What is your opinion on the hobby's status?

[Scythanith]

I have to agree with davej. We are a drop in the proverbial bucket as to what's killing the oceans and the reefs. Are we making an impact, of course we are, is it significant compared to other influences, not really.

I prefer to buy aquarium proven frags from other reefers but sometimes you can't get a frag of a cats paw coral or a big meaty brain. I think we are having even less of an effect on fish populations, barring the bangaii cardinal and introduction of the lionfish to caribbean waters. I fully support proper net collection techniques vs destructive methods such as cyanide. I'd even more rather I could buy is captive bred but that's not possible for all the fish I want to house.

Do I feel bad for being in this hobby, nope. Would I like to see it become more sustainable, of course!

[lockrookie]

Originally Posted by jorjef

A trend I have started to notice and I'm not sure if it's driven by economics or supply is tiny fish.... Not as in gobies but 1 inch hippo tangs etc. That makes it tough if you want to add a fish to your display but realize with its size it would have a tough time surviving.



I love it when the LFS gets trade ins or surrendered fish due to tank shut down. I bought a giant Royal Gramma a few weeks back that was traded in. Didn't even blink at the wee over priced aspect, the size sold me. I also didn't mind paying a little extra for what I call tank tested fish. No guarantee but survival rate is way higher vs. newly arrived fish.

+1000

this is annoying me a lot lost three hippos thus far and it just doesn't seem right never mind the ones that don't even make it through the shipping process