Aquaculture

[JownsenJesus]

I know this has probably been said before but just to remind anyone new to the board.

Always try to buy aquacultured fish/corals, save the reefs. Buy commercial aquacultured feed fish too, tilapia, trout, bass and salmon.

The more we buy from aquaculture facilities, or even basement aquaculturist's - the less demand goes to wild caught. Another benefit, the more we buy from aquaculturist's the more $ they can spend on raising species that have not be aquacultured before, like tangs ( which i believe they are making progress w/ at Univ of Hawaii )

It is really the best way we can go about keeping these species thriving and existing for future generations to enjoy - While we collect and eat them anyway.

 

[wishntoboutside]

so true.

Certified Aquarium and Aquaculture Specialists via Saddleback College?
very nice. you did the whole program. not to sidetrack thread but i would like to know a lil bit about your results.

 

[JownsenJesus]

you got pm

 

[GTR]

The food fish industry will drive this and not our hobby. As long as wild caught species are available for cheap no way aquaculture will make much of a dent. Those that are successful for the most part are raising high dollar corals and not the more common stuff being wild caught and imported for far less than you can do it here. Cost of land, construction and labor aside, once you factor in the cost of utilities here everything is so far upside down.
Even the garage vendors are surviving on mostly fresh imports and not what I'd consider aquacultured species. I don't call cutting up a coral into bite-size pieces aquaculture.

SteveU

 

[JownsenJesus]

Aquaculture is just not a possibility in southern california as a profitable venture, like you said the cost of everything is insane. Which is why california aquaculturist (if you can call them that) are raising high dollar coral. That doesn't mean that other states, even other countries can't afford to do it. To think that it can't be done is sad.

 

[GTR]

I'll put it this way, I don't see USA based aquaculture having an impact on our hobby when it comes to corals. Until the time comes that hobbyist are willing to pay that extra cost things will remain as they are.

As of now we can't even be sure the wild-caught fish we buy have been caught in such a way that the reefs don't suffer long term damage. Millions have been spent on that with little to show.

SteveU

 

[JownsenJesus]

It doesn't have to be USA based, Walt Smith has a coral aquaculture facility off of fiji. There is a large clownfish/psuedo chromi aquaculture facility in puerto rico.

I never noticed the choice to buy tank raised clowns more expensive then buying wild caught clowns.

 

[gcarroll]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12866076#post12866076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JownsenJesus
It doesn't have to be USA based, Walt Smith has a coral aquaculture facility off of fiji. There is a large clownfish/psuedo chromi aquaculture facility in puerto rico.

JownsenJesus
Hobby Experience: Certified Aquarium and Aquaculture Specialists via Saddleback College

I know you know that there is a distint difference between Aquaculture and Mariculture. What Walt does is mariculture. What we do in our homes is aquaculture.

In videos that I saw about Walt's business, they collected large wild colonies, brought them to the surface and hacked them up on the boat, mounted them and placed them on the racks to encrust. best part is that if they import 50 frags it counts as 50 corals. but they only removed one from the reef to get those 50.

 

[reef_doug]

I believe Maricultured and Aquacultured are two different things.

Maricultured.... cultured in marine water from wild colonies, usually grown in lagoons, etc (Walt Smith stuff)

AquaCultured... captive grown. Can be done with NSW and usually done in farms (green houses, etc). ORA, TCN, A&M and others.


---edit--- Greg beat me to it. IBTL.

 

[Bebo77]

lets just face some facts about this hobby..

1. it depletes the ocean of fish

2. depletes the ocean of coral

3. depletes the ocean of live rock

4. it requires the consumption of large amounts of power( depending on the size of your tank)

5. requires large amounts of water conumption( depending on the size of your tank)

6. trying to maintain a tank without the loss of fish and or coral is soooooooo rare... that they are featured as tanks of the month on almost every reef related website...

lets not to try to say that this hobby is "green" in any shape or form so please dont fool yourself otherwise...

 

[JownsenJesus]

Bad example with Walt.

True what we do in our homes is aquaculture, its aquaculture when its done on a large scale out in a field as well.

All I am trying to say is - lets try to alleviate the demand on wild caught.

I know 95% of people reading this have already read something like this. But if one person who is starting a tank reads this and decides to make a conscious effort to buy as much aquacultured as possible, then I have been successful.

 

[GTR]

I think it's only a matter of time we won't be making these choices, they'll be made for us. Some in the industry are just positioning themselves for the eventuality.

Could be for the right reason or maybe to preserve the business.

I wont name names though this time. Last time someone told on me. :lol:

SteveU

 

[GTR]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12866439#post12866439 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bebo77
lets just face some facts about this hobby..

1. it depletes the ocean of fish

2. depletes the ocean of coral

3. depletes the ocean of live rock

4. it requires the consumption of large amounts of power( depending on the size of your tank)

5. requires large amounts of water conumption( depending on the size of your tank)

6. trying to maintain a tank without the loss of fish and or coral is soooooooo rare... that they are featured as tanks of the month on almost every reef related website...

lets not to try to say that this hobby is "green" in any shape or form so please dont fool yourself otherwise...

All valid points. We've done the damage and now we try to justify things by purchasing a tank breed clown.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12866466#post12866466 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JownsenJesus


I know 95% of people reading this have already read something like this. But if one person who is starting a tank reads this and decides to make a conscious effort to buy as much aquacultured as possible, then I have been successful.

I'll steal your 95% number for a minute.... 95% of people starting a tank have no clue what RC is.
You wont see most LFS participating in these threads and for good reason. Those that do for the most part have other motives (broad statement with exceptions of course). One of the things these forums are good at is setting the perceived value of many things at a less-than reasonable level to sustain a business.

SteveU

 

[Bebo77]

just look at the coral grow out challenge that Richard put on last year... of some 20+ people who participated 5 or so people did not kill the frags... thats not conservation on any level....

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12866658#post12866658 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GTR

I'll steal your 95% number for a minute.... 95% of people starting a tank have no clue what RC is.
You wont see most LFS participating in these threads and for good reason. Those that do for the most part have other motives (broad statement with exceptions of course). One of the things these forums are good at is setting the perceived value of many things at a less-than reasonable level to sustain a business.

SteveU

soo true... look at the korallia pump.. when they came on the market they so out.. so they raised the price.. people want cheap... if not wallmart would be out of business....

 

[gcarroll]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12866524#post12866524 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GTR
I think it's only a matter of time we won't be making these choices, they'll be made for us.

Big time statement hear. I agree 100%.

 

[yellowslayer13]

aquacultured salmon is actually maricultured and they are bad

 

[GTR]

I've read a lot about salmon farms but to be honest so much of it is so biased based on whose pie hole it's coming out of.


SteveU

 

[agsansoo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12867559#post12867559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yellowslayer13
aquacultured salmon is actually maricultured and they are bad

Aren't those the salmon they feed orange dye ?

 

[Dancing4raiin]

Im sure we are paying more for things right now, but once they get the hang of it, and demand becomes greater the prices will drop

 

[yellowslayer13]

yes and she sheit so much it smothers the bottom and kills all inverts in that area