfish of not the finest quality was produced by K & M and has been retired since long ago. Switching to the genus Pterois there are multiple options too. The best one is undoubtely the Yujin Luna lionfish that scales perfectly well with the Colorata Zebra lionfish, the quality is unbeatable. It belongs to the series Primary Color Saltwater Fish Book 1 together with 17 more species of tropical reef fishes, mostly not poisonous (except a porcupinefish and a yellow tang). Sadly it's discontinued but I saw recently various collectors buying the whole set so it don't must be still too difficult to get. Another Luna Lionfish was produced by Kaiyodo in the series Enoshima Aquarium Animal Pictorial Book 1. Released in 2004, this set is discontinued and I know that at least some of the figures are hard to find and expensive now. Other poisonous creatures found in same series are Lagoon jellyfish and Long-spined porcupinefish, together with many other sea creatures (a sea turtle baby, a penguin, a lobster and 12 species of bony/cartilaginous fishes). K & M also did a Spotfin lionfish, of not very long quality and long time discontinued, but if you can get the whole set it belongs to a Venomous Creature Tube that also includes a bird-eating spider, blue-ringed octopus, blue-spotted stingray, rhinoceros viper, coral snake, crown-of-thorns starfish, emperor scorpion, giant Peruvian centipede, Pacific sea nettle, blue poison dart frog and yellow-bellied sea snake. But too hard to find I suppose.
-Surgeonfishes. Being colorful reef fishes very often seen in aquaria, logically they also had wide representation in figurine form. Acanthurus leucosternon was produced by K & M and by Club Earth (both discontinued), Paracanthurus hepatus is by far the most widely represented species with no less than 9 brands releasing it (AAA, Animal Planet, Club Earth, Learning Resources, Mojo Fun, Papo, Safari LTD (4 different versions!), Schleich and Yujin, being the Learning Resources, Mojo, Papo, Safari and Schleich strill in production and the Papo and the Safari Incredible Creatures the most superior in quality (the only ones with scales sculpted) while the Schleich only can be bought together with an anemonefish, rabbitfish, seaweeds and floor base. Finally there is the Zebrasoma flavescens, another species with multiple choices including Yowies USA (in production, and good quality), Yujin (discontinued, see paragraph about it in Lionfish), and Kaiyodo (discontinued and little known, but nicely setting in an Acropora coral that is itself also a poisonous animal).
-Rabbitfishes. Besides the aforementioned Schleich common foxface that you must buy with anemonefish and Palette surgeinfish, two seaweed and a seafloor, there is also a Learning Resources one (not the finest paintjob, since the white areas of the head are painted blue), that is still in production, and a completely unknown for me (I assume long time retired and hard to get) Wing Mau White-spotted Spinefoot that belongs to a set "Saltwater Fishes" with other 4 fish species that I never heard about in any collector circle and I don't find even any picture of.
-Pufferfishes. Too many to choose including both Porcupinefishes (Diodontidae) and Pufferfishes (Tetraodontidae). For the former, Bullyland did one (discontinued in 2007), Safari LTD did one in the Incredible Creatures line (discontinued in 2018, but I think still possible to get) and one for their Good Luck Minis (in production), Yujin did one in the Primary color saltwater fish volume 1 (aforementioned in the lionfish section) and discontinued, and Yowies AUS did one with the characteristic ugly style of this brand, and I assume discontinued. About pufferfishes, the only one that I find that is not discontinued is the Colorata "Saltwater Fish Box" tiger puffer that I have out of my collection due to excessive size for my taste. Buying the whole set is the only option for get it enough cheap. Other pufferfishes such as Kaiyodo Valentin's sharpnose (Japan Aquarium Vol. 5), Kaiyodo Grass Puffer (Furuta Chocoegg Japanese Animal Series 4), Yujin Grass Puffer (Primary color Freshwater Fish book 2), Yowies AUS Black-spotted puffer (Series 4), and Play Visions pufferfish (Tropical Fish) are discontinued.
-Stingrays. Just too many tons of figures to choose for list them here. I just will mention the brands: AAA, Bullyland, Chap Mei, Club Earth, Colorata, Diramix, Fauna Figures Fishes, Innovative Kids, K & M, Kaiyodo, New-Ray, Playmobil, Safari LTD, Sun Wai, Trendmasters, Wenno, Wild Republic, Yowies AUS, Yowies USA.
