Subject: Re: NANFA-L-- Fw: NAS Species Alert - Piaractus brachypomus
dlmcneely-in-lunet.edu
Date: Thu Nov 04 2004 - 09:45:46 CST
Though I am not aware of large bodied characins being included in this phenomenon, substantial numbers of breeding populations of tropical and subtropical species have been established in warm springs throughout North America. Livebearers are serious problems in many western U.S. and western Canadian locations. Tilapia have also become established in such places, though they mostly came from the aquaculture industry. Tilapia are major pests throughout S. Texas. For Pacu to proliferate similarly is not out of the question. And the deep South, S. Texas, Southern California and Arizona remain a part of the U.S., so far as I know. Very soft, acid waters are characteristic of much of the Gulf and S. Atlantic coastal plains. Exotics introduced anywhere are a major potential problem, and the aquarium trade and hobbyists are responsible to police themselves to prevent such problems. I was a big Pogo fan. You may be too young to remember the comic strip possum who ".... found the enem
So far as fishing records, pacu account for most of the reported "pihranha" catches in the U.S
Denial of a problem will not make it go away. Self policing has not completely worked, so we must have enforcable and enforced regulations.
Dave
David L. McNeely, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Langston University; P.O. Box 1500
Langston, OK 73050; email: dlmcneely-in-lunet.edu
telephone: (405) 466-6025; fax: 405) 466-3307
home page http://www.lunet.edu/mcneely
"Where are we going?" "I don't know, are we there yet?"
----- Original Message -----
From: Moontanman-in-aol.com
Date: Wednesday, November 3, 2004 7:52 pm
Subject: Re: NANFA-L-- Fw: NAS Species Alert - Piaractus brachypomus
> Are any of these fish surviving the winter? Is there any sign they
> have
> established a breeding population? Pacu are very popular fish and
> often grow to
> several pounds in rather small home aquariums. While I never
> condone the release
> of aquarium fish I think that concern that this fish is a
> significant threat
> is much ado about nothing! Only in the very deep south is there
> even a small
> chance of a breeding population and even then I think pacu need
> some rather
> unlikely environmental parameters to reproduce,-in-least unlikely
> in North
> America, very soft acid water?
>
> Moon
>
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association (NANFA). Comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more information about NANFA,
/ visit http://www.nanfa.org . Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are
/ consistent with the guidelines as per
/ http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/guidelines.html. To subscribe,
/ unsubscribe, or get help, visit the NANFA email list home page and
/ archive-in-http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/.
: Fri Dec 31 2004 - 12:42:45 CST