Wild Caught Fish

Aquarius0015

Aquarius0015

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Sep 29, 2003
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Richmond, VA
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I know that wild fish (clown loaches especially) are prone to parasites and other natural diseases. However, even if they were not, I would not want to purchase one for ecological reasons. Maybe the impact of the pet industry on the environment is hardly noticeable, but I would prefer to buy only peope-bred fish. I do not mean to pass judgement on those who do buy wild caught fish, this is just IMO.

So, does anyone know which fish I should avoid specifically? Besides clown loaches :) ?
 
Your job is do your own research to select captive bred fish over wild caught. I think you are seriously mistaken, so while you are doing that research, check out Project PIABA. Without the fish export business, the local exosystem would already have been destroyed. Certainly there are horror stories on the other side as well, but have you considered that all of today's commercially bred fish started their history as imports?

If you want to keep Noah's Ark tanks of chain store fish, certainly do captive bred. If you want to benefit the hobby long term, do independent research and learn how to breed currently wild-caught fish. The field is expanding rapidly - sometimes to the good of the hobby, sometimes to its detriment. Everything has positive and negative aspects, you get to select which side you support by your actions. Are you going to be a producer and expand the knowledge of the hobby, or just a consumer?
 
Very well put RTR! Thank you! If it were not for wild caught fish, the hobby we know today would cease to exist. New species are being discovered daily and the only way we can be certain they will be around for years is to collect them and breed them. For some reason most people believe that all fish for sale in stores today are captive bred. That could not be farther from the truth.
 
There are fish that are bred in the hobby today that no longer exist in nature. Here is one such species that was not discovered until 1992. If they had not been brought into the hobby they would be extinct today -
http://www.cichlidae.com/articles/a169.html

a169-01.jpg
 
Oy, I didn't mean to create controversy, but I see the other side a bit better now. I've just seen quite a few Animal Planet/National Geographic programs about how aquatic poachers are helping to destroy coral reefs by disrupting the delicate ecosystems. I know that applies to SW but I assumed something similar might be happening to FW environments, too.

Also, my first and strongest animal hobby is parrots. I know that many even today are captured from rainforests. A common method to capture parrots is to cut down the tree first and then collect survivors from the nest. Not only is this traumatic to the birds, the deforestation also hurts the ecosystem. Once again, I drew a parallel between capturing one type of animal from the wild to capturing FW fish.

I actually did consider the fact that all captive-bred species were originally caught in the wild. However, those fish were caught before my time, and if any damage was done, it is way in the past, and I could not possibly take any action to change the situation. However, by purchasing a wild caught fish, I run the risk of supporting (with the power of my wallet) unsavory business practices that are still in operation today.

As far as benefitting the hobby, that would be nice to do *someday.* Currently, I am a college student with limited space and limited money. My university, my roommate, and my parents would undoubtedly disapprove of me running a fish conservation program out of my room. I am talking about 12 gallons of tank or so. Besides, even if I had the time, money and space, I am too inexperienced at this point to figure out how to breed rare species, especially when hundreds of experienced hobbyists so far have not been able to.

Sorry if I upset anybody, but I have always been very passionate about animal rights (I was even vegetarian for a few years). For example, I am also concerned about product testing on animals, puppy mills, neutering/spaying, and most importantly choosing adoption from a shelter over buying pure-bred from a store. Look up the astrological profile of Aquarius, we tend to be very ideological, it's not my fault.
 
The sign under which you were born should have nothing to do with having an open or closed mind. Without added smiles, it does seem a bit telling on thought processes or the lack thereof.

Being young and not theoretically in a position to contribute also has nothing to do with having an indoctrinated mind.

Age has little to do with the ability to contribute. I have known secondary school students who have made positive contributions to the hobby. Attitude and interest and an inquiring and examining mind are key. That actually should be easier for a student than for and old crab like me.

Captive intake to hobby and resulting captive breeding may appear ancient history to you, but most of it has happened during my lifetime, and no small percentage during yours - just how long do think that it is has been practical and profitable to breed neons in captivity?
 
To my mind, one of the biggest problems today is the destruction of the rain forests in Central & South America. Soon many fish who are indigenous to certain areas will become extinct because of lack of vegetation and habitat. In Africa many Lake Victoria cichlids are now only found in captivity because of the introduction of the Nile Perch many years ago. And so the problem continues.
 
The sign under which you were born should have nothing to do with having an open or closed mind. Without added smiles, it does seem a bit telling on thought processes or the lack thereof.
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Please be sensitive towards belief systems, even if you do not think they are valid. As it happens, I do not put much stock in astrology, I was just trying to add light-hearted fun to a rather intense discussion. However, I have many Pagan friends to whom astrology is an integral part of religion. Suggesting that a student of astrology is acting without enough "thought processes" (I take it this means acting stupidly?) is hurtful to those who do practice and believe it.

have known secondary school students who have made positive contributions to the hobby.
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I am interested in what these students have done. If it is a project that is affordable, practical, and of real consequence to the hobby, I would definitely like to help somehow.

just how long do think that it is has been practical and profitable to breed neons in captivity?
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I have no idea. How long? I've grown up with neons always being bargain fish, so I assumed that they'd been bred captively for quite a while.
 
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