Re: NANFA-- Fish Non-Release Policy, welaka, better than welaka

Steffen Hellner (steffen_at_hellner.biz)
Tue, 16 Sep 2003 20:58:19 +0200

My SRBD kept colour until end of April and spawned until mid of June. They
come from Kentucky. I have had some from Ohio years ago which kept colour in
aquarium for very much longer, but this year temperatures were high in the
pond, close to 30 centigrades. At lower temps they will keep it longer.

Steffen

> Von: anutej_at_loxinfo.co.th
> Antworten an: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
> Datum: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 00:41:19 +0700
> An: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
> Betreff: Re: NANFA-- Fish Non-Release Policy, welaka, better than welaka
>
> I think threatening and courting male fishes are the most beautiful
> and interesting sight both in the wild and in the aquarium [eg. when
> my male red shiners contest each other and make circles]. Wondering
> does SRBD keep their bellies red most of the time [like red shiner] or
> just during the spawning season?
>
> Tony
> anutej_at_loxinfo.co.th
>
>
>
> Steffen Hellner wrote:
>>
>> Mark,
>>
>> that sounds reasonable to me. Only one thing to raise for reflection: I
>> assume welaka to be the Holy Graile only because it4s native, relatively
>> rare, and difficult to maintain and breed. Plus the dominant males
>> suppressing the others. if a tropical fish would be as sensitive and
>> difficult I bet hardly anybody would care. It4s always nice to have the "on
>> the edge" species. I am not free from this! There has to be a thrill, an
>> impact on a species, whatever this will be for an individual. That4s what
>> divides enthusiasts from mere fish-keepers - in my mind.
>>
>> And try to get a hand on Phoxinus oreas from here. If that species is nearly
>> as prolific as SRBD, gee, go flood all ponds in the world. ;-)
>>
>> Steffen
>>
>>> Von: Mark <nanfa_at_jonahsaquarium.com>
>>> Antworten an: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>>> Datum: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 22:54:05 -0400
>>> An: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>>> Betreff: NANFA-- Fish Non-Release Policy, welaka, better than welaka
>>>
>>> At 1:16 PM -0500 9/15/03, Hoover, Jan J ERDC-EL-MS wrote:
>>>> Like NANFA, Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (an
>> organization
>>>> for herp enthusiasts) also has a policy on not releasing captive animals.
>>>> You can access their brochure here:
>>>> http://www.parcplace.org/publications/index.htm#PARCanimalPolicy
>>>> Something like this should be included in any order of aquatic organisms
>>>> bought, sold, or traded by anyone.
>>>
>>>
>>> We inlcude this notice with all shipments:
>>>
>>> http://www.jonahsaquarium.com/noreleasenote.htm
>>>
>>> Help yourself if you or anyone wants to use it. That's what it's
>>> there for. Also, maybe we can do more to promote captive breeding.
>>> One successful breeder could produce enough welaka or whatever to
>>> supply all the native fish heads I know of who want them. (I think
>>> Steffen already said that!) Also, all this focus of attention on
>>> welaka, as though it were some Holy Grail of fishes, is likely to
>>> only intensify pressure on the species. I'll chime in now and say
>>> that Phoxinus oreas is the fish I've always considered the standard
>>> for beautiful color and form. If you can get hold of a copy of
>>> Freshwater Fishes of Virginia, there's a perfect one among the color
>>> plates in the back, it's also in the monster Axelrod tropical fish
>>> atlas; Plate 17 in American Aquarium Fishes by Robert J. Goldstein;
>>> and plate 67 in Freshwater Fishes of the Carolinas, Virginia,
>>> Maryland and Delaware. Here's a less than perfect shot:
>>>
>>> http://www.jonahsaquarium.com/picphoxoreas1.htm
>>>
>>> Six reasons not to catch Pteronotropis welaka for your aquarium:
>>>
>>> They are very fragile and drop dead if you look at them sideways.
>>>
>>> They are tiny, defenseless little fish that will be destroyed by any
>>> tankmate bigger than a baby Heterandria formosa.
>>>
>>> They likely only live for a year even under optimal circumstances.
>>>
>>> The males are the only ones that are colorful and they only have the
>>> color and long fins if they are in full breeding condition and happen
>>> to be a primary male, or whatever the term is, that happens to have
>>> the long finnage. Many mature males do not display this character.
>>>
>>> They are very difficult to collect, prefering waters that are deep,
>>> dark and unwadable. Their habitat in also prefered by alligators and
>>> water moccasins.
>>>
>>> There are _lots_ of fish that are easier to collect, easier to keep,
>>> easier to breed, _and_ more colorful! And which are not in trouble
>>> in the wild. If you need recommendations, let me know.
>>>
>>> There, I did my bit for welaka conservation. Maybe NANFA can write
>>> its own grant proposal and use some of the Conservation Grants monies
>>> to recruit a qualified researcher to do some hard field and
>>> literature work to find out what's really up with welaka and how it
>>> can be preserved. OK, stepping off soap box...
>>>
>>> --
>>> Mark
>>> Ohio
>>> USA
>>> <))><
>> -
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