Wild collecting
- Thread starter captmicha
- Start date
At times, I feel that an infusion of wild blood helps with hardiness and genetic diversity in captive bred populations. Wild collection has its place in the hobby, just like everything else.
I can agree with that. My biggest issue with wild caught specimens is the complete disregard for native populations/habitats that many collectors will exhibit. They're more worried about the revenue than the lives they're impacting.
I think it really depends on a lot of things, such as species, how endangered they are, how carefully they are being collected, and how damaging it is on the environment they are being collected from. My main concern is collecting saltwater fish. These fish go through horrendous conditions to reach our aquariums, and we can't do much about it considering the majority of saltwater fish are not being raised in captivity. Luckily, most freshwater fish are being bred in captivity so we can buy from the better sources. I will admit to having some wild-caught specimens like otos and amano shrimp, but I always try to find tank raised animals before buying wild-caught. But as long as there is no danger to populations and environment and the wild-caught specimens are kept ethically, I'm not against it.
Believe it or not but the endler guppy is on the endangered species list in it country due to human encroachment and overfishing. Im neutral when it comes to collecting wild specimens. I see no need to keep wild caught fish UNLESS the fsh you are keeping have yet to breed in captivity such as a redtail( or yellowtail, not sure on the name) barracuda. Theres no need to keep wild caught endlers or killies. But then again if no one ever went and kept a wild caught fish then this hobby most likely wouldnt exist today.
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Or they simply value the improvement in the lives of the people helped with the revenue more than the lives of the fish. Not too difficult to imagine someone doing so when the people involved are one's family is it?
In truth, having listened to people who have gone on collecting trips in these locations, the bigger issue is that the resources are being fished out to feed the local population, not to stock our tanks, or non-natives are being introduced as food fish or biological control agents, and the result is to outcompete natives or ruin the habitat for them. Look into the impact common plecos have had in Madagascar.
Wild collecting has it's place, and as is the case with most things, can be done responsibly.
Wild collecting has it's place, and as is the case with most things, can be done responsibly.
