Interesting excerpt from Coral

[gflat65]

I was finally getting around to reading the latest installment of Coral magazine. When I got the Getting Started is Easy page (for beginners), Knop mentions that in the US and Britain, most people are known as fishkeepers and don't keep coral, where in countries like Germany and it's surrounding countries, they keep 'fish and corals, and for most saltwater aquarists, the two just belong together'. Where does he get this? I know many people might start their interest in fish only, but I don't know too many people at all that keep fish only. Judging by the activity in the US in forums like reef central and the many other reef forums, there seem to be a ton of reef keepers. It just seemed odd to me that Knop would say that most Americans keep only fish... I haven't been able to finish the article because I keep running that statement back through my head... I know Germans plowed through and have made many strides in the hobby that we have grabbed onto and have run with, but I'm sure I've read in the same magazine (numerous times) in issues past that Americans are the largest market for corals in the world. If this is so, how does the typical image of American reefkeepers conjure up images of fish only? I wonder where his research comes from... Just thought that was interesting, and I guess I took a little offense to it.

 

[TitansFan]

As far as largest market maybe that has something to do with population. I am in the opinion that there are quite abit of just fish keepers out there that we do not know about though. Alot of this is due to Pixar's Little Nemo IMO. If we arn't buying those big puffers and such at the LFS someone is. I know I was curous about this myself at one time. I talked to Tim about it at Fins. He said he by far sells more fish than corals. I was suprised that he also said his freshwater fish do very well also. He has customers who have gone to fish only salt to return to freshwater because of expense and upkeep (you can't just fill a bucket full of tap water to replace evaporation).

I myself love fish. It is what got me started years ago when I was 14. Hence why there is about to be an empty 240 gallon tank in my garage. I have always wanted a puffer and some of the large angels. The only thing about a fish only tank is once its stocked you are done. I can't frag my emp angel or really goto fish swaps. In away it takes the socializing out of it. Thats why even if I went to a majority of fish I would continue a small coral tank for the club experiences and socializtion.. even if you are a bunch of geeks .

 

[Angela Short]

I would say we consume the most coral because we kill the most :lol: MANY LFS are just out to turn a buck knowing the coral will perish sending it home with someone with no experiance, and not the right set up. Like the LFS in columbia who would sell anemonies to guys with NO lights .