[hawaiianfornow]

If anyone would like to TRADE fish, I am interested in doing this. I can show you some of the fish i have hand caught, ( not with a hook by fishing). The orange back tang that i have in my tank now would cost you around $100 for like a 5 to 6 inch fish. I have one that is about 10 inches, and i am using him to cycle my tank!!!!. The reason i am wanting to trade for fish is because, I cant find any angels on the reef where i go diving and want to get a few for my tank. BTW, I cant sell these because the license I have is to collect fish for my personal use, not a commercial license to sell them.

[Reefland]

I have one that is about 10 inches, and i am using him to cycle my tank!!!!

That's not right...

[hawaiianfornow]

Whats the difference? People use damsels all the time. Are you saying that some fish's lives are more valuable than others??

[Poseidon]

People only use damsels because the LFS tells them to. I use liverock to cycle mine, no harm to the "higher" form of life like fish.

Not that 1 fish is more valuble then another, but a 10" fish should be left in the ocean. A smaller fish would be better suited to a smaller home. UNLESS you are cycling a tank that is 1000's of gallons.

This guy was in the Columbus zoo:



I'd say he was 15-18" long. The tank he was in was at least 20 FEET long by 10 feet wide and I'll bet 15 feet deep. It housed at least 100 different fish!

Here is 1/3 of it:


So what Scott and I are saying is large fish NEED large homes. And using Damsels in the trade to cycle is no longer a required practice, it is just most LFS are in it to make money, not preserve the fish.

[Reefland]

Originally Posted by hawaiianfornow

Whats the difference? People use damsels all the time. Are you saying that some fish's lives are more valuable than others??

No I am not saying that it is any better and do not promote the use of any fish to cycle an aquarium. Damsels are commonly recommended because of their very low cost and hardiness, but it is still unecessary and is not recommended today. The use of livercok, or even just some raw steamed shrimp, is a much better option for cycling an aquarium.

I understand the fish you mention are readily available to you, but there are much better options available for helping to work through the nitrogen cycle.

[hawaiianfornow]

Well, i do not disagree with you, but he is completely healthy and when i am done or if he starts showing signs of distress or sickness i would put him back in the ocean. He was just something that i brought home and he is majestic. I havent seen anything from this species in a LFS when i was in florida and worked in one or even here. Believe me i am into preserving wildlife and promoting a healthy environment, but if you saw the way the locals catch fish here and when they dont want them sometimes they throw them back or sometimes they just throw them down to die. Today i went to collect some urchins and found 2 picaso triggers just lying on the rock ndead which just disgusts me. Anyway, the point is i dont plan on keeping him forever and i do go about the proper way of releaseing him ir them back into their natural environment. When he goes back ( unless he finds a home before then ) I am going as far as taking him back to the same reef that he was collected from.