Take back program for marine life

[ryan wong]

Hi,
I am Ryan from Singapore and here is my 2cent worth of suggestion for responsible reefkeeping.

-We should encourage LFS to have "take-back" program, i.e. fishes that are too difficult to be kept but were purchased by hobbyist can be returned in exchange for cash back or other useful items.

This way, fish will not die at the hands of novice or inexperienced keepers.

Too bad, LFS in Singapore have this no refund or exchange policy.

 

[Abysswater]

Then you kill off fish supply venders to these LFS. But I'm sure they will be in better health.

 

[davidcalgary29]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6709547#post6709547 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Abysswater
Then you kill off fish supply venders to these LFS. But I'm sure they will be in better health.

How so? If you assume that there will be a massive return of "difficult" livestock from amateur enthusiasts, then clearly LFS need to rethink a) the fish they buy from suppliers and b) their potential market. It wouldn't hurt to have more thought put into either one of these factors, IMO.

If actual returns were few in number -- something more likely -- this would have no impact on suppliers/distributors. I can't see much negative impact for distributors either way.

On a practical note, though, I can't see this type of initiative succeding. What LFS will have sufficient QT in which to place returnees? I can imagine a large influx of fish identified as "problems" by noobs who have caused most of their problems in the first place. Who's going to want to take back a tang covered with ich?

 

[sarai826]

I see this as more of a problem than not as well.... perhaps a better solution would be to encourage LFS's to discuss level of care issues with potential buyers BEFORE they purchase animals?

 

[Ti]

Why not just not buy to begin with.

 

[cortez marine]

If we are smart enough to enact a take-back program...we should be smart enough to research animals we want to buy in the first place and boycott unsuitable species.
Unsuitable species assumes that a hobbyist knows so little and cares so little and is helpless to contriol his urges to buy doomed fish.
Google it...fishbase.org it and simply read about it.
What on earth is hidden from you these days?
If you find and buy a coral feeding butterfly or starving pinatus batfish, how is it not your fault?
Yes, the store may be a whore for pushing it...or just offering it...but you? What are you? .....Smart enough to run a saltwater tank but not smart enough to research care protocols?

Steve

 

[MiddletonMark]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6808106#post6808106 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cortez marine
If we are smart enough to enact a take-back program...we should be smart enough to research animals we want to buy in the first place and boycott unsuitable species.
....
If you find and buy a coral feeding butterfly or starving pinatus batfish, how is it not your fault?

Totally agree.

The LFS cannot put the fish back in the sea once we [meaning our demand as hobbyists, the stores we support ... us aquarists] have that fish harvested from the sea.

It's our dollars that drive this whole train.

If people buy fish without researching their needs ... they are the problem here IMO.

It's easy to blame it on someone other than hobbyists ... but we are the ones driving the demand.

We can say that the LFS should be the responsible ones - but they're not our mommy. We're adults, by keeping these creatures in our aquaria IMO we are taking responsibility here ... and should own up to it.

If the LFS sells poorly suited livestock - there's probably another LFS. If the mailorder place does the same ... once again, it may not be most convenient ... but generally there are better sources IMO.

 

[cortez marine]

Well said Mark...
We can say that the LFS should be the responsible ones - but they're not our mommy. We're adults.

For a decade now the unsuitable species list has gained momentum to have the trade ban fishes that are unsuitable. Unsuitable in one decade means quite suitable in another ie. mandarins and acroporas for example.
But to have mommy intervene and illegalize a species because the hobbyist refuses to read up on it is silly.
I have a 14 year old niece who wanted a corn snake.
I made her google it....read about it...and then we'll have a quiz.
6 months later her corn snake is doing great and in perfect health. Now if she can do it.....
Steve

 

[Shoestring Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6772643#post6772643 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ti
Why not just not buy to begin with.

That's the best solution.