[Killietalk] RE: Where have all the killies gone?

["Koran, David HQ02" <David_Koran at hq02.usace.army.mil>]

At the risk of sounding too simplistic I think Nevin and Brian have just
answered the question of the necessity of the Wild Collections Proposal
advanced by the BOT.  If there is no effort to maintain fish that are
brought back, why is the AKA's throwing money at such trips in the effort to
bring new fish into the hobby going to improve anything?

Both of the observations show that new collections is not necessarily the
answer.  The concept as we practice "species maintenance" doesn't work,
instead of trying to find ways to blow AKA resources on ventures of dubious
return, maybe we need some new concepts that change the landscape of what do
with anything that is brought back.  Is there is simple answer?  Is it as
Brian points out, a lack of capacity to absorb everything?  Is there
something wrong with our husbandry practices?  Do only the fish survive that
are adaptable to the narrow range of conditions we present in our fishrooms?
Do we bottleneck species, subspecies or strains/locations so much that we
create a roadmap for disaster such that few species have enough genetic
adaptability that they can survive for long in being passed from fishroom to
fishroom?  Do we need to establish new or different management units?
Should we set up subgroups such as specialty groups such as a Notho group or
Diapteron group or Epiplatys group whose charter should be more than an
internal swap meet?  Do they look after maintenance of all species
associated with the group and not just KCC targeted species?  Do they
enlarge their horizons and follow land use trends and habitat pressures in
the countries from where the species in that group originate?  Do they
determine need to recollect?  Do they worry about acquisition/reacquisition?
Do they partner with N&RSC to bring fish in or provide fish to N&RSC?

And one last gasp, are there sufficient marketplaces for killies?  Or is
this the problem?  Do we produce too much and therefore devalue practice of
keeping a species going within our restricted resource base?  (Fritos
principle as stated by Jay Leno -- Don't worry, we'll make more!)  Do you
have any answer to why you personally keep killies?  Do you really intend to
do anything with the killies you have (note I did not say that you
maintain)?  Do you really maintain anything?  Do you have a plan for the
fish you currently have?  How much of what you have now did you have 2, 3 or
5 years ago?  Can you explain to your own satisfaction why you no longer
have this or that?  Do I have to quote Pogo -- WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE
IS US!

Cheers!!!

Dave Koran

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