Ever wonder how that tropical fish gets into your aquarium?

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FishWatcher747

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This is diving related. Below is a link to a sailing channel I follow. A British couple sailing around the world for 4 years who has been stuck in Indonesia for 1 year due to covid.

They document the Indonesian divers who catch these fish and keep them alive for 2 weeks with primitive equipment to supply this worldwide economy.

No dive computers, no safe seconds, no BCD, no certifications.

The part about sticking the fish with needles to let the expanded air out I don't fully comprehend.

 
This is diving related. Below is a link to a sailing channel I follow. A British couple sailing around the world for 4 years who has been stuck in Indonesia for 1 year due to covid.

They document the Indonesian divers who catch these fish and keep them alive for 2 weeks with primitive equipment to supply this worldwide economy.

No dive computers, no safe seconds, no BCD, no certifications.

The part about sticking the fish with needles to let the expanded air out I don't fully comprehend.

They are venting their swim bladder. Same thing as you venting the bladder on your BC when you ascend.

How to Vent Snapper, Grouper and Bottom Fish [w/ Capt. Dylan Hubbard]

In Florida we are trying to get away from this practice and instead promoting descending devices.

How to Release Bottomfish Right
 
I will add there's on going efforts and major breakthroughs in recent years to captive breed many of the popular aquarium species.

Many will frown upon the trade of aquarium species, and in some cases rightfully so, but the aquarium trade is what advances the science and funds the development of products that allow humans to rebuild reefs and now re-populate reef fish if the need arises.

Overview of captive breeding ornamental species.
CORAL Magazine's Captive-Bred Marine Aquarium Fish List - Project Homepage

List of captive bred species.
CORAL Magazine’s Captive-Bred Marine Fish Species List for
 
As a diver, I've usually captured my own salt water aquarium fish, some here in NJ, tropical reef fishes carried north as juveniles by the Gulf Stream. All these Gulf Stream strays die when ocean temps drop in late Fall. One of my favorites, the Short Bigeye Catalufa, is normally found in very deep water where their bright red color becomes muted. When they get too large for my aquariums I donate them to public aquaria. Butterfly fish, Trunkfish, Tangs, Damselfishes, and the occasional Angelfish can be found every summer in NJ inlets and around jetties. In the tropics these reef fishes are eaten in large numbers, so concern over a few collected for the aquarium trade seems strange. I do agree, though, that the collecting process can damage the reefs, almost as much as groups of scuba divers I've seen.
 
As a diver, I've usually captured my own salt water aquarium fish, some here in NJ, tropical reef fishes carried north as juveniles by the Gulf Stream. All these Gulf Stream strays die when ocean temps drop in late Fall. One of my favorites, the Short Bigeye Catalufa, is normally found in very deep water where their bright red color becomes muted. When they get too large for my aquariums I donate them to public aquaria. Butterfly fish, Trunkfish, Tangs, Damselfishes, and the occasional Angelfish can be found every summer in NJ inlets and around jetties. In the tropics these reef fishes are eaten in large numbers, so concern over a few collected for the aquarium trade seems strange. I do agree, though, that the collecting process can damage the reefs, almost as much as groups of scuba divers I've seen.
Most of my fish are captive bred with the exception of buying fish from other people who are breaking down their reefs and getting out of the hobby. I think the banning of live rock was the most needed action, especially the Tonga Rock and Pukani from Fiji. Today most people buy man made rock or terrestrial quarried rock.

It's my understand the destructive practices have improved by more stringent government enforcement, which is what is necessary. Hawaii is a good example of maintaining a sustainable fishery, but at the end of the day, it still comes down to us humans, unrelated to what we do on the water, rather what we do on land that impacts the water.
 
Most of my fish are captive bred with the exception of buying fish from other people who are breaking down their reefs and getting out of the hobby. I think the banning of live rock was the most needed action, especially the Tonga Rock and Pukani from Fiji. Today most people buy man made rock or terrestrial quarried rock.

It's my understand the destructive practices have improved by more stringent government enforcement, which is what is necessary. Hawaii is a good example of maintaining a sustainable fishery, but at the end of the day, it still comes down to us humans, unrelated to what we do on the water, rather what we do on land that impacts the water.
Since retiring I've moved and downsized to just one 90 gallon SW aquarium, so I haven't acquired anything new in years. I collected all my live rock in Jamaica back in the 70s and 80s, and it's still looking good, better than anything else I've ever seen. My rock was chunks of the hard bottom, not sections of dead coral. I brought it back one piece at a time, wrapped in copies of the Gleaner newspaper over many trips to Negril when it was still a wonderland. Things were easy to bring back all those years ago. I've given away most of it, keeping just enough to create a realistic tableau with tunnels, and overhangs in my modest aquarium. In it I have a Clownfish about 12 years old, the only fish I remember purchasing, an Atlantic Long Nosed Butterfly ( Prognathodes aculeatus), collected on a trip to Dominica a few years ago, a Black Cap Basslet, and a Pigmy Angel. A few inverts, shrimp, and two small Caribbean starfish, and that's it. I stock very lightly, as much interested in the visual effect as in the fish. I may add a small Catalufa this summer if I can find one while exploring the shallow inlets.
 
In Florida we are trying to get away from this practice and instead promoting descending devices.
Promotion of the devices needs work. I believe it became a requirement last year for the South Atlantic, but not yet for the Gulf, when targeting reef fish. As I was going to the Keys shortly, I figured it would be a good idea to get a descending device to bring along. I visited several tackle shops in the area. I think one had an idea of what I was looking for, the others were clueless as to what I was looking for.

I ended up making my own out of a Rapala Fish Gripper, some steel leader and a weight. Weight is attached to one handle, fishing line to the other. Handle is locked on the lower jaw, and spool opened on reel, then fish is lowered into the water. Weight takes it down. Locking spool and “setting the hook” will open the jaws of the gripper and release the fish.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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