Fish feeding
- Thread starter KevinB
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SeaHorseWoman
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ok, I'll take a risk of getting bashed, too.
PLEASE DON'T DO IT.
If you feed them the right thing, they can get used to being fed, reducing their instinct to hunt. If you feed them the wrong thing it can kill them. If the food gets loose, it can increase the nutrients in the water, increasing algea, killing coral.
There's much more, and also I realize these thoughts are simplistic, but my feeling from what I've read and learned is that part of protecting natural environments is don't feed the animals.
Looking forward to this thread growing.
PLEASE DON'T DO IT.
If you feed them the right thing, they can get used to being fed, reducing their instinct to hunt. If you feed them the wrong thing it can kill them. If the food gets loose, it can increase the nutrients in the water, increasing algea, killing coral.
There's much more, and also I realize these thoughts are simplistic, but my feeling from what I've read and learned is that part of protecting natural environments is don't feed the animals.
Looking forward to this thread growing.
cdiver2
Contributor
KevinB:
From the bait shop
If you do feed them (although I don't recommend it, I agree with shrswnm), make sure you're over 3 miles off shore (9 miles in the Gulf), because it's illegal in Florida waters.
Walter:
So is it illegal to puke in the water within 3 miles of the shore?
tiburon72157
Guest
peas and urchin.
cdiver2
Contributor
Walter:
A good idea gone to far. Just about every bridge, jetty etc in Florida is lined with fishermen who guess what chum the water, and put what on there hooks? you have guessed it SHRIMP !! and this go's on in the same places EVERY DAY but its not illegal.
A diver comes along and feeds a fish to get a photograph, then the diver go's his way and the fish go's its way, the chances of another diver coming along tomorrow and feeding that same fish again are slim, it will probably never get a hand out again.
The ones that do alter the balance are the dive ops that feed regularly in the same place day in and day out. If you don't know what I mean its the ones that feed Fred the friendly Moray...for what to entertain paying divers, or the shark feeds. Same thing again same place everyday sometimes more than once a day when you have multiple dive ops feeding. The only difference is one can use the excuse its done for science and education...bull, they may fool themselves but not me.
Nah! puking overboard is ok, Just make sure you tell everyone on the boat you are going to so they can get in the water with their cameras ready! On our lake dives we feed the catfish hotdogs. Some will even play tug of war if you get the natural casing ones. Don't recommend anything bloody in the ocean, unless it's a really annoying person or a snitch.
Tortuga Roja
Guest
I guess I just don't get it. As an underwater photographer, the last thing I want to do is shoot a fish eating peas. If you just want to get a fish closer to your camera, get an aquarium. If you want you shoot wild animals, shoot them in the wild and quit messin' with 'em.
Feeding fish throws off the ecological balance of an area - I have seen it happen in many places. It changes the habits and the species balance of the fauna.
If I feed a couple fish one day does it make a dent in the environment? Of course not. If I throw a candy wrapper out of my car window, it won't cause all the litter on the highway either.
What is it about humans that makes us want to get personally involved with everything? Why do we feel the need to domesticate the wild animals we go though such lengths to see in the wild? Do we really have to see butterflyfish eating peas in a frenzied mass? Do we really have to pet a moray? Puff up a puffer? Torment octopus? Isn't enuf just to observe these things the way they really live? Why can't we just show these animals we say we love a little respect instead of trying to covert the ocean into a petting zoo?
JMHO.....
Feeding fish throws off the ecological balance of an area - I have seen it happen in many places. It changes the habits and the species balance of the fauna.
If I feed a couple fish one day does it make a dent in the environment? Of course not. If I throw a candy wrapper out of my car window, it won't cause all the litter on the highway either.
What is it about humans that makes us want to get personally involved with everything? Why do we feel the need to domesticate the wild animals we go though such lengths to see in the wild? Do we really have to see butterflyfish eating peas in a frenzied mass? Do we really have to pet a moray? Puff up a puffer? Torment octopus? Isn't enuf just to observe these things the way they really live? Why can't we just show these animals we say we love a little respect instead of trying to covert the ocean into a petting zoo?
JMHO.....
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