Nick Zarlinga
Aquarium Biologist
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
216.661.6500 ext 4485
><)> -----Original Message-----
><)> From: owner-nanfa_at_aquaria.net
><)> On Behalf
><)> Of Stan Perkins
><)> Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 5:32 PM
><)> To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
><)> Subject: Re: NANFA-- Collecting ethics
><)>
><)>
><)> When you throw mud it sticks! I have seen
><)> "professional" zoological keeper
><)> buy hundreds of thousands of dollars of fish
><)> specimens to keep huge display
><)> tanks stocked because they were unable to or too
><)> hurried to keep proper
><)> water conditions. So good and bad exists on both
><)> sides of the fence. I hate
><)> this holier than thou attitude that some
><)> "professionals" have about
><)> hobbiests. It stirs me up in a hurry.
><)>
><)> Stan Perkins
><)> ----- Original Message -----
><)> From: <coelacanth_at_btinternet.com>
><)> To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
><)> Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 4:39 AM
><)> Subject: Re: NANFA-- Collecting ethics
><)>
><)>
><)> > > How often do you have to replace specimens on exhibit?
><)> > > How often do you have breeding success with
><)> your specimens on exhibit?
><)> >
><)> > In the case of Zoological Institutions, there
><)> are ethical procedures and
><)> protocols to go through when acquiring new stock.
><)> No single individual takes
><)> it on themselves to make the decision on what is
><)> right and what isn't. These
><)> decisions are subject to internal scrutiny and
><)> also external scrutiny by
><)> regional and central government. Inspections are
><)> rigorous and frequent, as
><)> they should be.
><)> >
><)> > > dare say that there are a lot of hobbist out
><)> there with the same drive
><)> and
><)> > > interest as any "professional".
><)> >
><)> > Indeed, and that is where I have acquired the
><)> majority of my knowledge
><)> from, and that is why I personally attend three
><)> different aquarium society
><)> meetings each month, but they do not always have
><)> the resources or support
><)> structure required to be able to make informed
><)> decisions about what are or
><)> aren't sustainable populations or on other
><)> questions pertaining to
><)> conservation.
><)> > In terms of sheer numbers, certainly private
><)> aquarists are way ahead if we
><)> are measuring 'passion volume' (for want of a
><)> better term), but for every
><)> private aquarist with that passion there are 50
><)> who like the look of Red
><)> Parrot Cichlids etc.
><)> > To work in the professional field you have to be
><)> able to take that same
><)> passion and use it to offset the fact that you are
><)> always going to be paid
><)> at a level that leaves you worrying every single
><)> month about what to most
><)> people are fairly routine expenses.
><)> >
><)> > >From your unrealistic statements, you are
><)> either very young or >very
><)> inexperienced - or both.
><)> >
><)> > I have to say here that Nick is neither, but is
><)> an internationally
><)> recognised Public Aquarium professional who has
><)> proven himself on many
><)> occasions on all aspects of the delivery of a
><)> successful Educational and
><)> Zoological institution, including innovative
><)> husbandry techniques,
><)> reproduction and long-term maintenance.
><)> >
><)> > > An aquarium, a pond or any artificial
><)> enclosure is just that - >
><)> artificial. You cannot maintain
><)> > > specimens in "their native environments" in a tank.
><)> >
><)> > You can use environmetal enrichment to ensure
><)> that the fish concerned are
><)> exposed to as many of the non-hazardous conditions
><)> that they would
><)> experience on the wild as possible. If the
><)> ultimate aim is conservation this
><)> is absolutely essential, otherwise what you end up
><)> with is a domesticated
><)> fish that breeds perfectly well in aquaria but
><)> would not last the day when
><)> returned to the original habitat the broodstock
><)> came from. Work like this is
><)> very difficult for any one individual to carry
><)> out, as it requires such a
><)> multi-disciplinary approach.
><)> >
><)> > > 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.
><)> >
><)> > As in the Apistogramma I have breeding at home
><)> which I only see when they
><)> are displaying or guarding fry.
><)> > But for every one that does, there are dozens
><)> more who have crystal rocks
><)> and plastic ships.
><)> --
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><)> > / 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
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"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