Alternative sourcing and Mindful reef practices?

Zan's Aquatica · Dec 13, 2019

So... after spending many nights watching aquascaping videos on YouTube as a form of relaxation, I randomly traded some furniture for a JBJ Cubey 15! Then I randomly traded my small vacuum for some live rock, sand, and a small heater plus a dab of expoxy that I used to create my first rock scape. Then I filled my new tank and formation with some fresh mixed sea water from a local shop.

And just like that, after 10 years I am back in. What kept me away since my teenage reef obsession? I don't like the practices of the hobby... I don't like the idea that these poor creatures are scooped from their homes and subjected to the trials and errors of our seeking enjoyment. So I told myself I would be mindful of my sourcing and only buy frags from those who propagate (but I will still be indirectly contributing to the problem by doing this). And I told myself I will search for a fish that needs rescuing from someone in the locals who is trying to re-home rather than buying from a store.

So I am wondering, what are more ways I can be mindful in this hobby or possibly contribute rather than harm the oceans? Is anyone else trying an alternative reef-keeping practice? A particular shop that promotes this? I live in Los Angeles!

Thank you for welcoming me!

xx,

Z

artieg1 · Dec 13, 2019

It's hard to justify much that goes into this hobby from an ethics standpoint. Just the energy costs alone (lights, pumps, powerheads, heaters) are a staggering waste, from that standpoint. On the animal treatment side: Yes, focus on coral frags that were propagated in captivity. Fish are harder. All the cool fish for reef tanks (tangs, wrasses, etc.) are almost certainly caught wild (or absurdly expensive if you happened to find one bred in captivity). You can try to find fish that are being re-homed, but that is easier said than done, and usually because they are big and/or aggressive.

So, not trying to discourage you. I know lots of reefers wrestle with these issues. At least you live in LA where many of the fish are wholesaled, you're not dealing with shipping into the middle of the country. You could even focus on regional fish.

KrisReef · Dec 13, 2019

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Lots of free livestock becomes available when other reef keepers decide to drain their tanks. If you’ve waited 10 years then you have the patience to wait for a free rescue fish.

Good luck.

sde1500 · Dec 13, 2019

15g tank could easily be stocked with a couple captive bred fish. I'd imagine that counts as ethical? As for corals, plenty are propagated now. I wouldn't at all call buying from someone that grew it in their tank as contributing indirectly to anything.

artieg1 · Dec 13, 2019

Here is the other thing I would say. Hands down, the most ethical steps you can take in this hobby are to educate yourself exhaustively and make decisions carefully and with caution, and thereby limit livestock deaths. If you kill a dozen tank bred fish, you are not really achieving your goal; contrast that to a wild caught purchase that thrives for years.
I guess the good news is there is only so much you can do with a 15 gallon tank. Find a rehomed or captive bred clown pair, and you are pretty much done. They can live 20 years.

jack_aubry · Dec 13, 2019

I struggle with this and there are still some things I really can't justify. One of the things that bothered me the most was almost everything was wild caught and even though it is not as common as it once was cyanide fishing is still used.

So like people have said buying captive bred is the best practice. With that being said wild caught does not have to be terrible. The biggest change that needs to happen is importers need to be required to test for cyanide caught fish and they are welcome pass that cost on to me and I think a lot of people would feel the same way.

If reef fisheries were well regulated than you would make the people who fish the reef stake holders of the health of the reef. This would put a real dollar value on the reef, mangrove forests, eel grass beds, pollution, and over fishing.

People are finally staring to look at the aquarium trade as a significant economic resource. I recently met a PhD student who's dissertation was focused on the sustainability of the aquarium trade. His results were positive in that many of the fish people keep could be sustainably collected. Much more data needs to be collected specific fish species may be more sensitive to over-harvest than others and there is still a long way to go before good regulatory practice is in place.

If the reefs are healthy there will be fish it is as simple as that. Globally reefs are under enormous stress between acidification and warming and this is not going to change, but healthy reefs are better able to cope with these stresses. Anything that can be done to incentivize reef health is going to have positive impact. Even if that means sustainable caught wild aquarium fish.

It is hard to shop responsibly though. I would gladly pay more for fish from vendors that take the time to carefully source their fish, but there is little to no information about who those vendors are. Having that information available would make a huge difference. In the end, I think we as the consumer are going to have to drive this.

Sorry turned into a bit of a soap box rant

Zan's Aquatica · Dec 15, 2019

KrisReef said:
Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Lots of free livestock becomes available when other reef keepers decide to drain their tanks. If you’ve waited 10 years then you have the patience to wait for a free rescue fish.

Good luck.

I see it pretty often in LA, just today a guy posted a fiji blue dame, yellow belly damsel, and a clarkii clownfish! But my tank is not done cycling and i wonder if the 3 little guys would be too much for my 15?

Zan's Aquatica · Dec 15, 2019

sde1500 said:
15g tank could easily be stocked with a couple captive bred fish. I'd imagine that counts as ethical? As for corals, plenty are propagated now. I wouldn't at all call buying from someone that grew it in their tank as contributing indirectly to anything.

Yes I think I am coming to peace with this... and I decided as far as the fish, I will just adopt whoever is suitable for my tank and give them the best life i can. Yes i have my preferences for what i wish to have in my tank and would love the captive bred clowns (any of the white variations), but i will feel better in a "rescue" situation knowing that the little guys needed a new home and i stepped in-- and i'll just be happy to have their company rather than focusing on "they aren't what i wanted," i mean... who truly gets to choose who/what they love anyway? the best love happens by surprise.

today someone posted two damsels and a clown but my tank isn't cycled so i didn't take them.

Zan's Aquatica · Dec 15, 2019

jack_aubry said:
I struggle with this and there are still some things I really can't justify. One of the things that bothered me the most was almost everything was wild caught and even though it is not as common as it once was cyanide fishing is still used.

So like people have said buying captive bred is the best practice. With that being said wild caught does not have to be terrible. The biggest change that needs to happen is importers need to be required to test for cyanide caught fish and they are welcome pass that cost on to me and I think a lot of people would feel the same way.

If reef fisheries were well regulated than you would make the people who fish the reef stake holders of the health of the reef. This would put a real dollar value on the reef, mangrove forests, eel grass beds, pollution, and over fishing.

People are finally staring to look at the aquarium trade as a significant economic resource. I recently met a PhD student who's dissertation was focused on the sustainability of the aquarium trade. His results were positive in that many of the fish people keep could be sustainably collected. Much more data needs to be collected specific fish species may be more sensitive to over-harvest than others and there is still a long way to go before good regulatory practice is in place.

If the reefs are healthy there will be fish it is as simple as that. Globally reefs are under enormous stress between acidification and warming and this is not going to change, but healthy reefs are better able to cope with these stresses. Anything that can be done to incentivize reef health is going to have positive impact. Even if that means sustainable caught wild aquarium fish.

It is hard to shop responsibly though. I would gladly pay more for fish from vendors that take the time to carefully source their fish, but there is little to no information about who those vendors are. Having that information available would make a huge difference. In the end, I think we as the consumer are going to have to drive this.

Sorry turned into a bit of a soap box rant

Yes!! The PhD kid gave me good chills...

I would also gladly pick up the costs. One store I would consider buying from is a local one that propagates as much as possible and his prices are literally DOUBLE! Even his water is $1 per gallon versus the .50 cents everywhere else, but I still bought it from him and let him know its because of his efforts.

Yes, I alway tell people "your voice is not your power, the power is in your purchase!" you can complain all you want and wish things to change all you want but the only thing seen and heard is what you buy.

Thanks for jiving with me on this <3