don't dismiss the "newbie"

["Kray, Edd" <Edd_Kray at rf.doe.gov>]

An individual wrote the following this morning:

"Think about it - with rare fish, which is more important - that the =
eager newbie gets to have a chance at those pretty little fellas that =
everyone wants (and then loses them), or that the more experienced =
breeder gets them and has a better chance at reproducing them and =
distributing them in the hobby. How many species have been lost because
=
less skilled breeders got them first? Anyone's guess, but I'll bet it's
=
a lot - and I've been among those who have lost fish that were in very =
short supply, so I'm not exempt here."

"Counterpoint": 

This principle has received a lot of lip service lately and I'd like to
hear some opinions. It seems to be developing into a mantra amongst
older members (Isn't that most of us unfortunately?) and, frankly, I
don't buy it for a moment.

I do not believe that "experienced breeders" routinely do any better in
reproducing most species than relative newcomers. The writer admits,
(last sentence) that as an "experienced breeder" he/she has lost a share
of rare species.

My experience is that chance (perhaps the better scientific word is
probability) plays a key role in our captive breeding success. I've seen
that the more different fishrooms a species is maintained-in, the better
chance that someone will find the right combination and produce a batch
or three.


I truly do object to any policy, whether club-wise or personal, which
restricts distribution of fish to "experienced breeders". First issue is
the question of how to define an "experienced breeder". Second is the
question of whether that experienced breeder is going to spend the time
needed on the species. I allowed an "experienced breeder" to care for
100 of a rare species of special interest to me last year and was in awe
two months ago to hear he'd dropped out of the hobby and those juveniles
were all lost. Nevertheless, a local club member only in the hobby for 3
years managed to breed a batch and keep us going.

My personal opinion is that it is the PEOPLE in the hobby that are most
important and to insult them, even the earliest of beginners, by
favoring the "good old boys" in distributing our fish is the worst
possible thing we could do to our organization. Many have asked why the
AKA is getting so "gray". Could the development of this attitude play a
role in that?

Most often the "eager newbie" is just that, EAGER, and his/her eagerness
leads to a level of attention much higher that of the "experienced
breeder". Don't sell the "newbie" short, in attentiveness, effort or
potential success with the fish that you and I have not been successful
in breeding. 

Let the individual decide when he or she is ready for a challenge.




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