I can't Believe it...

[cthulhu77]

Well, I disagree with the keeping of wild cephs in aquariums, but I tend not to rant and rave.

Too much.

 

[DWhatley]

Well, I disagree with the keeping of wild cephs in aquariums, but I tend not to rant and rave.
QUOTE]

 

[sorseress]

I'm glad you added that "Too much."

 

[Joe-Ceph]

Well, I disagree with the keeping of wild cephs in aquariums, but I tend not to rant and rave.

Too much.[/QUOTE

Thank you for not ranting, that's just the kind of civility I was advocating.

I think that in my case, keeping an octopus will have a net positive effect on the local population. I used to happily bag octopus when I was out lobster diving, and they ended up on a plate . Now, after having kept a local octopus at home and observed it long term, Iwon't be eating any more of them.

I've also read that unlike tropical reefs, which have limited nutrient input, temperate west coast intertidal ecosystems are limited by the availability of space, and vacancies are quickly filled. The idea is that, up to a certain point (huge commercial fishing pressure for example), removing an octopus from the system simply makes room for another one to take its place, and has no effect on the population.

Unregulated collection of cephs (or anything) for the commercial pet trade makes me uneasy, but I support well regulated collection, and self-collection, of abundant species for home aquariums.

Oh, and I'm planning to keep a manatee in my bath tub, can anyone tell me what they eat?

 

[Jean]

Oh, and I'm planning to keep a manatee in my bath tub, can anyone tell me what they eat?

Fresh sailor , failing that one well pickled in rum will do.

J

 

[DWhatley]

Jean is very sensitive to that one . They have a related critter in NZ called a Dugon that is in as much trouble and also heavily protected. If you find a way to grow it's food successfully in an aquarium, however, you would garner a lot of hobby interest

 

[cthulhu77]

Dugongs in the bath ?

Give me some lettuce.

 

[monty]

Somebody call MonsterQuest!

 

[gholland]

Somebody call MonsterQuest!

Er... somebody call a plumber!

 

[cthulhu77]

It better be a jacuzzi tub.

 

[Jean]

Jean is very sensitive to that one . They have a related critter in NZ called a Dugon that is in as much trouble and also heavily protected. If you find a way to grow it's food successfully in an aquarium, however, you would garner a lot of hobby interest

Welllllllllll nearly......... dugongs are found in Australia and the Indo-Pacific!

J

 

[Taollan]

I just disagree with it. I think they should be left in the ocean.

...I am somewhat torn about about this in whole issue in regards to research...

 

[Kharn]

Oh, and I'm planning to keep a manatee in my bath tub, can anyone tell me what they eat?

WoW ... got to be a first in my books (not to mention even though it has been mentioned they are endangered and protected in australia) HOWEVER I do believe and may need someone to back me up on this, that Aborigines are aloud to hunt down Dugongs for a source of food AS LONG AS they use "their tools" for example the boat used to hunt down the dugongs cannot have a motor and must be used with paddles and I am not to sure on the "Bag limit"

They are the only ones aloud to hunt them (maybe Torres strait islanders too) but the "white man" cannot hunt and kill dugong. if anyone has the article on these i'd like to see them, as I am trying to find them now.

thought I'd add abit

 

[OB]

Oh great, I thought esquimeaux (Inuit) being allowed to slaughter 67 bowheads per annum was the only idiocy of its kind allowed. Bowheads, magnificent creatures that can live to at least 200 years if left to thrive on their own, 11000 individuals left world wide... Sorry if I'm offending any natives, here. Think Steller's seacow. Then again, most if not all just depends on who you believe. Is an individual bowhead's life worth more than a cow's, is it all a question of philosophy?

So, back to the topic

 

[Thales]

Ah - I am sleep deprived. Queensland! IME, Oz tends to be much more rabid about people not keeping pets than a bunch of the rest of the world, so I am not that surprised. Sadly, the fervor seems slightly misplaced as aquarists are not destroying the oceans though they make a dandy target because they are so visible. And, while I understand dealing with public questions about husbandry can sometimes be frustrating, I don't think being rude or righteous is the best way to go and often galvanizes people into doing just what you don't want them to do.