Why are they still collecting wild clownfish?

[goodtimes]

I was online browsing today and a vendor had "true wild caught percula clownfish". Is there not enough breeding of the clownfish that wild collection can be stopped?

 

[seamonkey84]

Some people don't like the quality/look a lot of the Percs and ocellaris breeders are putting out (bulldog jaws and bulgy eyes ect), or for breeding projects to add more genetic diversity to a inbreed stock.
Although for the average hobbyist, captive bred is the way to go, sustainability and better survival rates

 

[Worldwide reefs]

As mentioned above is the answer. I work in an LFS, and sadly there are many people whom feel that the aquaculture is just a fad and not a way of life. They want those monster just plucked off the reef colonies. Same goes for the fish, some people hate the 'look' or 'behavior' of cultured organisms. All we can divas supporters of this trend in aquaculture is to educate others on why there are so many benefits and try to encourage the use and buying through education.

 

[Sarg]

I have a pair of aqua cultured clowns and their behaviour is no different. Mine climbed into the nem as soon as I added it. And 12 months on have never left it. Over the last two months the male has finally started to feed them nem also. I used to drop the chunk of prawn onto the nem now I can drop it near by and he will swim out grab it and bring it back to the nem, very cool to see :-)

 

[TonyH]

It's funny, I remember 16 or 17 years ago there were quite a few articles that stated that the nems gain nothing from a symbiotic relationship with clowns.... I often though 'yeah tell that to my 18inch BT that's constantly being fed by the 3 clowns and 2 domino damsels its hosting' :)