-Weevers. These fishes are mostly ignored by animal figurine makers. Only the Spanish-Italian brand "Planeta DeAgostini" did a couple of weevers, a Spotted Weever and a Greater Weever, the latter of which glows in the dark. This brand had its glory in the 90's and sold the figures as accesories with printed matter or in blind bags, and I assume those weevers would be practically impossible to find for sale.
-Chimaeras. I have in my collection the Kaiyodo Deep Sea Odyssey 2 Silver ratfish, that is wonderfully well done. Sadly it's discontinued. Colorata did the same species, in the Deep Sea Fish set. Also very good one. Maybe still in production. Discovery Science did an unidentified chimaera of extremely simplistic style, released in 2018 but already discontinued.
-Dogfishes. Discovery Science did a Birdbeak dogfish in the set "Isle of Jaws". Probably hard to get, and like the others of this brand the quality is not the best but the species is exciting. Colorata did a cookiecutter shark that I have, belongs to the Sharks of the World Deluxe Box and is still in production. Catsharks are alternatively named dogfishes, I'm not sure if you're referring to these instead.
-Striped eel catfish. Only one figure I'm aware of, Yujin Primary color saltwater fish book 2 figure consisting of 6 catfishes swimming in dense congretation (as typical for this species) on a seafloor base. It's discontinued.
-Cuttlefishes. Many to choose. AAA did a very large one not very well painted, belonging to series "AAA Molluscs", I suppose it's discontinued and it's completely unknown in collector circles. Bullyland did a Sepia officinalis in "Exotic Sea World" series, not a superb figure but still nive, tough discontinued in 2007 so will be very hard to find. Kaiyodo did a very good Sepia latimanus in the series "Squid Strap Collection" and it's still in production. The same "Squid Strap Collection" also have a Metasepia tullbergi very well done and an unbeatable fabulous Sepia tokioensis of top quality. Also Kaiyodo did a different, more simplistic version Sepia latimanus in the "Furuta Chocoegg Japanese Animal Series 2", discontinued. Panini did a simplistic one in blue colour belonging to set "Marine Animals". Takara Tomy did an unbeatable Sepia latimanus in the "3D Capsule Encyclopedia Cephalopods" series. Woooooah look at those eyes!! Incredibly well done! And it's still in production! Same series also contain a very good Metasepia tullbergi. Yowies AUS did a Sepia apama with the characteristic weird style of this brand and very striking colours. Yowies USA did an infinitely better Sepia apama in Series 5, that is still in production and it's in my wishlist.
I hope all this will be useful to you.
-There is no cone snail figurine to date AFAIK. I did a homemade Marbled cone at 1:20 scale.
-Glaucus atlanticus have an unbeatable representation by Ikimon-Kitan Club Nature Techni Colour. Belongs to the series "Seaside Creatures" and it's a magnet. Released in 2018, is still in production and many collectors have it. I think is near scale 1:1.
-Box jellyfish. The only one I'm aware of, belongs to the venomous creatures set by Kaiyodo CapsuleQ "The Complete Poisonous and Dangerous Creatures", that also includes two colour versions of Salamandra salamandra, one (about 1:2 I think) Scolopendra hardwickei, one (about 1:15 I think) Potamotrygon leopoldi (in my wishlist), and the (1:1?) box jellyfish that belongs to species Carybdea brevipedalia. Released in 2021, they're in production. But probably will be difficult and expensive to get the cubozoan alone instead the whole set.
-Barracuda. You saw in recent posts of this thread that I got the superb Kaiyodo Aquatales great barracuda. It's in production and still relatively cheap. There are other barracudas in the trade, the second better would be probably the Chap Mei barracuda that is much larger than the Kaiyodo counterpart and a bit too comical/exaggerated but still realistic. Other barracuda figurines such as K & M or Club Earth are discontinued, hard to find and worst in quaility/appareance (the Club Earth almost looks like a trout).
-Stonefishes. Only one I'm aware of: the Safari LTD Synanceia verrucosa. Very well done, about scale 1:10-1:12 I think, it belongs to the Venomous Creatures TOOB (together with bat ray, tarantula, cane toad, Indian cobra, fat-tailed scorpion, giant centipede, Komodo dragon and yellow-bellied sea snake) and I think it would be more difficult to get and more expensive alone instead buying the whole toob. Apparently, it's still in production so it would be not difficult to find. By casuality I've found one that I was not aware of: the Colorata Coral Reef Fish box one (read next paragraph).
