Have You Thought of a Captive Bred Only Tank?

[Zerodameaon]

After researching the way that many reef fish are caught I have decided to make my tank a captive bred only tank. I am already pretty limited on livestock selection due to the size of my tank so I don't think I am losing much selection.

What are your thoughts on the current state of captive bred fish?

 

[i cant think]

After researching the way that many reef fish are caught I have decided to make my tank a captive bred only tank. I am already pretty limited on livestock selection due to the size of my tank so I don't think I am losing much selection.

What are your thoughts on the current state of captive bred fish?

I think we could for sure work more on them and try get some different fish captive bred (Preferably the harder ones first and the easier to keep fish last IMHO). I find captive bred fish to be very expensive but worth it although none of the fish I like are captive bred (My most recent wanted fish is the flashing tilefish and I wish they were CB).

 

[Zerodameaon]

I think getting those harder to keep or rarer fish to breed in captivity will be key to bringing in wide spread acceptance. There is quite a bit of difference between wild catching amazon fish with nets and wild catching reef fish by stunning them.

 

[Jeffcb]

Its getting better. I am sure it has a lot to do with cost verses return on investment commercially.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Man this is a great idea! I think all fish can eventually become captive bred. But I don’t think it will happen until wild caught fish are equally as expensive or they are no longer available in acceptable numbers (yellow tang in a case in point).

One other thing you can do besides captive bred, and this is what I do. I search the Internet for folks who are getting out of the hobby and no longer want their fish. There are many of them, depending on the area you live in. As soon as I see one I like I offer to buy it. I have driven as long as 6-8 hours to get them at times, but they have been worth it. I plan to continue doing this until I have all the fish I’m looking for. All my fish thus far have been obtained through this method.

In the near future I plan on offering to buy people sick fish at a discounted price and trying to revive them in my QT’s. I’m gaining more experience and confidence with the QT process and once I feel I’m ready I will undertake this challenge

Just some ideas on how to limit direct extraction of fish from the wild.

 

[Gedxin]

The smaller the tank the easier it is to go captive bred. I've got a 22g nano with four captive bred fish in it. Love it and I feel like I'm giving back to the industry/hobby instead of taking from the ocean.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Yes, in the future this is the way I will go. Given the fact that I do have an Ocellaris, Yellow Tang, and three stripe Damsel all wild caught, but that was 18 years ago. My Coral Beauty ( 6 years ) was researched and tank raised, quarantined a month before purchase. Then I broke down a year ago and fell in love with an Eibli Angel wild caught, that I just had to have. Irresponsible choice? Perhaps, yet I'd like to think I give this fish a great environment. Hypocrite in some ways I am.... I don't add a fish often, but in future endeavors Captive is top of mind....

 

[Zerodameaon]

Man this is a great idea! I think all fish can eventually become captive bred. But I don’t think it will happen until wild caught fish are equally as expensive or they are no longer available in acceptable numbers (yellow tang in a case in point).

One other thing you can do besides captive bred, and this is what I do. I search the Internet for folks who are getting out of the hobby and no longer want their fish. There are many of them, depending on the area you live in. As soon as I see one I like I offer to buy it. I have driven as long as 6-8 hours to get them at times, but they have been worth it. I plan to continue doing this until I have all the fish I’m looking for. All my fish thus far have been obtained through this method.

In the near future I plan on offering to buy people sick fish at a discounted price and trying to revive them in my QT’s. I’m gaining more experience and confidence with the QT process and once I feel I’m ready I will undertake this challenge

Just some ideas on how to limit direct extraction of fish from the wild.

Oh I like that idea as well. I live in the Bay Area so for me there is plenty of reefers around.

As for the QT idea that is great, there are people who would much rather just let others resolve the issue than deal with it themselves.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Yes, in the future this is the way I will go. Given the fact that I do have an Ocellaris, Yellow Tang, and three stripe Damsel all wild caught, but that was 18 years ago. My Coral Beauty ( 6 years ) was researched and tank raised, quarantined a month before purchase. Then I broke down a year ago and fell in love with an Eibli Angel wild caught, that I just had to have. Irresponsible choice? Perhaps, yet I'd like to think I give this fish a great environment. Hypocrite in some ways I am.... I don't add a fish often, but in future endeavors Captive is top of mind....

It’s a journey for all of us, no doubt! And sometimes saving a fish from a poorly run pet store or a dismal future is an act of mercy in and of itself.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Oh I like that idea as well. I live in the Bay Area so for me there is plenty of reefers around.

As for the QT idea that is great, there are people who would much rather just let others resolve the issue than deal with it themselves.

