Mortality Rate of Public vs. Private Marine Aquariums

[Tradewinds]

I am not sure if such stats are collected or available to the public, but it would be interesting to review the mortality rates of the marine fish kept in public aquariums (Such as Monterey Bay Aquarium, New England Aquarium, etc.)

Then compare these stats (using comparable fish types) to amount of fish most home marine aquarists kill off within the same time frame. I think most of us will realize that even without a study the home aquarists come up short.

Analyze why the public aquariums provide a better environment and I think we would all be on our way to becoming better hobbyists. What are the main differences between public aquariums and private tanks, besides water volume?

I'm all ears, let the education begin.

 

[mthomp]

the amount of money and room they have to put into it.

 

[Original Fin]

Also the trained professionals designing and maintaining them.

 

[eric@tampa]

I think the 2 above post summed it up.

 

[Tradewinds]

I think the 2 above post summed it up.

If that is the case, then becoming better educated is the only option most of us will have.

 

[Swim]

Public aquariums do way better if you include the beginners and people who are happy with bleached white coral and new fish every six months. If you only include the hobby people at the "reef tank" level I'd say it's about even.

 

[camaroracer214]

i really wouldn't say that public aquarium are all that much better. i've seen several where entire tanks die off in preventable crashes, equipment malfunctions, or user error.

also, don't forget that many public aquariums don't maintain optimum conditions because it is actually cost prohibitive. for example, some large fish-only systems have extremely lower salinities than you would expect. salt is pricey, so they save whenever they can.

 

[JHemdal]

Tradewinds,

This is actually an area of focus for me. You can start by reading this article:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/12/fish2

I wrote it with the intent of getting people on the same playing field in regards to discussing mortality rates. It does specifically discuss public aquarium mortality rates, as well as some information about mort. rates in the pet trade.


Brandon,
Your posting sure sounds like a disgruntled employee, or somebody who applied for a public aquarium job but didn't get hired (grin). If you are just trolling, then nevermind, but if you truly want to know more about this topic, please read this posting I made a couple of years ago about this very topic:

http://microcosmaqx.typepad.com/jay...an-the-one-at-your-local-public-aquarium.html

Jay Hemdal

 

[Tradewinds]

Swim - You make a good point.

Jay - Those were both excellent articles and have provided me with food for thought, especially in regards to tracking the mortality rate of fish under my care. I have bookmarked your site for future reading.

 

[alton]

Here is a question for you?
Public Aquaria breeds how many fish for resale to the public?
Public Aquaria frags how many coral for resale to the public?
So many individuals today in the hobby are fragging a ton of coral saving from getting more out of the ocean. We are fortunate to have a fish store in Corpus that breeds Clownfish, Cardinals, and Sea Horses.

I think there are both good and bad in both. In listening to the news people living in and around our oceans are killing more fish and coral faster than we hobbist could ever dream of?

 

[JHemdal]

alton,

There is a huge network of public aquariums that captively raise corals, freshwater and marine fish, seahorses, jellies, etc. There are massive documents known as regional collection plans that allow the aquariums in North America to tie in their efforts with one another. There is a program that I help administer that breeds Lake Victorian cichlids, some of which are extinct in the wild. My facility also breeds leopoldi stingrays that are very rare - we have the largest collection in North America. We also have a large coral propagation system, I haven't purchased a wild coral in years.

You're correct, public aquariums don't sell corals to the public, but then, they don't sell them to other public aquarums either: we trade or give them away. Besides, when was the last time you heard of a zoo selling their animals to a private individual? Same difference with aquariums.

There is some worry out there with conservationists because many of the "frags" home aquarists are buying come not from propagated corals, but from wild heads that the importers break up and then sell to a number of customers. To be truly propagated, the corals need to be at least one "generation" removed from the wild.


Jay