Cyanide to Catch Fish

[dweber618]

Just read this article...says that 90% of fish imported are caught using Cyanide.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...quariumfish&utm_campaign=Content&sf22327261=1

I'm not believe everything I read, but I've seen others mention it - and I'm sure it's a method that is most certainly used.

As a consumer how am I supposed to know if I'm purchasing fish caught using this method (other than buying certified captive bred)?

 

[billdogg]

At one point in time, it was an all too common practice, however I am pretty sure that it's use has been cut way back in the last 15 years or so.

 

[jbvdhp]

I guess it's difficult to know. I had FOUR Naso tangs die after almost exactly 1 month, proper qt and all, eating voraciously. None with pinched bellies.

No explanation,no disease, no aggression and poof. Dead. The only thing people were speculating was Cyanide. I believe it.

 

[davocean]

There is an old article cycling around on the net w/ outdated info.
National Geographic has already put out an article update showing what is more truthful today.
While cyanide is still used in some areas, it is a practice that has greatly faded over the years

 

[davocean]

This is the updated article on this subject

https://www.reefs.com/blog/2016/03/11/national-geographic-checks-facts-door/

 

[dweber618]

Thanks for the updated article! The post date on the original link I have for the article NatGeo posted was yesterday...which is why I was curious.

 

[davocean]

Thanks for the updated article! The post date on the original link I have for the article NatGeo posted was yesterday...which is why I was curious.

Yeah and that article has been exploding all over the net like it is a current problem, and it still needs to be addressed and kept in check to some degree because that practice is still used in some remote regions but by far and large not what it used to be.

 

[CStrickland]

This is the updated article on this subject
https://www.reefs.com/blog/2016/03/11/national-geographic-checks-facts-door/

This links to a blog post arguing counter-points to the nat geo article. It's not an update in the sense that the same scientist revised their work, it is another opinion in response. Reefs.com is a forum like this one, Mr. Jeremy writes articles for their online mag/blog posts. Neither of these articles is unbiased.

The Humane Society is working with other conservation groups to promote buying captive-bred fish. That's a good thing to do. Breeders are finding it very hard to compete with wild-catchers, IMO they aren't going to be able to match prices so the ethical arguments are what will push the hobby forward. Willfully using outdated info is a bad thing to do. But I doubt it's a conspiracy to destroy the hobby, more likely they are using what they have. There's not enough funding to go count all the cyanide fish with great frequency.

The math in the response got a little too creative for me to follow. I lost track of the argument/data, and I'm not sure that was unintentional. But he's not wrong that the numbers are old, and I do agree cyanide use has declined. I just don't think anybody knows by how much. We don't see as many hobbiests losing fish the way Jbvdhp lost those tangs. But like what is he even talking about 300 species of captive bred fish? lol you can buy like 8 variations of Nemo, another like 8 kinds of fish, and a seahorse. If you look reeeeeally hard.

I hope this isn't another chapter of "Us vs. Them" reef drama. All of that PIJAC against the world nonsense from last year over the EPA listings was such a drag.

 

[davocean]

^^ Good correction, I shook my head at the first story wondering when that study was done and someone quickly inserted this link on what I was reading and it came under the heading of Nat geo, what I get for skimming too fast

 

[Lilbitreefer]

I heard about them using it when I was out in Panama a couple years ago.

 

[davocean]

In places where the economy or region has little to offer as far as resources it is used still, but usually it's a short lived practice, as we have come to recognize the results, they just never eat and starve out, most collectors and vendors are aware by now and obviously aware they are not going to stay in business long selling those fish