Living in the Bay Area, the world is your oyster. No pun intended

 

[Zerodameaon]

The smaller the tank the easier it is to go captive bred. I've got a 22g nano with four captive bred fish in it. Love it and I feel like I'm giving back to the industry/hobby instead of taking from the ocean.

This I feel is for sure true. Though I am not sure if there is correlation with smaller fish being easier to breed or if its just kinda where the hobby has started.

 

[Rmckoy]

Similar idea .
I’ve thought of specific geographic setups .

for example all fish , inverts , rocks everything from one specific location ( indo , Australia , Hawaii , )

 

[CanuckReefer]

Similar idea .
I’ve thought of specific geographic setups .

for example all fish , inverts , rocks everything from one specific location ( indo , Australia , Hawaii , )

This I have thought as well.... a true geographic reef..

 

[Zerodameaon]

Yes, in the future this is the way I will go. Given the fact that I do have an Ocellaris, Yellow Tang, and three stripe Damsel all wild caught, but that was 18 years ago. My Coral Beauty ( 6 years ) was researched and tank raised, quarantined a month before purchase. Then I broke down a year ago and fell in love with an Eibli Angel wild caught, that I just had to have. Irresponsible choice? Perhaps, yet I'd like to think I give this fish a great environment. Hypocrite in some ways I am.... I don't add a fish often, but in future endeavors Captive is top of mind....

I can't be mad or chastise anyone about buying wild caught though one thing I wish we could verify was how they are caught.

 

[Zerodameaon]

Similar idea .
I’ve thought of specific geographic setups .

for example all fish , inverts , rocks everything from one specific location ( indo , Australia , Hawaii , )

That was one of the suggestions from R2R as I was typing out this title.

This is pretty common in the freshwater world, the water conditions from some fish are so drastically different that you end up being forced to keep only fish from that region.

The range of PH is so drastic sometimes, if memory serves you can have regions all the way from a PH of 5 to a PH of like 10 or 11. I just keep fish that thrive in a PH of 7 but those region specific tanks have always been a curiosity of mine.

 

[CanuckReefer]

I can't be mad or chastise anyone about buying wild caught though one thing I wish we could verify was how they are caught.

Yes....and I have little faith we'll ever get there. If the seafood retailers are telling lies or misrepresent constant, the hobby is for certain well behind them....

 

[Townsaquaria]

I've been thinking about this for many years. I try to only get fish from local hobbyists that come directly from them or through the LFS, and I plan to do captive bred otherwise from ORA or Biota. But the challenge is both cost and convenience... Last week I impulse bought a red dragonet, and it died yesterday after not eating anything, even with an old tank full of pods. I was disappointed in myself for supporting the wild capture and ruining this fishes life, while also knowing ORA has them captive bred and on frozen food and pellets. So I'm all for this and think we should be moving all captive bred fish and aquacultured coral because we want to help save the reefs we're trying to mimic in our homes.

 

[Zerodameaon]

I've been thinking about this for many years. I try to only get fish from local hobbyists that come directly from them or through the LFS, and I plan to do captive bred otherwise from ORA or Biota. But the challenge is both cost and convenience... Last week I impulse bought a red dragonet, and it died yesterday after not eating anything, even with an old tank full of pods. I was disappointed in myself for supporting the wild capture and ruining this fishes life, while also knowing ORA has them captive bred and on frozen food and pellets. So I'm all for this and think we should be moving all captive bred fish and aquacultured coral because we want to help save the reefs we're trying to mimic in our homes.

I think we are at a point where mariculture/aquaculture can replace wild caught and still fish and still give benefits to the local economies that rely on this stuff.

 

[CanuckReefer]

I think we are at a point where mariculture/aquaculture can replace wild caught and still fish and still give benefits to the local economies that rely on this stuff.

Yes, 'we' are....however imo here is the crux...many of these wild caught are still from what is considered poorer countries, or those run by tin pot dictators etc. I hate to go down this rabbit hole but its the truth. If we see 'Indo' at the LFS well, where does that likely come from? We know....it's entirely possible to support the mariculture with cash invested but where does that $$$ investment actually go? Aquaculture has turned into an absolute enviro disaster in SE Asia....I hate to poop on the party but .....

 

[Tamberav]

My friend was new to the hobby and had no way to QT fish in his apartment. I told him to just order all his fish directly from ORA. He did and they are all thriving No disease or problems. He got all his corals from Cultivated Reef.

It’s a great way to skip or at least reduce some of the problems this hobby has with wild fish and new tanks.