[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: blueheads

herb,

The NFC Breeders program was developed just for someone like you. I agree
fully that without involvment of the greater public, conservation of our
native fishes will be immpossible. People will only get involved in
things they care about and they will only care about things they know. As
long as the Bluehead shiner remains unknown it remains in peril.
Incvolvment in its fate by even a handfull of nativefish enthusiast could
make a real difference. Especially if there develops a financial
incentive for the sate agencies to protect the species IE sales of
collecting tags or sales of the fish for ornamental purposes.
Conservation is fueled by $$


Good examples would be the Rio Negro rriver in Brazil is pristine because
the natives collect aquarium fish out of them. Yet the other rivers are
severly degraded because no one had a financial incentive to keep them
clean.

Also how much do we know about the life cycles of sport fishes in this
country. Compare that with the total lack of info on most non game
species. Money is the difference those fishing licenses and all.


TTYL 
RR



>Hi Robert,
>
>	Some flagfin shiners and sailfin shiners sound good. Only have 
>room for
>a few though!
>	I used the term "breeding program" a bit loosely before. I'm 
>not a
>biologist or such, guess a better way to say what I mean would be 
>"raise
>a bunch of these fish and find good homes for them." I think these 
>fish
>can compete head to blue head with any of the tropicals and should be
>introduced to a broader range of folks than just the limited few in
>their native range. They are about as good a species for introduction 
>to
>the average home aquarist as you'll find, and in my opinion a way to 
>get
>people to appreciate more of the diversity of life in the waters 
>around
>us is to target a few species for popularization with general 
>aquarist.
>For example, that strategy seems to me to be in effect contributing to
>making reef habitat preservation have at least a fighting chance by
>bringing awareness of the habitats to more folks.
>	But I ramble. No need to preach to the saved, huh?
>	I really have only a nebulous plan to get 10 or 15 10 gal 
>breeding
>tanks, racks for them, a couple of 55's for community setup while the
>breeders are getting in shape (the activity of guppies help keep them
>calm), 5 or 6 20's for grow out, suitable hardware for filtration and
>water handling (powerheads, filters, chillers for the hotter months),
>and grow this into a source of these fish for anyone interested.
>	I have contacted the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission about 
>what I
>would need permit wise, and really got nothing out of it but a phone
>bill that could have been put to better use elsewhere. I wrote to them
>outlining a sort of plan, calling it a "fish farm," since that's what
>they said I'd need permits for, but my letter probably got a good 
>laugh
>and a dark filing cabinet for my effort. Of course, I was not
>specifically addressing the Bluehead Shiner as the only fish species I
>wanted to raise at the time. At any rate, I've heard nothing from them
>about it since last month. Perhaps "official" sanctioning from NFC and
>targeting this species would help get something off the ground with
>this? Course, not being a member of NFC sort of might dampen that, 
>huh?
>	Anyway, yeah, I could use the help, and will repay NFC for the 
>help
>with a source for a great native fish that quite a few members would
>appreciate, if you guys care to consider helping out.
>	It's getting late, so I'll wrap this up. Keep in touch, I'll 
>let you
>know when I get more fish.
>
>Herb
>
>robert a rice wrote:
>> 
>> Hi Herb,
>> 
>> I have flagfin shiners, sailfin shiners, pygmy sunfishes and a a 
>variety
>> of southern sunfishes and killies................As for your 
>breeding
>> plans do let on ..I smell an oficially sponsored NFC program 
>possiblility
>> here ..:)
>> 
>> On Thu, 14 May 1998 21:59:29 -0500 Herb Harris 
><top_side at geocities_com>
>> writes:
>> >Hi Robert,
>> >
>> >       Sure, I'll save some back for you, how many you need? Couple
>> >pair do
>> >ya?
>> >       I'm maintaining several in some ten gal tanks right now, but
>> >I'm saving
>> >up to get more equipment and tanks so that I can start a breeding
>> >program for these fish. I hope to have several more next year after
>> >these start to produce offspring, but that of course depends on the
>> >finances and the fish. As it is now, collection is sporadic due to
>> >fluctuating water levels round here, but I am planning to go out 
>soon
>> >if
>> >the water continues going down.
>> >       What ya got to trade for a couple pair of these?
>> >
>> >robert a rice wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Wanna trade for something ?
>> >>snip<
>> >
>> 
>> 
>_____________________________________________________________________
>> You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
>> Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
>> Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
>

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
Follow-Ups: References: