You got it! ;)
>I just think that we just have to do a bit better at maintaining the
>species that we have got in cultivation so to speak. We have already had
>a long thread on what has happened when a population now no longer
>represents what was originaly collected. There are also various
>conservation issues that need to be addressed in terms of species
>conservation, unfortunetly these fish are often the ones that people do
>not want to keep. I have had euromoo eachamensis, but few people are
>interested in them because they do not have the intense colouration of
>many of the other rainbows. I think that the euromoo's are a lovely fish
>given the correct home.
They are a lovely fish, given the opportunity, as are the "normal"
eachamensis... I too am concerned by the popularity of one species over
another - the "big names" like Goyder River tri's, G. incisus, M.
boesemani and lacustris seem to get a lot of attention... quite possibly
to the exclusion of other, more deserving species. Some of the Dumb
Blondes would appear to be Blonder than others! ;) It is a basic part of
human nature to keep what you like... which is why a RATS program could
offer some small measure of hope for less attractive species. Everyone
with one tank or more could contribute....
>I think that in many cases people are relying too heavily on a few
>skilled individuals ie the Ron Bowman's, Adrian's and Bruce's of this
>world. While nobody can doubt their commitment, I just think that the
>populations that individuals maintain are a bit small for the long term
>conservation of wild type individuals.
Agreed, it is a bit poor for the rest of us to leave the work up to them,
then complain when they lose a species by accident.
>I think that a nationaly coordinated network would be better than what
>already exists and would be somewhat less work than adrian thinks.
>Getting indiviuals to co coperate would be the hard bit.
Agreed - from memory Rob Wager was calling for a co-ordinator from each
state, to get the ball rolling. IMHO it needs to just start... the
"stragglers" can be brought in later.
>Getting of the soap box for now
"For now" ;)
>PS Adrian, you may find that the attention to detail that I mentioned
>before would add another dimension to the hobby. We don't seem to have a
>national fish breeders closeness to wild type fish breeding award.
Can you elaborate on this, Peter?
Regards, Andrew Boyd