-Lionfishes. Multiple options available. First, the genus Dendrochirus have a very good 1:10-1:12(?) representation in the Colorata Coral Reef Fish box, that also includes clown anemonefish, clown triggerfish, emperor angelfish, humphead wrasse, moorish idol, ribbon eel, saddle butterflyfish, spotted garden eel, Stonefish, Yellow Boxfish and Yellownose Prawn Goby. As always, is better to buy the whole set than the zebra lionfish alone. However, maybe for you is better to buy only the lionfish since the other fishes are not poisonous. The set is still in production and available. Besides that, a much lesser known, and I assume retired, Zebra lionfish is produced by Action Products, series "Deadly Kiss", and a Twinspot Scorpionfish of not the finest quality was produced by K & M and has been retired since long ago. Switching to the genus Pterois there are multiple options too. The best one is undoubtely the Yujin Luna lionfish that scales perfectly well with the Colorata Zebra lionfish, the quality is unbeatable. It belongs to the series Primary Color Saltwater Fish Book 1 together with 17 more species of tropical reef fishes, mostly not poisonous (except a porcupinefish and a yellow tang). Sadly it's discontinued but I saw recently various collectors buying the whole set so it don't must be still too difficult to get. Another Luna Lionfish was produced by Kaiyodo in the series Enoshima Aquarium Animal Pictorial Book 1. Released in 2004, this set is discontinued and I know that at least some of the figures are hard to find and expensive now. Other poisonous creatures found in same series are Lagoon jellyfish and Long-spined porcupinefish, together with many other sea creatures (a sea turtle baby, a penguin, a lobster and 12 species of bony/cartilaginous fishes). K & M also did a Spotfin lionfish, of not very long quality and long time discontinued, but if you can get the whole set it belongs to a Venomous Creature Tube that also includes a bird-eating spider, blue-ringed octopus, blue-spotted stingray, rhinoceros viper, coral snake, crown-of-thorns starfish, emperor scorpion, giant Peruvian centipede, Pacific sea nettle, blue poison dart frog and yellow-bellied sea snake. But too hard to find I suppose.
-Surgeonfishes. Being colorful reef fishes very often seen in aquaria, logically they also had wide representation in figurine form. Acanthurus leucosternon was produced by K & M and by Club Earth (both discontinued), Paracanthurus hepatus is by far the most widely represented species with no less than 9 brands releasing it (AAA, Animal Planet, Club Earth, Learning Resources, Mojo Fun, Papo, Safari LTD (4 different versions!), Schleich and Yujin, being the Learning Resources, Mojo, Papo, Safari and Schleich strill in production and the Papo and the Safari Incredible Creatures the most superior in quality (the only ones with scales sculpted) while the Schleich only can be bought together with an anemonefish, rabbitfish, seaweeds and floor base. Finally there is the Zebrasoma flavescens, another species with multiple choices including Yowies USA (in production, and good quality), Yujin (discontinued, see paragraph about it in Lionfish), and Kaiyodo (discontinued and little known, but nicely setting in an Acropora coral that is itself also a poisonous animal).
-Rabbitfishes. Besides the aforementioned Schleich common foxface that you must buy with anemonefish and Palette surgeinfish, two seaweed and a seafloor, there is also a Learning Resources one (not the finest paintjob, since the white areas of the head are painted blue), that is still in production, and a completely unknown for me (I assume long time retired and hard to get) Wing Mau White-spotted Spinefoot that belongs to a set "Saltwater Fishes" with other 4 fish species that I never heard about in any collector circle and I don't find even any picture of.
-Pufferfishes. Too many to choose including both Porcupinefishes (Diodontidae) and Pufferfishes (Tetraodontidae). For the former, Bullyland did one (discontinued in 2007), Safari LTD did one in the Incredible Creatures line (discontinued in 2018, but I think still possible to get) and one for their Good Luck Minis (in production), Yujin did one in the Primary color saltwater fish volume 1 (aforementioned in the lionfish section) and discontinued, and Yowies AUS did one with the characteristic ugly style of this brand, and I assume discontinued. About pufferfishes, the only one that I find that is not discontinued is the Colorata "Saltwater Fish Box" tiger puffer that I have out of my collection due to excessive size for my taste. Buying the whole set is the only option for get it enough cheap. Other pufferfishes such as Kaiyodo Valentin's sharpnose (Japan Aquarium Vol. 5), Kaiyodo Grass Puffer (Furuta Chocoegg Japanese Animal Series 4), Yujin Grass Puffer (Primary color Freshwater Fish book 2), Yowies AUS Black-spotted puffer (Series 4), and Play Visions pufferfish (Tropical Fish) are discontinued.
