Got some questions from Meaghan! Let's help her out!

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Hey R2R'ers received an email from Meaghan and I thought it would be cool for us all to chime in and help her out! I am linking her to this discussion. @chad vossen @Aqua Box

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Hello,

My name is Meaghan and I am a junior at Bristol County Agricultural high school located in Massachusetts. I am currently working on an aquaculture project about the captive bred annularis angelfish. I was wondering if you could please answer some questions that I am looking for? Thank you for your time!

- Is there specific methods or equipment needed to raise them?
- Are there benefits to captive breeding this species?
- Are there negatives to captive breeding this species?
- What impact does this specie have on other species/environment/etc.
- Is there something particular about this angelfish which makes them more popular for aquaculture production? (reproductivity, etc)
- How are they different in captive bred vs. wild caught?

Thank you so much again!!

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[chad vossen]

Hey R2R'ers received an email from Meaghan and I thought it would be cool for us all to chime in and help her out! I am linking her to this discussion. @chad vossen @Aqua Box

-----------------
Hello,

My name is Meaghan and I am a junior at Bristol County Agricultural high school located in Massachusetts. I am currently working on an aquaculture project about the captive bred annularis angelfish. I was wondering if you could please answer some questions that I am looking for? Thank you for your time!

- Is there specific methods or equipment needed to raise them?
- Are there benefits to captive breeding this species?
- Are there negatives to captive breeding this species?
- What impact does this specie have on other species/environment/etc.
- Is there something particular about this angelfish which makes them more popular for aquaculture production? (reproductivity, etc)
- How are they different in captive bred vs. wild caught?

Thank you so much again!!

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Raising the angelfish is a big challenge, even for experienced marine breeders. My understanding is that annularis are on the easier end of the scale, allowing better production.
A common method to raise angelfish is the black round tub method, which has central air bubbles to create a doughnut flow pattern. It's important to tint the water with live algae, such as nanno and T-iso, so the larvae can find their prey. We feed parvocalanus copepods, which also feed on live T-iso algae.
Benefits may include the good feeling that you're not taking from the wild. You're getting a much smaller fish that's easier to ship and acclimate. You're supporting captive breeding efforts, which would likely lead to more species being done. Captive breeding has the potential to be more environmentally friendly, though angelfish breeding isn't there yet.
Negatives would be high cost for sure. CB fish also take away earning potential from the collectors located on the remote islands, that often don't have many other income opportunities. Some CB fish may also be less environmentally friendly than wild caught at this time, but that may change in the coming years.
The Annularis angel isn't very popular in the hobby due to it's large adult size. The large size is a benefit for breeding, as it means larger spawns.
CB vs WC would be noticeable in that CB are usually going to come in smaller and without common parasites like flukes. CB fish are also less likely to nip at corals initially, and eat prepared foods right away.