CICHLIDS IN FLORIDA RIVERS?

[jgentry]

What happened to your big old Oscar??

Someone offered me to much money and he found another home.

 

[Sarah88]

yeah its not that publicized about the fish because there isnt really a lobby group behind it like with wolves, its actually not that bad and was good thing for them to reintroduce them because the elk numbers were actually way to high and were affecting all the plants and therefore other wildlife, but we all only hear bad things about the wolves because the farmers out there don't want them there and lobby against it so it makes the news, if the non-native cichlids were affecting people's big business then we would hear all kinds of bad things about them as well

 

[dent20]

That was an interesting link on the non-native species. I'm curious what everyone thinks about those who do it? Do you think the majority are just uninformed newbies, who got in over their heads with the fish and don't realize the impact of what they're doing, or do you think they're people who know full well and don't care and want the cichlids to drive out the native species?

I do think stores could do a better job of reminding people never to release store bought fish into the wild. It probably should be obvious, but there are a lot of misinformed people in the world, especially as it relates to fish.

I find it funny when people actually ask me if I ever have to flush any of my fish and are serious. Most wouldn't even fit down the toilet if you were to try, but that's really beside the point.

 

[fishguts]

That was an interesting link on the non-native species. I'm curious what everyone thinks about those who do it? Do you think the majority are just uninformed newbies, who got in over their heads with the fish and don't realize the impact of what they're doing, or do you think they're people who know full well and don't care and want the cichlids to drive out the native species?

I do think stores could do a better job of reminding people never to release store bought fish into the wild. It probably should be obvious, but there are a lot of misinformed people in the world, especially as it relates to fish.

I find it funny when people actually ask me if I ever have to flush any of my fish and are serious. Most wouldn't even fit down the toilet if you were to try, but that's really beside the point.

yes i think it is newbs. i think they go buy a oscar for a 10 gallon and dont take care of it so there mom or dad says get rid of it and there it goes into a lake. deff not people like us in the hobby deliberatly throwing fish in waterways. at least i would sure hope not

 

[fishguts]

yeah its not that publicized about the fish because there isnt really a lobby group behind it like with wolves, its actually not that bad and was good thing for them to reintroduce them because the elk numbers were actually way to high and were affecting all the plants and therefore other wildlife, but we all only hear bad things about the wolves because the farmers out there don't want them there and lobby against it so it makes the news, if the non-native cichlids were affecting people's big business then we would hear all kinds of bad things about them as well

i see your point but they did come out and say the population has gotton way out of hand and the elk migration is sad nowadays.

 

[frazzlerock5]

2 summers ago, I was at Universal Studios in Orlando, and saw a Dovii (I think male, in the ballpark of 12-14") in the big pond, inside Universal Studios. If I had a way to catch him, transport him, and house him... he would be mine. Who knows how he got in that pond.

 

[Sarah88]

i see your point but they did come out and say the population has gotton way out of hand and the elk migration is sad nowadays.

oh ok yeah last i heard it was just the ranchers complaining about the wolves but i havent kept up with it recently so thats good to hear more recent info about it

 

[cchhcc]

It's not just the Newbies (though I agree they are a problem). Lots of veterans here still thinking it makes sense to buy arapaima, rtcs, etc. even though they're one 50,000 tank light! Hehe...

 

[Gruff Master]

i dont know what damage there really doing. i never hear of anything that its impacting. i always hear ooh invasive cichlids in florida but are they really doing any damage? if so plz enlighten me as i really never seen on tv of any fishermen or fish commission talking about it. like when they purposely reintroduced wolves into yellowstone so they could have a couple hundred and now theres thousands and the elk population will never be the same now thats a impact thats been heard everywhere. how come i never hear about cichlids in florida reeping havok?

The thing about the Yellowstone Wolves is that it was human hunting and poaching that devastated them. The lack of wolves had a trickle down effect on everything else including the large Elk population. It will take some time for nature to find the balance that uninformed men destroyed. But both the wolves and elks are where they belong, where they lived together for hundreds of years before. Invasive fish are totally different. They are being placed in environments that have not evolved to cope with them. These fish can sometimes do as much damage to natural selection as humans did to the wolf/elk relationship in Yellowstone.

 

[Sarah88]

The thing about the Yellowstone Wolves is that it was human hunting and poaching that devastated them. The lack of wolves had a trickle down effect on everything else including the large Elk population. It will take some time for nature to find the balance that uninformed men destroyed. But both the wolves and elks are where they belong, where they lived together for hundreds of years before. Invasive fish are totally different. They are being placed in environments that have not evolved to cope with them. These fish can sometimes do as much damage to natural selection as humans did to the wolf/elk relationship in Yellowstone.

well put