-Stingrays. Just too many tons of figures to choose for list them here. I just will mention the brands: AAA, Bullyland, Chap Mei, Club Earth, Colorata, Diramix, Fauna Figures Fishes, Innovative Kids, K & M, Kaiyodo, New-Ray, Playmobil, Safari LTD, Sun Wai, Trendmasters, Wenno, Wild Republic, Yowies AUS, Yowies USA.
-Weevers. These fishes are mostly ignored by animal figurine makers. Only the Spanish-Italian brand "Planeta DeAgostini" did a couple of weevers, a Spotted Weever and a Greater Weever, the latter of which glows in the dark. This brand had its glory in the 90's and sold the figures as accesories with printed matter or in blind bags, and I assume those weevers would be practically impossible to find for sale.
-Chimaeras. I have in my collection the Kaiyodo Deep Sea Odyssey 2 Silver ratfish, that is wonderfully well done. Sadly it's discontinued. Colorata did the same species, in the Deep Sea Fish set. Also very good one. Maybe still in production. Discovery Science did an unidentified chimaera of extremely simplistic style, released in 2018 but already discontinued.
-Dogfishes. Discovery Science did a Birdbeak dogfish in the set "Isle of Jaws". Probably hard to get, and like the others of this brand the quality is not the best but the species is exciting. Colorata did a cookiecutter shark that I have, belongs to the Sharks of the World Deluxe Box and is still in production. Catsharks are alternatively named dogfishes, I'm not sure if you're referring to these instead.
-Striped eel catfish. Only one figure I'm aware of, Yujin Primary color saltwater fish book 2 figure consisting of 6 catfishes swimming in dense congretation (as typical for this species) on a seafloor base. It's discontinued.
-Cuttlefishes. Many to choose. AAA did a very large one not very well painted, belonging to series "AAA Molluscs", I suppose it's discontinued and it's completely unknown in collector circles. Bullyland did a Sepia officinalis in "Exotic Sea World" series, not a superb figure but still nive, tough discontinued in 2007 so will be very hard to find. Kaiyodo did a very good Sepia latimanus in the series "Squid Strap Collection" and it's still in production. The same "Squid Strap Collection" also have a Metasepia tullbergi very well done and an unbeatable fabulous Sepia tokioensis of top quality. Also Kaiyodo did a different, more simplistic version Sepia latimanus in the "Furuta Chocoegg Japanese Animal Series 2", discontinued. Panini did a simplistic one in blue colour belonging to set "Marine Animals". Takara Tomy did an unbeatable Sepia latimanus in the "3D Capsule Encyclopedia Cephalopods" series. Woooooah look at those eyes!! Incredibly well done! And it's still in production! Same series also contain a very good Metasepia tullbergi. Yowies AUS did a Sepia apama with the characteristic weird style of this brand and very striking colours. Yowies USA did an infinitely better Sepia apama in Series 5, that is still in production and it's in my wishlist.
I hope all this will be useful to you.
Thank you very much; this is indeed really helpful. I might contact you bit by bit.
Funny enough, I do sell said Safari tubes, but the new paint on the stonefish is just awful and they are a bit too small for my purpose.
How big a figure are you looking for? I ask because if the Safari tube figures are smaller than you're wanting, many of the brands listed here are not a whole lot bigger to the same size. I'm particularly looking at Kaiyodo, Yujin, Yowie, and many of the Colorata figures.
It depends on the species in question. If the Glaucus model is 1:1, then that would be alright. In general, models between seven and ten centimeters should do the trick.
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
My newest haul, gift for Epiphany
1. Safari LTD Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). I has been hesitating between this model and the Schleich one for the Indian rhino.
2. CollectA's Sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) male.
It only needed to be a bit retouched for making it better:
3. Safari LTD's Atlantic White-sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus).
4. Papo's Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo). Many of you acquired this figure new for 2020, so it don't need much a presentation.
5. And finally I left for the end my most favourite figure of the batch: the unbeatable Safari LTD's Double-wattled Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius).
1. Safari LTD Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). I has been hesitating between this model and the Schleich one for the Indian rhino.
2. CollectA's Sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) male.
It only needed to be a bit retouched for making it better:
3. Safari LTD's Atlantic White-sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus).
4. Papo's Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo). Many of you acquired this figure new for 2020, so it don't need much a presentation.
5. And finally I left for the end my most favourite figure of the batch: the unbeatable Safari LTD's Double-wattled Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius).