% salt water stock coming from farms?

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Palmer

Thanks for the info. I am looking to get a salt water tank but I guess I am interested in whether what I am going to be investing in is endangering species or the natural reef in general. Is there a basis for this concern or are most species purchased at the LFS so plentiful that it isn't an issue?

Palmer

Be careful about the species you choose to add to your tank. You can setup an entire tank using captive bred fish, inverts, corals, and even cultured rock. Or, you can purchase fish that are caught with cyanide, are close to endangerment, ship poorly, or have very poor short or long-term survival rates.

Do a Google search for ORA - Oceans, reefs, and aquariums. That is a good place to start to see the largest marine captive breeding aquariums.

[o.c.d.]

Something many don't think about is reef are being bombed for the fish to eat and the fish and the reef are losing the battle. But If the fisherman bomber is taught how to properly farm coral in a sustainable way the fish come back the reef grow, tourist come to see the reef. The fisherman and the country makes money for long term. This is a little on the dreamy side but I have read articles about it happening. I hope this becomes the way thinks are. Our Tanks are a window into what many people don't care about until they see it up close. Education is the key.Everyone wants the polar bear to survive, its fussy cute and warms are heart when we see it. The beauty of the reef can have the same effect but we all have to make the effort to educate people we come into contact with.Prime example neighbors child see my tank I get the why? where? how come?.. I explain and the child now tells me every encounter she has with aquatic life. She tells her friends and they all want to come and see. Who's to say what effect that will have in the future, positive though.

[Drock169]

Lets not get into the whole ORA coral thing, its been officially confirmed that they wont ship to canada, and their supplier doesnt seem to have anything nice to offer even though they can ship to canada.
As far as ORA fish goes, they dont offer much to Canada, clowns and dottybacks are all they offer on a regular basis, every now and then gobies/blennies are available.
Pretty much if you want Aquacultured Coral, go to places like Coral master or other frag companies that have been around for awhile.
Essentially someone in Canada needs to set up an Aquaculture Facility, but I have a feeling the cost of running something like that in Canada wouldnt be cheap which means higher prices, and from what I know, there is a large majority of people in the hobby who don't want to spend premium prices.

[BlueAbyss]

Originally Posted by Drock169

...the cost of running something like that in Canada wouldnt be cheap which means higher prices, and from what I know, there is a large majority of people in the hobby who don't want to spend premium prices.

Absolutely. If it were feasible, I think someone would already have gone this route.

EDIT: I would also like to say that if you choose your livestock carefully, you can minimize the impact on natural reefs. Choose more common fishes, coral frags (rather than colonies), and make your own rock.

[Palmer]

Thanks again for the info. It's at least good that there is information about which species are more at risk and likely to survive. When I set my tank up I will try and use as much aquacultured stock as I can.

Palmer

[Nebthet]

Not a problem. I have emailed CITES directly to get some more extensive information from them because if there is a chance that I can go to the states and buy a crap load of corals from Liveaquaria or else where and then bring them across the border then I am going to do that. I don't mind paying for the import permits, for a one time only as they are not very expensive.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Drock169

Lets not get into the whole ORA coral thing, its been officially confirmed that they wont ship to canada, and their supplier doesnt seem to have anything nice to offer even though they can ship to canada.
As far as ORA fish goes, they dont offer much to Canada, clowns and dottybacks are all they offer on a regular basis, every now and then gobies/blennies are available.

I didn't say anything about buying ORA corals - or fish for that matter!! I said check it out. It is an interesting website if you're interested in captive bred fish and aquacultured corals. It gives a person an idea of what is available captive bred.

If you look hard enough you can find quite a few captive bred fish. Some I have seen are: Neon Dottybacks, Orchid Dottybacks, most species of Clownfish, Pajama and Bangaii Cardinals (the latter I have bred myself), neon gobies. I think a few others that I'm forgetting.

Originally Posted by Nebthet

Not a problem. I have emailed CITES directly to get some more extensive information from them because if there is a chance that I can go to the states and buy a crap load of corals from Liveaquaria or else where and then bring them across the border then I am going to do that. I don't mind paying for the import permits, for a one time only as they are not very expensive.

Good luck getting the import permits. You actually need re-export permits, and that means that LiveAquaria (or whoever else) will have to give you all the information about where the coral originally came from, which means giving up their suppliers' names. Giving out suppliers' names would be like giving out the code to your safe.

[Nebthet]

Luckily there are ways to get around the re-export permits. I have family that live in the States so all I really have to tell them is that they broke down their tank and rather than letting the corals die, they are giving them to me instead.

Now if Liveaquaria was to ship them to Canada, they would require the re-export permit, but not if they are delivering to a destination within the United States and I am picking it up. That is what others have done. Besides, I am not beyond smuggling stuff in if there is something I really want.

[o.c.d.]

Nebthet Special Forces Aqua Division...Codename Nebanatior...Mission: Coral Recovery..... Don't say anymore on this form I've detected a key tap surveillance system ..I think they are on to you.. what hu no.. no....please..
...

[mike31154]

Free Trade Agreement? What Free Trade Agreement? It's a joke, there's no way we should have to jump through these hoops for some goods. You can get around Europe from one country to he next without a hitch and here in NA we're closing our borders more & more to our so called friendly neighbours. Arrggh, politicians, now you got me started....