Another Moorish Idol bites the dust

[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.

[straightrazorguy]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

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

I can sleep at night with this.

I'll second that!

[garwood]

if you really want to see what a dispicable species we really are go to MERCY FOR ANIMALS web site and look at the videos.

[Aquattro]

Here's another scenario. This evolves from me keeping birds years ago.

I'm house sitting for a friend in Costa Rica, out watering the garden. Overhead goes a flock of parrots, which look a lot like some I used to keep. I watched them fly over the canopy, across the lagoon and miles into the distance. What size cage is appropriate to keep these birds in? We do this with fish....

I have to say, I do admire Wayne's passion to speak up about things he strongly believes in. More people should. Maybe one day we won't keep things locked up. Sadly, most of us will never see that day...('cause we're really old hehe)