Galaxy Raboras 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/...m.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.

 

[tmack]

I'd seen the sad news about this fish also. I guess it's just another case of the beauty of a species resulting in it's demise and extinction. Let's hope that doesn't happen with this little fish. It doesn't sound good though based on it's limited habitat. Bummer! It might end up being another species being found only in captivity.

 

[juwelfan]

I can donate a few bottles of wine and an adult movie to help in the captive breeding efforts.

 

[fishboy619]

what a shame, lovely fish, almost made extinct be human greed. i never saw them in my lfs, only online, i really hope the captive breeding program goes well, and the catching of these fish stop, atleast we can have the fish in our tanks, knowing its not gone from the wild.i dont really think the fish catcher thought this though, catching a small amount per week, researching into breeding,housing,habitat,etc. then prblishing their finding then selling the fish, atleast then, most of the fish bought will have been tank bred abd the wild species can live on.

 

[dwarfgourami]

apparently they're not that difficult to breed; somebody on my other fish forum has done it and posted pictures; so soft music and candlelight from now on, all those of you who rushed out to buy!

 

[Arfie]

I've done my bit, I was going to buy some then found this out, so I decided that as I couldn't be bothered with a breeding program, I wouldn't buy them.

I did the same when I could have got zebra plecs at £40 each

Arfie

 

[CaysE]

I have seen some at two of the LFS's in my area... I'll be swinging by one of them tomorrow to see what's up.