Cyanide use in the Aquarium Industry

[MaryHM]

I just updated www.reefsource.com with a new cyanide article. Everything the industry doesn't want you to know. I have a few questions for the average hobbyist.

1. Were you aware that cyanide was used to catch fish prior to reading this article?
2. Were you aware that it is a serious problem, and one that affects a vast number of imported fish?
3. Does your LFS tell you all of their fish are net caught? Or is it something you even know to ask?

 

[investigator1]

I never use cyanide to catch the fish in my aquarium. heheh :twisted:

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the link to your article Mary. And thank you for diligently sticking up for what you believe in. I look forward to the day when cyanide capture is a thing of the past! You would think these imbasils would realize that if they destroy the reefs, their livelyhood will also be gone. Go figure!

Keep up the good work Mary! :wink:

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Answers to questions:


1. Yes (thanks to Mary and others)
2. Again mostly thanks to Mary and her talk at MASM
3. No, and for the one fish I have bought in the last 3 years I did not ask, simply did not think about it at the time. My own fault.

 

[R33f_$hark]

Thanks for you information. I have to say that I didn't that so much cyanide use existed. I think that it is very audacious of you to bring to surface all the lies that have been lingering around. I'll be sure to pass the information on to friends that are in the hobby and to talk with my LFS. Thanks again.

 

[manderbe]

Answers

1.) Yes, I was aware based on information from reefs.org and AAO.

2.) Yes

3.) Yes, I do ask and my main LFS says he does not buy anything but net caught. That may be the reason he seems so $$high$$. In four years with him I have only two fish not survive after the initial acclimation.

Thanks for all your work and the great article.

Best Regards,

MDA

 

[MaryHM]

Manderbe,

Could you please ask your LFS how he KNOWS his fish are net caught, as this is practically impossible unless someone is directly importing. I'd be interested in what makes him so sure.

Thanks,
Mary

 

[manderbe]

Mary,
I find his response to be somewhat tongue in cheek, telling me what I want to hear type of thing. However, he tells me that he directly imports from specific divers that work directly with himself and other LFS in the United States. I will have to say that compared to other LFS stores in the area, his livestock appears much more robust and healthy. I say appears because I am not quailified to acertain the actual health of the average specimen, just the appearance.

Best Regards,

MDA

 

[kparton]

I thought the article was fine, but I have to say that anyone who decides to start a marine tank should know about the use of cyanide in the collection of fish. it is well documented on many books on the subject of marine fish and reefkeeping and if you do the proper amount of research, you won't miss the importance of it.

Do your research before starting a tank, there is plenty of valuable information at your fingertips. By the way, yes, I knew about it, and yes I ask any supplier I go through about their methods, but they're only as good as their word.

 

[Forest Reef]

1. Were you aware that cyanide was used to catch fish prior to reading this article?
YES
2. Were you aware that it is a serious problem, and one that affects a vast number of imported fish?
YES - I suspect it is the cause of deaths among recent livestock purchase from LFS (hence my rant on the other thread....)
3. Does your LFS tell you all of their fish are net caught? Or is it something you even know to ask?[/quote]
NO - LFS won't talk about their suppliers - they won't tell me who they buy from or where the fish are from (afraid I'll go around them and buy online, I guess). Old owners of same LFS posted newspaper articles about evils of cyanide. I still have some of the fish they sold me. New owners quietly took articles down, use different suppliers. I don't have any fish bought from them left alive.... I tried to push MAC at them because I thought MAC was testing. They told me MAC wasn't testing. I found out on this board they are right. (Bad MAC! Bad, bad, BAD MAC!!!) Whether the new suppliers for new owners of LFS do net caught? They'll tell me what they think I want to hear so I'll buy fish. (All of which (theirs) are now dead).

I'd really rather buy livestock from LFS. I can pick out the one I want, save on shipping, see it eat, make sure it survived the trip ok, somebody there to take care of it when the UPS person drops it off in the middle of winter, etc. etc. But MAC & industry need to get their act together so I (all hobbyists) can tell when the fish really are net caught (without having to figure it by the "death ratio").