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RE: Caulerpa taxifolia
I watched the show with much interest at first simply because the opening
parts of the show seemed so foreboding. Then there was the denial by the
Monaco Oceanographic Institute that its spread was a potential problem (they
could have brought scientific weight to the argument) indicating that
periodically non-native species appear and then disappear or that maybe the
plant was there all of time and just started to find conditions favorable.
My first reaction was the Director was supporting the concept of global
warming as something inevitable and a situation (with respect to Caulerpa)
not something that anything could be done to change. As the show evolved
they developed a premise to determine if the algae was native or determine
from where it came. Eventually they determined it came from aquarium
sources (marine) and was developed from a virulent sport in Germany. The
species was not normally tolerant to temperatures below 20 C but this sport
had adapted to temperatures down to 13 C by selective breeding and had been
a fixture in many of the marine display tanks at the Oceanographic Institute
not being cited as the source of the invasion.
The bottom line on this discussion is that the aquarium business is cited as
the culprit and only source of this invasive plant. The home aquarium is
also being cited as the source of the "whirling disease" which attacks many
of our native trout populations. What this says is we handle a lot of
"exotic" live material in our hobby including the plants with which we
decorate our tanks, the foods we cultivate to feed our fish (or purchase)
and even the diseases that infect the fish. We need to be much more careful
of how we dispose of these materials once we no longer consider it
worthwhile to maintain. We constantly gripe about the restrictions placed
on us in carrying on our fish commerce but in the end we might just be our
own worst enemy. As you have recently seen with the spread of SARS, it is
much, much easier to move threats unknowing around. As we crave more new
species and get access to them as opposed to established species or
populations where risk has been reduced we run the risk of severely
crippling our hobby.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mach Fukada [mailto:fukada at aloha_net]
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 10:09 PM
To: killietalk at AKA_Org
Subject: Re: Caulerpa taxifolia
C. taxifolia is a wide spread species it is apparently indigenous to Hawaii.
However, the particular strain that is a problem is apparently a mutant that
was developed in cultivation in marine aquaria. Our indigenous strain is
not invasive and very difficult to find (fish probably are able to eat it
here). So far most Caulerpa species that I have collected here in Hawaii do
not seem to do very well in aquarium conditions. However aquarium adapted
C. prolifera does very well as does C. taxifolia.
My friend and coworker was telling me about the episode on NOVA. I didn't
get to see it. These are concerns that I have to deal with as a part of my
job . Many aquatic plants have the potential to become invasive weeds if
they are allowed to be released into waterways. Our State has just spent a
big chunk of money to clean up Salvinia molesta.
see this link:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?L18032214
In its proper place it makes an excellent place for baby fish to hide a
natural filtration system, but out in a lake really bad news. Yet this
plant is still being sold online shared between people (irregardless that it
is a federal noxious weed) and interstate movement is illegal) A quick
search of aquabid will turn up several sources of this plant and others on
the federal noxious weed list. These are the sorts of things that give us a
black eye. If we do not police our selves, take the time to be educated,
and educate others, there will come a time when sending fish, aquarium
plants, etc by mail or other means will become impossible. There will come
a time that the people that oversee invasive species control will try to
prevent the importations, interstate movement, propagation of any "alien
species".
MTF
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Doby" <madflyer38 at msn_com>
To: <killietalk at AKA_Org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 3:58 PM
Subject: Re: Caulerpa taxifolia
According to the Nova show I watched it was first acquired in the Pacific
but I don't know the exact location.
----- Original Message -----
From: David Lains
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 3:12 PM
To: killietalk at AKA_Org
Subject: RE: Caulerpa taxifolia
The state of California tried to outlawed the entire genus! There are many
species and are a main stay of photosynthetic sump filtration for reef
tanks. The marine aquarium industry successfully limited the ban to
taxifolia and maybe (?) a few other invasive species. I have two species in
my reef tank's sump.
It seems they left out where it was native. Did anyone catch that bit of
info? I assume its a Caribbean species.
Best fishes
David
><{{{>-----Original Message-----
><{{{>From: owner-killietalk at AKA_Org [mailto:owner-killietalk at AKA_Org]On
><{{{>Behalf Of Tony Kline
><{{{>Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 2:21 PM
><{{{>To: killietalk at AKA_Org
><{{{>Subject: Re: Caulerpa taxifolia
><{{{>
><{{{>
><{{{>I saw it and I was being very much entertained until I
><{{{>learned that the
><{{{>problem started in aquariums. Big Oops! Even though C.
><{{{>taxifolia is a SW
><{{{>plant it can affect us FW buffs also.
><{{{>Tony Kline
><{{{>Northumberland, Pa
><{{{>
><{{{>
><{{{>----- Original Message -----
><{{{>From: <David.Koran at hq02_usace.army.mil>
><{{{>To: <killietalk at AKA_Org>
><{{{>Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 3:43 PM
><{{{>Subject: Caulerpa taxifolia
><{{{>
><{{{>
><{{{>> How many of you saw the PBS-NOVA program last night on
><{{{>invasive plants and
><{{{>> the sad tale of Caulerpa taxifolia. It was a black eye for
><{{{>aquarists.
><{{{>>
><{{{>>
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