Another Moorish Idol bites the dust

[straightrazorguy]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Tell me the difference. I killed one MI, 2 anthias and 4 halibut this week. The first three had some chance at a partially full life in a box. The last 4 never had a chance.

I agree with your reasoning, Brad. Still, I feel like a criminal every time I lose a fish...

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by straightrazorguy

I agree with your reasoning, Brad. Still, I feel like a criminal every time I lose a fish...

Ya, I feel awful. I don't even think about the money, just aww, poor fish. But that's the hobby we chose. If we really felt that bad, we wouldn't have tanks.

[straightrazorguy]

But we have tanks because most critters we put in live. Some even thrive. That's what keeps me going.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by straightrazorguy

But we have tanks because most critters we put in live. Some even thrive. That's what keeps me going.

Ya, but let's be honest here. It's a selfish endeavor. These fish would be much happier on a reef. Well, until they got eaten by something.

In the end though, everything dies. My MI may have been eaten if the fisherman hadn''t interrupted the food chain. I might have given it another 2 weeks. Maybe. Maybe not.

Keeping anything captive is wrong. It's how much wrong we can live with at the end of the day and still sleep at night.

[straightrazorguy]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Ya, but let's be honest here. It's a selfish endeavor. These fish would be much happier on a reef. Well, until they got eaten by something.

In the end though, everything dies. My MI may have been eaten if the fisherman hadn''t interrupted the food chain. I might have given it another 2 weeks. Maybe. Maybe not.

Keeping anything captive is wrong. It's how much wrong we can live with at the end of the day and still sleep at night.

Yup, it's selfish, all right. And captivity is wrong.

And I agree, fishing for food is far more destructive. So, by eating less fish I can keep more in my tank, right? I'd rather go all vegetarian than give up my tank.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by straightrazorguy

Yup, it's selfish, all right. And captivity is wrong.

And I agree, fishing for food is far more destructive. So, by eating less fish I can keep more in my tank, right? I'd rather go all vegetarian than give up my tank.

Yes. If you eat nothing but carrots, you can have a moorish idol.

Fishing for fish is pretty destructive, regardless their use. We all want the cheap fish, which are almost all caught with cyanide. These cyanide fishermen are not overly selective in what they blast. Cyanide tang from Phillipines, $2. Net caught tang from Hawaii, $20. Which one gets consumed by our hobby the most?

[Aquattro]

I'll add this, in defense of my recklessness.

Talking to the supplier last night, he estimates about 20% success rate with MIs.

So let's just, for argument's sake, assume Sam and I are not entirely insane and O2 levels for these fish is a factor. Now anyone trying a MI adds an airstone, or some other mechanism to increase O2. Success rate jumps to 25%. Is that not a good thing?
Let's face it, the fish will get caught, they will get sold, and they will be a constant in the market. Always have been, always will be. My irresponsible act might save a couple more per hundred caught, because I talked about it.

I can sleep at night with this.

[Doug]

Gawd thats a terrible picture. But then reality sucks.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Doug

But then reality sucks.

It does. And we lie to ourselves to hide from it. In between posts I'm cooking omelets for the family. Using eggs from cage raised chickens, topped with dead pig. For dinner, I'm having those dead halibut from further up in the thread. In my house built of wood that killed many things in it's acquisition. Typing using electricity from dams that killed how many creatures? ya...

Please don't preach to me about a MI taken from the ocean, with a dialogue on my experiences that just might help save just one that will be purchased regardless of Wayne's views on the world.