How could us reefers argue with this statement?

[tyr-sog]

"But you shouldn't have coral in your tank. That stuff takes hundreds of years to grow and at the rate we're destroying it there will be none left.
Also some of the methods used to catch tropical fish kill coral.
Im a scuba diver - and i'll never take anything off the sea bed."
This guy is pretty much right, right?

 

[reefnut]

This is one of the main reasons to try to buy agriculture corals and to trade corals with fellow hobbyists. I think it’s just a matter of time before most corals on the market will be agricultured. For now, most of the corals available to me locally anyway are wild corals so yes I think he’s right in a since. I do buy wild caught corals because of availability but my first choice would be tank raised. As that avalibilty increases then the stress on the natural reefs will slow down. I do not know if we are destroying the reefs at a rate that can not be maintained but as with about any wildlife habitat on earth we need to be educated and we need to educate so we do not loose our beautiful natural wonders such as the coral reefs. JMO

 

[kelly]

Personally I think that a blanket statement like that is a bunch of bunk! There is much coral that never makes it to our tanks, and I think that the impact of dried coral use impacts a reef more than that which actually ends up in our personal reefs.
I am not against harvesting certain corals, but I feel that destroying our reefs for profit is stupid. I totally understand the statement "Im a scuba diver - and i'll never take anything off the sea bed.", and I applaud this guy for making that statement and commitment.
There are alot of reefs destroyed for road beds, and other things that far exceed our consuption of reef related materials. I am glad that there are companies that aqua-culture live rock for the aquarium trade. With many of the people on this and other forums, our hobby has progressed greatly in the past few years. There are many people trading frags and propogating corals. A lot of small sites have sprung up on the internet offering aquacultured corals, inverts and captive bred fish. I feel that we are having great success in the field of reef keeping.
I just hope that people that do not understand our hobby quit making statements like But you shouldn't have coral in your tank. That stuff takes hundreds of years to grow and at the rate we're destroying it there will be none left. The statements just arm our politicans to destroy the hobby we all enjoy.
If we become knowledgable in our endeavors, we will helps save the reefs. I personally do not consider myself to aid in the destruction of coral reefs, but I also do not plan on quitting a hobby that I love.
Just my thoughts...

 

[fishman830]

but.. for the coral we are growing, does it gorw faster than it would in nature? it seems that there are less things hurting it in our tanks than the wild..

 

[schneidts]

It's kind of an ignorant statement.

Any hobby that promotes the education and propogation of a certain species , is good for that species overall fitness. O.K., there are some methods of harvesting coral from the wild that are definitely not good. What that person really needs to understand is that the majority of the reefs are in third world areas, and the business ethics are less than desirable in these areas. Trading and purchasing tankraised coral are definitely beneficial for the well being of the reefs and the hobby. HTH

 

[bang guy]

i believe two things.
Those serious about the hobby learn a LOT about the corals they grow. This information does travel back to help protect the wild reefs.
Also... Once polution (the real reef killer) wipes out a wild reef, we could have the diversity anf knowledge to rebuild it once things are cleaned up.

 

[nm reef]

I tend to feel much the same as Kelly on this issue! Personally I try to avoid going from one extreme to the other...there always seems to be a far left and a far right to any issue. For me any stance either far left or far right seems radical!
I feel that as a whole conscientious reef hobbyists will do more to preserve specimans that they will to destroy them. Other means will do extensively more damage. Several reef hobbyists have taken stances against over cultivation of native reefs...and there have been numerous attempts to aqua culture corals/fish as well as LR...there is even a active program to influence some collectors to use nets for fish instead of cyanide.
Personally I believe the reckless tourist trade and careless attitudes of those involved in scuba may do more damage than hobbyists...I've heard stories about damage from anchors...and seen pics of trash/garbage left behind...and as mentioned I've seen thousands of dried and preserved skeletons offered as keepsakes.
I believe than as a group reef hobbyists are far more concerned about preservation than other groups that have effects on natural reefs.
But all sorts of groups can have negative impacts on natural environments and we should all have concern for long term preservation...but that by no means should require that any group should be excluded from enjoying natural environments...and it would be best if the individual groups avoid finger pointing and accusations than tend to be radical(either right or left)...:thinking: