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Re: species maintenance database
In a message dated 6/15/2000 8:28:00 AM, fraulels at minet_ca writes:
<< I think that lack of focus in our debate is
why a lot of AKA maintenance initiatives have petered out. >>
Exactly, and I for one don't know what that focus should be. Should we
try to maintain every species/population that has ever been collected? Not
easy to do and words won't do it. I don't believe there are many killifish
hobbyists who intentionally don't maintain a species. Most of us try and
fail, because of lack of space, time knowledge or usually because we start
with one pair that either won't breed or stay alive or if they do the next
generation wilts away. Not by intent, but by accident. So, what should we do?
Well, one program which I fully support is the record keeping task that Tom
Grady has undertaken. The other task which we could do more about, is to try
to avoid the waste of a lonesome male or female wasting away without a mate.
This mailing list should be used more than it is for matching up widows and
widowers. Putting a structure around it will do no more than already is
possible. Similarly the Fish and Egg List in the Business Newsletter can be
used for the same purpose, but rarely is used for that purpose.
Of course, the bigger issue is how to get a Species Conservation Program
fully implemented. A few isolated programs are working, for example Harry
Specht's australe program. But even here, with a limited scope, the task is
daunting. As Gary points out, the real issue is habitat destruction, not
aquarium maintenance.
For the australe program, it is a different situation because the
aquarium strain of "chocolate" australe is different in appearance and
behavior from any of the recent wild strains. It is probably even genetically
isolated from any wild strain, and in only 50 years or so. Other species may
show the same divergence and keeping them in an aquarium for 50 years will
not necessarily keep the species intact.
Lee Harper
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