Galaxy Rasboras a threatened species

[CaysE]

I received this in my email today from Practical Fishkeeping, and felt it important to spread the word. I've loved these little fish since I first saw them last year, but never got around to purchasing any.

"Dear Reader,

When I saw the first photographs of the Galaxy rasbora back in September last year, I was astounded. It was clear that the species had massive commercial potential. And since its introduction the global response to the fish, and the demand for it, has been unprecedented. Fishkeepers around the world have been after this species and each has been buying them by the dozen.

Sadly, when this fish was first introduced, we didn't know what we do now. New details emerged last week which revealed that the species is from a tiny high-altitude wetland microhabitat. The initial supplier tried to keep the location under wraps, but a number of other collectors found it and have flattened the vegetation in which the fish lives. The catch has decreased to just a few dozen fish per day.

Given that the species has now been successfully bred by a number of fishkeepers, I feel that the hobby now has a resposibility to stop importing this species and to concentrate on its captive-breeding. Hopefully, if demand declines, the habitat and populations will recover and the species will live on. Fingers crossed.

Matt Clarke
Website Editor"

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=1197

franksaquarium.com has already stopped carrying them in hopes of obtaining captive bred specimens. liveaquaria.com has not carried them I believe, or is no longer. Hopefully other online providers will follow suit, and those of you reading this can help spread the word to your LFS. Ask them at the very least to stop offering them for sale and hand them a printout of the above article, and if possible, breed whatever remaining fish they have.

They are beautiful fish that I hope to own one day, but as far as I'm concerned, that will only happen if their species continues to thrive and breed in captivity. The before and after pictures of their habitat in the above news article are disheartening, to say the very least.

 

[theotheragentm]

That's unfortunate. Those are beautiful fish.

 

[hsherman1986]

I own a school of these fish, and love them dearly. They are so adorable. With reading this information, I hope that the lfs that I got them from will no longer offer these until they are commercially bred.

I hope that I can get these guys to breed, and if I am successful, you guys will be the first the fry are offered to

 

[theotheragentm]

I hope that I can get these guys to breed, and if I am successful, you guys will be the first the fry are offered to

At a huge premium! Get them now! They're rare!

 

[Mosaic]

Aww, that's sad. Just discovered and already threatened.

The good news is that hobbyists are already breeding them. Hopefully commercial breeding will be next, but if not at least we'll be able to get them from breeders. hsherman - it's your duty! The fate of a species rests on you!

 

[CaysE]

I own a school of these fish, and love them dearly. They are so adorable. With reading this information, I hope that the lfs that I got them from will no longer offer these until they are commercially bred.

I hope that I can get these guys to breed, and if I am successful, you guys will be the first the fry are offered to

That would be great if you have females in your school. I've only seen two tanks of them in two seperate stores, but I believe the females are much larger than the males.

If anything, try to get in touch with a breeder who can help you out.

 

[hsherman1986]

Yea, that is the thing, I don't really know how to tell them apart, and I am not 100% sure they are done growing. They are right at 1.5cm. They all look the same to me, I dunno. I wasn't too picky with the ones pulled out (which is strange for me. I guess I was just excited, and didn't care which ones I got, so long as I got them.).

One of them was really skinny (didn't notice till we got them home), looked kinda like he had an internal parasite. He is still alive, 2 months later, and has fattened up nicely. Still skinner than the rest (they don't eat too much. they tend to mouth their flake food, but will eat the frozen), but defintly fatter.

They otherwise seem to be doing very well in my 20g tall with a GBR pair, 6 yoyos, and some rhino shrimp. Very colorful and active fish. They can get feisty with each other, but leave the rest of the fish alone. The yoyos kinda chase them around at feeding time (the yoyos get real excited), but never do any damage, and now, the rasboras don't seem to bothered by it anymore. Its like they got used to it.

I haven't tested the levels in a while though, haven't had any random deaths, so haven't had a reason to. PH is probably around 7.2 though. The rest of my tanks are around 7.5, but this tank has driftwood. My 55g also has a peice of driftwood, but that piece is MUCH bigger, and brought the PH down to 6.9

Sorry bout the long post, just thought I'd share my experience so far with these guys.

 

[Aquarium Freak]

I seen some at the LFS here also. I really want to but them all (about 20) and try to breed them but they are like $10 ea! I dont have that kinda money kickin around but I wish the LFS would give them to me and work out some kind of a deal. That makes me so mad what has happened to this species!

 

[hsherman1986]

i got mine @ 3 for $18. I bought 9. That was a $100 day at the lfs (i bought some other stuff too)

 

[WaterPond]

sad, sad, sad.

Personally, i don't think it is worth driving this fish to extinction just so we can use them for aesthetics.

I hope the ones that already exist in captivity will breed aswell, so people can stop taking away from the habitit which they are destroying.

Hopefully the country or area in which tey are from will help out and name them as a protected species.

This is really making me mad!

 

[coldmachineUK]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=94426&highlight=galaxy

Think I put a link to the article in question here. It was on the PFK website about a month ago. Frightening reading.

