Tanked

[HUKIT]

There are much, much larger issues when it comes to keeping livestock rather than what one shop is doing. There is not a continent on earth whose waters and fishes have not been affected by the devastation and destruction caused from deforestation, pollution, agrochemical run-off, overfishing, global warming, and political unrest, and invasive species.

There is also H.R 996(for those of us in the U.S) lingering around as well looking to ban the majority of our hobby. So I would encourage more people to get involved in the C.A.R.E.S Preservation Program and start writing your congressman to stop bans such as this.

H.R. 996, The Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act | USARK

C.A.R.E.S Preservation Program

Stopping the first one and supporting the second(among others) will have a much larger effect towards conservation rather than complaining over what two people are doing on a TV show in which less that 2% of the actual viewers are aquarist.

 

[Gregcoyote]

That's the whole point. It says to 98% of the viewers that fish are disposable decorating items. This does not help to make us look any more responsible with our livestock. The opposition already paints us as fish and coral killers.

 

[HUKIT]

What have you done to actually stop any of this? Again I've asked this question twice now without a response, has anyone actually take the time to contact the company to get their side of the story? I'm sorry but in my opinion like the old saying goes "if your not part of the solution your part of the problem". I spend a great deal of time and money(in terms of donations) each year contributing to places like I've posted in the past. You'll never hear me complain without making an attempt to change things, I just don't see the point without trying to make a difference.

 

[Gregcoyote]

This is a discussion, not a political action committee. Contacting them to berate them for this is not productive. The only good I can see from it, other than selling more aquarium supplies, is at least a realization on our parts as to how important it is we do try to be part of the solution, rather than just collectors of pretty fish. As a diver I always held second thoughts when it came to collecting wild specimens. And as a aquarist, I also try to buy tank raised whenever possible and the wild caught specimens, well I guess the best I can do is to give them a full life span.
And yes, my wife and I do donate to causes that support wildlife. And if I was not a aquarist, I would be amongst the opposition requesting tighter regulations on fish capture, but only if the true causes of reef destruction were also addressed.

 

[HUKIT]

My point exactly, a singled sided discussion. At no time did I say berate them as I'm adamantly on their side a small business owner myself. The point of the inquiry was to get their side of the real story, not someone's scripted story. You actually have no idea what happens behind the scenes, it's hard to stay in business that many years with all of your tanks failing.

 

[Gregcoyote]

My point exactly, a singled sided discussion. At no time did I say berate them as I've adamantly on their side a small business owner myself. The point of the inquiry was to get their side of the real story, no someone's scripted story.

I think what we have been exposed to is the scripted story. It is the reported aftermath that has gotten attention on this forum. And granted, maybe only one or two systems have gone bad out of many. But those systems that went bad were designed based on showing off tennis shoes , not keeping the fish alive. And I believe those few tanks doesn't send a good message to anyone with a conservationist viewpoint.

I also am a small business owner and agree that it is gratifying to see a success story like theirs.

 

[grahammcmillan]

This is a discussion, not a political action committee. Contacting them to berate them for this is not productive. The only good I can see from it, other than selling more aquarium supplies, is at least a realization on our parts as to how important it is we do try to be part of the solution, rather than just collectors of pretty fish. As a diver I always held second thoughts when it came to collecting wild specimens. And as a aquarist, I also try to buy tank raised whenever possible and the wild caught specimens, well I guess the best I can do is to give them a full life span.
And yes, my wife and I do donate to causes that support wildlife. And if I was not a aquarist, I would be amongst the opposition requesting tighter regulations on fish capture, but only if the true causes of reef destruction were also addressed.

There are always going to be an opposition in any walk of life. Kill the whales or save the whales. Stop the shark finning don't stop the finning. I agree with you though, probably because I don't see myself as an advanced aquarist. I would only have a tank bred and raised specimen. But I think aquarist will have a big role in saving some species from extinction.

 

[patrickriley2010]

I too would love to have one of their non-theme tanks. And I watch both shows. But, yes, some of use diehard hobbyists are put off by the livestock process they show on the air.

Idk that doughnut was pretty cool

 

[patrickriley2010]

That's the whole point. It says to 98% of the viewers that fish are disposable decorating items. This does not help to make us look any more responsible with our livestock. The opposition already paints us as fish and coral killers.

