Re: NANFA-- Collecting ethics

Stan Perkins (stanperkins_at_academicplanet.com)
Mon, 12 Jan 2004 21:48:11 -0600

Nick,
How often do you have to replace specimens on exhibit?
How often do you have breeding success with your specimens on exhibit? I
dare say that there are a lot of hobbist out there with the same drive and
interest as any "professional". From your unrealistic statements, you are
either very young or very inexperienced - or both. An aquarium, a pond or
any artificial enclosure is just that - artificial. You cannot maintain
specimens in "their native environments" in a tank. You must go out of you
way to provide a habitat that the animals feel comfortable in. One measure
of that comfort is natural behavior and spawing with subsiquent rearing of
the young. If you believe that this does not require dedication, observation
skills and a love of your subjects, you have problems. There aquarist in the
world that are so knowledgeble that professionals utilize their knowledge
and experience in their own work.
Finally it is impossible to seperate a love a species from a love of its
native environment. Aquarist jump through hoops providing environments as
close to nature as possible. EVEN to the point of using muddy leafy bottoms
where the fish seem never to be seen. Grow up - talk to these folks and you
will find kindred lovers of nature. But never, never put someone down
because you feel you are better than they are because you look at things
from a different angle. Diversity is Mother Nature smiling.

Enough preaching I'm going to eat a bowl of shrimp and gar gumbo with smoked
mullet.

Stan Perkins
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nick Zarlinga" <njz_at_clevelandmetroparks.com>
To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 9:16 AM
Subject: RE: NANFA-- Collecting ethics

> Measuring the passion quotient is easy. Look at the huge number of
> hobbyists in the world and you tell me how many have the incling that
> tropical fish actually come from a real place! As we have discussed. The
> problem with humans is that we are so disconnected with our environment
and
> we loose site that our animals actually came from a wild place! We
discuss
> is all the time on this list. Rember the thread about how people are told
> that you have to boil your driftwood and rocks before you put them in your
> aquarium? And hobbyists have a tendency to keep their aquariums sparkling
> clean. No algae and no detritus is how fish are supposed to be kept? As
if
> these fish are never exposed to mud, pathogens, or algae in their natural
> environment. Hobbyists don't think of where there fish come from, they
just
> think of them in the tank. Again, this is shear numbers alone. The exact
> opposite thinking is what endeared me to NANFA. A group of hobbyists who
> are really in tune with their animals *and* the natural environments where
> they come from. We can have intelligent debates about all these topics.
> But I don't believe that you can tell me that the percentage of hobbyists
in
> this country who have a serious passion about their animals is the same as
> in the professional world. Again its all about numbers. And we all b*tch
> about the "average" hobbyist on this list server.
>
> Nick Zarlinga
> Aquarium Biologist
> Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
> 216.661.6500 ext 4485
>
>
> ><)> -----Original Message-----
> ><)> From: owner-nanfa_at_aquaria.net
> ><)> On Behalf
> ><)> Of EELReprah_at_aol.com
> ><)> Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 10:10 AM
> ><)> To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
> ><)> Subject: Re: NANFA-- Collecting ethics
> ><)>
> ><)>
> ><)> In a message dated 1/12/04 9:50:27 AM,
> ><)> njz_at_clevelandmetroparks.com writes:
> ><)>
> ><)> << There are certainly a higher percentage of
> ><)> biologists with a
> ><)>
> ><)> passion that hobbyists. >>
> ><)>
> ><)> I don't buy that. I think the percentage of
> ><)> passion is probably the same. The
> ><)> hobbyist has only passion as a driving force, The
> ><)> professional has both
> ><)> passion and livelihood. Quantitative evaluation is
> ><)> impossible since I don't know
> ><)> how to measure the passion quotient.
> ><)>
> ><)> Lee Harper
> ><)> Media, PA
> ><)> ---------------------------
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> ><)> American Native Fishes
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> /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
> / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
> / Association"
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http://www.nanfa.org
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org