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

Re: Flag Fish and Reef Tanks



I think Dwight was talking about the environmental impact of capturing some 
of the creatures that are kept in saltwater aquaria. Keeping saltwater tank 
owners supplied with live specimens who aren't as caring and successful as 
you are is environmentally destructive because of the methods used for 
capturing them. And it's an endless cycle, for many people. 

As I understand it, people prefer buying wild-caught saltwater fish to 
captive-raised, because they are cheaper (this according to a lfs owner who 
claims to be an expert).  

Although I think saltwater tanks are absolutely beautiful, at this point I 
wouldn't consider keeping one because of personal ethics. Patronizing an 
industry that bombs and destroys reefs to catch a couple fish goes against my 
grain.

Sylvia

Keith & Lisa responded to Dwight:
>  
>  >>As for reef tanks, your arguement about artificial coral/live rock
>  reproduction is sound, but who has a salt water tank w/o the fish and
>  fancy
>  fauna?  Unless you are talking about a damsel fish tank, I'll have to
>  say
>  marine aquaria are still more destructive than planted aquaria since
>  the
>  "beast must be fed" w/ new live wild specimins each year to fill
>  hobbyists
>  aquaria.
>  
>  My fish and corals do not die on a yearly basis.
>  I have over 40 fish in  my tank.
>  I have cardinal fish in my tank that are 5yrs old and spawn on a
>  monthly basis
>  I have a pair of mandarins that do their lovely ballets like spawning
>  rituals monthly.
>  I have a pair of percula clowns that are 3yrs old and mature enough to
>  begin spawning.
>  They live in 4 gorgeous pink bubble tip anemones. I started with one 4
>  yrs ago and
>  have had them asexually reproduce yearly.
>  I have a 3 yr. old pair of yellow watchman gobies that I am pretty
>  sure are spawning.
>  I have a Naso tang over 5 yrs old.
>  
>  Even back in the early 80's when I set up my first salt tank, with the
>  undergravel filter
>  and the fluval, I kept a show Queen angel and a Snowflake eel for
>  three yrs until I had
>  to move across country and sold the entire tank.
>  
>  >>Should we so the same to the trade in reef fish/fauna that were not
>  bred in captivity...I'm sure you'll agree that would be the end of 90%
>  of
>  the trade in marine animals since they cant be bred.>
>  
>  Almost all clownfish and psuedochromis species can be captively reared
>  as well as a few species of gobies. They are making inroads into
>  larval rearing
>  of many species of angels, butterflies and tangs. There are reports
>  out of Asia of raising angelfish
>  spawns in ponds.
>  
>  >>Its the fancy fish in saltwater aquaria that gets to me though.  No
>  one
>  will spend much time ogling rocks w/o fish.  Contrast that to an Amano
>  or a
>  European tank w/o fish .. you don't even notice fish if they arnt
>  there!
>  
>  The look of the dead coral tanks is gone. You can get live rock that
>  is quarried on land and
>  put in the ocean to cultivate and is now being sold on the market.
>  All soft corals and lot of the reef building acropora species are
>  actively traded amongst
>  hobbyist for a number of years as well as several other species.
>  
>  It is only within the last 6-8 yrs that the marine aquariums has
>  really begun to flourish.
>  Remember it wasn't that long ago that people had a hard time keeping
>  plants alive in a
>  tank as well.
>  
>  The marine side of the hobby is coming into its own and is painfully
>  aware of the problems that have
>  happened in the past and hopefully is on a path to sustainability.
>  
>  I sure don't want to turn this into a pissing contest as so often
>  these threads do
>  I just hate to see so much disinformation.