<<
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?
Iridescent 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
>>
I am not going to argue with you because basically I agree with you. I am
just very nervous any time the government gets involved with anything. The
rules seldom make sense and are made by people with no understanding of the
problem or real care for the details or any possible exceptions. In my life
I've seen so many things banned or "controlled" and my personal freedom
eroded so far I tend to bristle anytime it's threatened in the least.
obviously a large fish should not be kept in a small tank and the old lie
"it'll only grow to the size of it's environment" reminds of some lies I used
on young girls in the back seats of cars 30 years ago. The government never
does the right thing intentionally, sometimes someone messes up and the right
thing gets done but I no longer count on it. BTW I do provide large
accommodations for large fish but I prefer small fish. I have this thing for
small non coryadoras catfish, I mean real small, there are a lot of them but
not many get imported, and if you want one of those 10' bemouth relatives of
the iridescent shark I know a guy who sells them!
Moon
Moon
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