What's funny is isn't every pet fish caught far. Raised and with coral raised in a tank ? Also this is coming from a government that tested new sonar in a highly active whale and dolphin area despite people complaining it would hurt the wild life. And then they tell us we are bad?

 

[HUKIT]

I also am a small business owner and agree that it is gratifying to see a success story like theirs.

I own a somewhat controversial business in that I sell firearms, which as your well aware is either loved or hated by the general public. This is the reason I'm so verbal in this particular subject as the nature of my company has been the subject of many online forums discussing gun rights. I have emailed ATM to get a little background on what really happens to the tanks after the cameras stop rolling, hopefully they will respond to shed a little light in the subject.

 

[tomasm87]

I own a somewhat controversial business in that I sell firearms, which as your well aware is either loved or hated by the general public. This is the reason I'm so verbal in this particular subject as I've been subject of many online forums discussing gun rights. I have emailed ATM to get a little background on what really happens to the tanks after the cameras stop rolling, hopefully they will respond to shed a little light in the subject.

Interesting to see someone else on this forum into firearms. I'm thinking about selling firearms also. And when I tell people I'm thinking about doing it I always get this odd look from people. Your right some people like it some don't.

 

[patrickriley2010]

I own a somewhat controversial business in that I sell firearms, which as your well aware is either loved or hated by the general public. This is the reason I'm so verbal in this particular subject as the nature of my company has been the subject of many online forums discussing gun rights. I have emailed ATM to get a little background on what really happens to the tanks after the cameras stop rolling, hopefully they will respond to shed a little light in the subject.

Hukit my man! You know what it's like with this nuts government stripping away our rights . Best of luck in your business! I'm saving up to get an AR 15 right now .

 

[Andy Sager]

I think what we have been exposed to is the scripted story. It is the reported aftermath that has gotten attention on this forum. And granted, maybe only one or two systems have gone bad out of many. But those systems that went bad were designed based on showing off tennis shoes , not keeping the fish alive. And I believe those few tanks doesn't send a good message to anyone with a conservationist viewpoint.

I also am a small business owner and agree that it is gratifying to see a success story like theirs.

I have to agree with Greg that seeing a small biz success story is a nice thing to see these days.

As stated previously, we don't get to see the real behind the scenes stuff and those tanks are not made in 30 or 60 minutes for sure. There's a lot of stuff we don't get to see. Having been part of designing and building 2,500 gal systems, I know what it takes to get those tanks fish ready. We don't see A LOT!!!

I think we need to better understand that this show is a show, not a teaching forum, educational programming or any such animal. That being said, I believe that if enough people complained to Animal Planet, they woud put some disclaimer on before and during the show. Maybe something like " The following program has been edited for entertainment purposes and there is more involved to creating the aquatic environments displayed on the program than showed." Maybe we can start a campaign?

Theme tanks have been around for a long, long time. Their show is just showing a larger audience of their existance. Whether you agree with them or not, their goal, I'm sure, is not to just "throw a bunch of fish together and hope for the best." Maybe the plan doesn't always work but that does not make them wrong for doing the plan. If you've noticed, whenever they talk about sharks and rays in a tank, they always discuss rounded corners. Do you think they let the over crowded ( in my opinion) tank in the little boy's bedroom (who was going to be recovering from heart surgery) just die off? There is some thought, I'm sure, behind their efforts.

In the time I was out of the business, there seemed to be an explosion of new mentalities in regards to keeping fish. Many areas where fish were collected for me are now no longer sustaining fishlife. You could try to blame the hobby but the truth is that there are many areas around the world, where fish are not collected for the hobby that cannot sustain fish either. We are experiencing changes on a global scale. Everybody is entitled to have their opinion as to why this is happening. What you do about it is the key.
From a consevation standpoint, don't buy wild caught fish or invertebrates. The trickle down effect of this will be eventually less fishlife being taken from the seas. This will also encourage more tank breeding, which was in it's infancy when I was in the biz. Have any of you seen the colors ( or lack of colors) on the first tank raised clownfish? By today's standards, those fish were just ugly. Now we have all kinds of color morphs. It takes some time but it does get done.
From the hobbyist standpoint, do EVERYTHING you can to prolong the lives of what you have in your tanks so you don't need to be constantly replacing your stock. ( Sorry nano tank owners, I just don't agree this is a good way of keeping marine species)
From a business standpoint, EDUCATE your customers. Run classes, hold meetings, form fish clubs in your store to better educate why the fish need the things you are suggesting to the customer. Maybe that will curtail the reckless ways some "hobbyists" set up their tanks.

