Heard about the aquatic plant ban in Texas? Your state next?

[Khemul]

Think in Southern Florida we seem to have a new pet species released every few years.

Various Anole breeds.
Then Curly-tail Lizards.
Then it was Quaker Parrots, still see noisy flocks of them from time to time.
Then the Green Iguanas took over, until we had a rather cold winter.
(Crocodile Eating) Boas were all over the news years ago.
Cuban Knight Anoles are now becoming more and more common.

For fish;
Mollies, Guppies, Swordtails, Rosie Barbs have even been reported but not considered common, Mayan Cichlids, Oscars, Jack Dempsey Cichlids, Jewel Cichlids. All seem to have come out of the aquarium trade.


Most of our invasive plants though were brought in for the purpose of civilizing and removing that giant swamp (the one that everyone now loves and wants to protect :duh. But the list of invasive aquatic plants (much like the invasive fish list) looks like a catalog from a LFS.

 

[excuzzzeme]

I think the banning of any fish or plant is a great idea since the hobby has shown it won't police itself nor take reasonable precautions to prevent accidental release. Yes, we are paying for someone else's mistakes or deliberate releases, but we need it to protect our own indigenous plants and animals.

With great disappointment, I will support these laws to protect our own environment.

 

[wesleydnunder]

I'll support the ban too, Jeff, even though it will result in my pulling some of my favorite aquarium plants out of my tanks.

This is not without precedent in Texas and the rest of the US. Plants and animals get released by irresponsible people and the rest of us yield the results.

Aquarena Springs, San Marcos, TX.: Non-native hygrophila, cabomba, riccia and other species were introduced into the river from a tropical plant farm. The result is, the native wild rice has been all but completely supplanted. There are also Malawian cichlids in the river.

Elsewhere in TX, Tilapia, Texas cichlids and common plecs are caught in some local streams and bayous year-round.

Mark

 

[Plague]

Think in Southern Florida we seem to have a new pet species released every few years.

Various Anole breeds.
Then Curly-tail Lizards.
Then it was Quaker Parrots, still see noisy flocks of them from time to time.
Then the Green Iguanas took over, until we had a rather cold winter.
(Crocodile Eating) Boas were all over the news years ago.
Cuban Knight Anoles are now becoming more and more common.

For fish;
Mollies, Guppies, Swordtails, Rosie Barbs have even been reported but not considered common, Mayan Cichlids, Oscars, Jack Dempsey Cichlids, Jewel Cichlids. All seem to have come out of the aquarium trade.


Most of our invasive plants though were brought in for the purpose of civilizing and removing that giant swamp (the one that everyone now loves and wants to protect :duh. But the list of invasive aquatic plants (much like the invasive fish list) looks like a catalog from a LFS.

I agree. My lake has a bunch of Peacock cichlid bass and jack dempsey's. Also some mollies, plecos, ottos, some kind of darters, bunch of anacharis growing. Its awesome but I can't get any of it. >.<

 

[wrek]

It's not like they're going to be coming to your house with a warrant to check your aquarium. There is also a law stating you can't take any wildlife or any part of wildlife from the wild to your home.. (at least in Iowa) like feathers, acorns, a rabbit... etc., (unless it was hunted and you have a permit for it). This means if you find a cool owl feather and bring it home they could fine you. Do they? No. It's not that big of a deal and I doubt any Texas cops are sitting around trying to figure out who has Cabomba.

 

[Lab_Rat]

Makes me glad I'm moving out of Texas before I set up a high tech high light tank. Fortunately I think my low tech low light plants are on the white list.

 

[bobalston]

Aquarena Springs, San Marcos, TX.: Non-native hygrophila, cabomba, riccia and other species were introduced into the river from a tropical plant farm.

From my reading almost all of the significant aquatic plant "introductions" into the wile were from plant growers/farmers. sure wish there were more focus on and enforcement of them, at least rather than corporal punishment.

JMHO

Bob :huh:

 

[tigi78840]

I'm in Del Rio,(TX) and we're infested to the gills with common plecos. There is a college teacher here that was in the newspaper because he's harvesting them from the creek to do studies on them (dissect them, and whatnot) I guess to try to get a handle on how they are affecting our local species, and anyway, the teacher said when being interviewed for the paper, that if the species is not native, it's legal for you to collect it without a liscense. I don't know if that's allowed anywhere in TX, or just here, or not legal anymore, because the articles were like at least a year ago, I think....

 

[Slappy*McFish]

I think the banning of any fish or plant is a great idea since the hobby has shown it won't police itself nor take reasonable precautions to prevent accidental release. Yes, we are paying for someone else's mistakes or deliberate releases, but we need it to protect our own indigenous plants and animals.

With great disappointment, I will support these laws to protect our own environment.

That's mighty American of ya, excuzzzeme. Too bad so many other folks choose to do otherwise.
Personally, I think it's a good idea to ban certain species that are (or even have a probable chance of) thriving, populating and overpowering native species once introduced (intentionally or otherwise) to these particular native areas. Just makes sense. Our native habitats and wildlife are much more important and valuable than our relatively insignificant fish tanks. It's a no-brainer, here. The public just needs to be better informed/educated on the consequences of releasing non-natives into the wild, along with better precautions to help prevent accidental introductions, as well.

 

[rufioman]

LAWMAN AIN'T COMIN' IN MAH HOUSE!!!!

lol but really...they'd have to use super awesome plant-seeking technology to find them. Maybe a small army of really angry lizards?