 

[CaysE]

I would advise those of you with Galaxy Rasboras to contact the Bolton Museum Aquarium's service officers with your interest to help preserve the species. It is noted in the article that they have been successfully breeding the species there, so they may be able to offer assistance in sexing the species, optimum breeding conditions, etc.

Pete Liptrot
01204 332200
pete.liptrot@bolton.gov.uk

Paul Dixon
01204 336772
paul.dixon@bolton.gov.uk

 

[hsherman1986]

Here is the email I sent to them:

"Hi,

My name is Hillary Sherman, and I have been one of the lucky few in the US to have the change to purchase this wonderful species. I have done some reading, and I am contantly trying to find new information on this fish. Unfortunatly, I have also read about their demise in the wild, and as you know, their wild numbers have been greatly reduced.

I feel, that since I own these fish, and I have bred fish before (guppies, bettas, rainbows, and tiger barbs so far), that I need to find out as much information as I can about breeding the micro rasboras so I can be successful at breeding them, and hopefully offer them for sale to other hobbyists.

I was talking to some of my peers on AquariumAdvice.com (a world wide Aquarium Forum) about this fish (here is the link to the thread http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=95296 ), and was highly incouraged to come in contact with you about breeding this fish, since you were one of the first to breed them in captivity (if I understand correctly).

What kind of information can you share with me? What experience do you have with these fish? What are their ideal breeding conditions? How can I tell males from females? Any other information you have, I would greatly appreciate. If it turns out I have all males, I will not hesitate to go on a hunt for females, if it will give me a chance to breed these fish.

For what it's worth, I am currently keeping a school of nine 1.5cm fish in a 20 gallon high tank, with a pair of German Blue Rams, a school of six Yoyo Loaches, and more than ten shrimp (a couple red cherry shrimp, and an unknown number of rhino shrimp). The tank is (in my opinion) highly planted with a sand substrate, and a driftwood centerpeice. The PH is probably around 7.2 (haven't tested the PH in a while), perfect water parameters otherwise, and weekly 50% water changes.

I would greatly appreciate any information that you are willing to share with me about breeding these marvelous fish. Thank you, in advance!

Sincerly,
Hillary Sherman"

What do you guys think? Worded well? (I feel like I did well)

 

[Dt524]

I think your email is worded perfectly. You have great writing skills. It is extremely disappointing to know that people to would devistate a species just for our own self gain, and good luck with trying to breed these wonderful little fish to all of you.

 

[CaysE]

Awesome... keep us updated.

 

[Mosaic]

The more I think about it, the more I want to get involved. Yes, please keep us updated.

I can't find them on Aquabid and I know my LFS does not have them. I have found them at ThatPetPlace.com and Azgardens.com, but I have heard mixed reviews about both. I'm leaning towards ThatPetPlace.

 

[hsherman1986]

I will let you guys know what he sends me as soon as he does.

If anyone else out there finds these guys at your LFS, I highly recommend buying some, but only if you think you can breed these guys.

Lets make these available without hurting their wild population, I really look forward to being successful with breeding.

 

[coldmachineUK]

If anyone else out there finds these guys at your LFS, I highly recommend buying some, but only if you think you can breed these guys.

I don't mean to be stating the obvious but I really think that would defeat the point...
The reason these fish are being over caught in the wild is precisely because people want to buy them (regardless of the reasons for doing so).

If you are really concerned about this species, and not just about owning some, then only buy them if they're tank bred. You may just need to wait a while until breeders have got programmes running.

I really don't think buying wild ones, even with the intention of breeding them, is going to help at all...the problem will only get worse.

 

[Mosaic]

While a few private breeders are not going to be able to keep up with the demand for them, I think it's important that there are documented early breeding experiences. It might help commercial breeders get something going, and it can give us some info that could help with conservation (reproduction rates, spawning methods, etc). At this point, there are no tank bred fish. Breeders can't get programs going without the wild stock.

In a worst case scenario, you want somebody out there who breeds them in captivity, in case it becomes a restricted species, or if the wild populations disappear completely.

 

[coldmachineUK]

In a worst case scenario, you want somebody out there who breeds them in captivity, in case it becomes a restricted species, or if the wild populations disappear completely.

I agree, but I think that should be left in the hands of the experienced rather than the casual. I think it's extremely dangerous to suggest that it's logical if "this species is endangered, lets all go buy wild stock so we can breed it". That's a sure fire way to get precisely the end result we want to avoid.

It's like saying "oh well, there's none left in the wild but that's ok because at least I can have some in a tank in my living room". It's completely irresponsible.

I should also add: over farming of this fish is causing damage to the ecosystem in that area. So, we face the problem not only that the species will be extinct in the wild if we all decide to go buy some to 'help' fix the problem, but that these fish will not be reintroduced back into the wild later on because the very ecosystem the fish are from may no longer support them. That's even if it's possible to reintroduce fish back in to wild conditions after being tank bred and I'm certain there's already inherant problems if even their environment could sustain them.

When it comes to meeting my maker the last thing I want to have to do is explain why I had a part in causing the extinction of an entire species of animal...