Some fish should just be left in the ocean

[den75]

As the title states, and that's just my opinion. Why do we keep pulling fish from their natural habitats that have a dismal survival record when placed in captivity in home aquariums? Mandarins, Moorish Idols, Copperband Butterflies are a few that come to mind. Are there success stories with these fish? Absolutely. But for every success story there are probably a hundred failures, maybe more. I fear that as hobbyists if we don't start policing ourselves with regard to something like this someone else will be doing the policing for us. More than likely that will not end well for the aquarium industry.

 

[reeferfoxx]

This subject is like beating a dead horse. But I agree.

 

[ReeferBob]

Do you have any fish? What is the difference between captive bread and wild-caught?

 

[reeferfoxx]

Do you have any fish? What is the difference between captive bread and wild-caught?

ORA shows us that captive bred fish tend to be less stressed and are capable of eating "easier" frozen and pellet type foods compared to wild caught. Shipping also induces disease.

 

[ReeferBob]

ORA is trying to sell you something. Not that they are wrong, but they do have a clear conflict of interest.

Most salt species for home aquariums are live caught, including some varieties of clownfish. I do agree that live-caught fish are stressed and many, if not most end up dead, as do many captive-bred fish. But unless you don't own any fish at all, this seems a bit hypocritical to me.

 

[reeferfoxx]

ORA is trying to sell you something. Not that they are wrong, but they do have a clear conflict of interest.

Most salt species for home aquariums are live caught, including some varieties of clownfish. I do agree that live-caught fish are stressed and many, if not most end up dead, as do many captive-bred fish. But unless you don't own any fish at all, this seems a bit hypocritical to me.

Who doesn't own any fish and how does this change ones perception?

 

[steve&mari]

It's like anything else if there's demand for it then there's going to be suppliers. Too many stores and people are quick to sell or buy without much thought about it. It's not something a educated reefer would do without some degree of special needs and ability to be met before the purchase. Unfortunately it's a bad part of the learning curve for many new hobbyist. That's why we preach research before you just jump in.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Beating a dead horse...

 

[Salty1962]

That's why we promote people here to read about and ask all the questions they have before purchasing any livestock for their tank. It's a small part but maybe it will catch on else where.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I agree that there are many that should be left in the ocean. But a Mandarin can live for many. many years in the home aquarium. For this we just need people to be educated!

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

But it's so pretty!

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I had my Orange Spotted Filefish live for 5-6 years. If you train them correctly, they can he nice and healthy. My mandy lived for 8.

Fish with special needs should not be bought and thrown in the tank without tending to and providing for those special needs. It's not that the fish should not be bought, it just should not be bought by people who are not willing to go above and beyond to get them to live.

My first fish 20 years ago were seahorses. I was told at the time they should not be removed from sea... look how far we've come with them.

 

[Untamedrose]

Do you have any fish? What is the difference between captive bread and wild-caught?

Seems to me there is a huge moral difference.
In the same way but opposite as adopting an animal from a shelter vs getting one from a puppy mill. Birds are a better example one can purchase captive bred hand raised birds of all kinds of species OR wild caught

Responsibly sourcing where you get your pets from is important. Knowing what your getting into is just as important.

Now we all know...that there are still many species of fish that are still a "yet" to be successfully bred in tanks and that many may never been. But it seems to me that responsible reef keepers should be supporting these companies that are making an effort to bred them.
It wasnt that long ago that the Only captive bred fish where cardinals and a few clowns.

 

[Nibejeebies]

As the title states, and that's just my opinion. Why do we keep pulling fish from their natural habitats that have a dismal survival record when placed in captivity in home aquariums? Mandarins, Moorish Idols, Copperband Butterflies are a few that come to mind. Are there success stories with these fish? Absolutely. But for every success story there are probably a hundred failures, maybe more. I fear that as hobbyists if we don't start policing ourselves with regard to something like this someone else will be doing the policing for us. More than likely that will not end well for the aquarium industry.

I have not researched the moorish idol or the copper and, but green mandarins are currently being captive bred at Substainable Aquitics along with some others.

I tend to go out of my way only to buy captive bred fish. One exception I've made is my foxface.

 

[Salty1962]

But it's so pretty!

You can see that "Chow Time" look in his eye as he glides over that acro

 

[RoyalGrammaJohn]

Some wrasses I think should not be taken from the wild unless they can ever be captive bred. Like the cleaner wrasse. Very important in the ocean. Lately captive breeding is getting more advanced and i really believe within the next ten years your going to see many more captive fish being bred and bought in stores. They just got the yellow tang captive bred and in a couple years they will be all over in the stores. At least that what the owner of one store told me. And so what if there a little more expensive I rather pay a little more for captive bred than to get a wild one. Most corals now a days are also aquaculture which is very good and now there is reef saver rock or Eco rock or even man made rock that it just like if not the same as live rock.

 

[Salty1962]

Some wrasses I think should not be taken from the wild unless they can ever be captive bred. Like the cleaner wrasse. Very important in the ocean. Lately captive breeding is getting more advanced and i really believe within the next ten years your going to see many more captive fish being bred and bought in stores. They just got the yellow tang captive bred and in a couple years they will be all over in the stores. At least that what the owner of one store told me. And so what if there a little more expensive I rather pay a little more for captive bred than to get a wild one.

I kept Cleaner Wrasse for 5 yrs. and the person I sold him to still has him, they can be kept with minimal effort Just a FYI if you haven't ever tried them

 

[Salty.Reefer]

I do believe this issue has been debated since the beginning of time and most know both sides and most people on this website make their own educated decisions, but for me it is a moral issue.

Do you have any fish? What is the difference between captive bread and wild-caught?

The difference for me between captive bread and wild caught has to do with my moral responsibility to the fish. I feel completely gutted when a fish dies under my care but that isn't to say I feel the same about a wild caught and captive breed fish. For a captive breed fish I know that they would have never made a difference on a wild reef. It would have never found a mate and produced fry. On the other hand wild caught fish quite potentially would have. For me it all has to do with potential down stream consequences.

It would be cool to see the day when we can breed many more species of fish to truly have a self sustained hobby that does not affect natural ecosystems.

 

[Dave wyatt]

Do you have any fish? What is the difference between captive bread and wild-caught?

Just wanted to point out that years ago I had 3 blue damsels that bread in my 75 gal. One day I noticed they were going in an out of a barnacle shell. Shined a light inside. They had laid a clutch of eggs and were tending them. I went to.my local aquarium told tjem. The challange was to create a food supply that the new.hatchlings could eat. Had to set.up a tank and create a food chain! Starting with green water. The damsels laid several other clutches of eggs. I am a diver also and I agree that many species of fish should be not wild caught. I prefer to see them in the wild.

 

[Oscaror]

WHAT is this picture?! This is so disturbing seeing how cockatoos are extremely intelligent birds capable of feelings.
I can't believe it do people actually sell them like this?!