Bottom line, you can complain all you want about the show but unless you are willing to do something about it, you really are not part of the solution.

That's my opinion

 

[patrickriley2010]

I have to agree with Greg that seeing a small biz success story is a nice thing to see these days.

As stated previously, we don't get to see the real behind the scenes stuff and those tanks are not made in 30 or 60 minutes for sure. There's a lot of stuff we don't get to see. Having been part of designing and building 2,500 gal systems, I know what it takes to get those tanks fish ready. We don't see A LOT!!!

I think we need to better understand that this show is a show, not a teaching forum, educational programming or any such animal. That being said, I believe that if enough people complained to Animal Planet, they woud put some disclaimer on before and during the show. Maybe something like " The following program has been edited for entertainment purposes and there is more involved to creating the aquatic environments displayed on the program than showed." Maybe we can start a campaign?

Theme tanks have been around for a long, long time. Their show is just showing a larger audience of their existance. Whether you agree with them or not, their goal, I'm sure, is not to just "throw a bunch of fish together and hope for the best." Maybe the plan doesn't always work but that does not make them wrong for doing the plan. If you've noticed, whenever they talk about sharks and rays in a tank, they always discuss rounded corners. Do you think they let the over crowded ( in my opinion) tank in the little boy's bedroom (who was going to be recovering from heart surgery) just die off? There is some thought, I'm sure, behind their efforts.

In the time I was out of the business, there seemed to be an explosion of new mentalities in regards to keeping fish. Many areas where fish were collected for me are now no longer sustaining fishlife. You could try to blame the hobby but the truth is that there are many areas around the world, where fish are not collected for the hobby that cannot sustain fish either. We are experiencing changes on a global scale. Everybody is entitled to have their opinion as to why this is happening. What you do about it is the key.
From a consevation standpoint, don't buy wild caught fish or invertebrates. The trickle down effect of this will be eventually less fishlife being taken from the seas. This will also encourage more tank breeding, which was in it's infancy when I was in the biz. Have any of you seen the colors ( or lack of colors) on the first tank raised clownfish? By today's standards, those fish were just ugly. Now we have all kinds of color morphs. It takes some time but it does get done.
From the hobbyist standpoint, do EVERYTHING you can to prolong the lives of what you have in your tanks so you don't need to be constantly replacing your stock. ( Sorry nano tank owners, I just don't agree this is a good way of keeping marine species)
From a business standpoint, EDUCATE your customers. Run classes, hold meetings, form fish clubs in your store to better educate why the fish need the things you are suggesting to the customer. Maybe that will curtail the reckless ways some "hobbyists" set up their tanks.

Bottom line, you can complain all you want about the show but unless you are willing to do something about it, you really are not part of the solution.

That's my opinion

As a student who studies electronic media video and audio production graphic design and so forth I can attest to the fact the production is a chaotic process and they may or may not do the right thing for the fish. But the steps they would show to make them safe would be dull and boring and not make for good tv.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I like the disclaimer idea, but ATM wouldn't. I'll still watch the show and grouse at them from my easy chair.

As a gun toting liberal (a rare fish indeed) I hope our hobby never gets to be as partisan a political topic as firearms are now.

 

[HUKIT]

I hope our hobby never gets to be as partisan a political topic as firearms are now.

You and I both, one major headache is enough!

 

[Andy Sager]

I like the disclaimer idea, but ATM wouldn't. I'll still watch the show and grouse at them from my easy chair.

As a gun toting liberal (a rare fish indeed) I hope our hobby never gets to be as partisan a political topic as firearms are now.

Greg, Does that make you a rare TRIGGER fish?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Greg, Does that make you a rare TRIGGER fish?

Or maybe a "Colt" coral?

 

[Andy Sager]

Or maybe a "Colt" coral?

Definitely not a PISTOL shrimp!

 

[Zactheninja]

Or a TARGET mandarin? ...i tried... Lol.


I would let atm make me a tank, but no inserts and im stocking. XD