Re: NANFA-- large fish

Tony (anutej_at_loxinfo.co.th)
Thu, 12 Oct 2000 14:33:58 +0700

I wrote that sentense sarcastically... Actually there are many, many fishes
that grow too large for the average 5-30 gallon tanks - pacu, giant gouramy,
ocellaris, arowanas, arapaima [yes, it is a hot item in many Asian countries],
irredescent shark [and many members of the family Pangasidae], large pimelodids,
etc. I hate banning since many species that is gonna go extinct in the wild are
prevented from captive breeding by overcover laws [eg. dwarf loach -
fortunately[?] the law is not strictly enforced], and many people around do care
for the big fishes well and it would be wrong to prevent them from keeping such
fishes too. But so many irresponsible and ignorant exporters, importers, petshop
owners, and aquarists just don't care about the plight of big fishes stuff in
small houses. Only more education and more responsibility [by ones involve in
keeping fishes] will give big fishes better comfort and longlasting life.
Otherwise some control would be necessary.
About PETA I wonder one thing: if they will not harm animals in any way is it
right for them to pull plants out of the ground alive, dismember them [maybe
alive], or boil them alive? At least for many fishes even if they are not
exported for the pet industry most of the caught fishes will be eaten anyway.
Small gouramies, rasboras, loaches, barbs etc. are heartily eaten by many people
around the world. Actually how powerful PETA is in the US and what is their real
goal?
Irredescent shark are omnivorous and eat both meat and vegetable stuff but it
is easier to coax it into eating small thaw frozen glass shrimp or live artemia
[for smaller ones] first if they just arrive and still refusing food. It eats
almost anything with aroma. Here people feed huge ones in parks' pond by bread,
and many trophy ones are fished using chicken innards, shrimp, or bread with some
smell liquid used for bakery[?] stuff eg. banana mix into it. The fact that they
are easily fed and grow fast is why they are the primary pangasius species used
for aquaculture [for food] since others like the tastier but slower growing P.
larnaudii and not popular among farmers who want to sell fishes fast.

Tony

Moontanman_at_aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 10/11/00 2:51:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> anutej_at_loxinfo.co.th writes:
>
> << This is the fish that should be banned from
> the pet trade since not many people will give them the necessary space - at
> least
> the redtail cat does not swim as much.
>
> Tony >>
> If this fish was banned the red tailed cat would be too. get real, the people
> who do the banning don't stop once they start. Don't get me started on how
> many fish in the pet trade weigh several pounds in the wild or if given
> enough room. Most people have ten gallon aquariums, Think what would happen
> if all fish were banned that could not comfortably grow and live in a ten
> gallon tank? It's really not far fetched, so many ten gallon tanks so few
> bigger tanks, the PETA people would jump all over this.
>
> Moon

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