NEVER release an aquarium fish into the wild.

[doug67]

Mother Nature has her rules.

 

[Druu]

Don't release into the wild.. release into a friend's tank! Better to give it away than to kill it, no?

 

[Plecos_Ftw]

wow i see where they were commin from..but damn come on at least go on monster fish first!!! ehh?? ehh?? ehh??

 

[killerfish]

just a quick question i hope it hasn't been asked all ready this thread is pretty big but is it legal to keep nonative fish you catch from the wild i mean if there not banned i figure that even if you cought a snakehead from the wild it would still be illegal but what about fish that arn't banned

 

[ewurm]

Check your local laws. In fact, call your DNR and ask. But here is a general rule: If the fish is banned, it will definitely be illegal to transport it live. If not, then the DNR would probably welcome you taking as many as you want, as long as they are unprotected.

 

[crazysteve]

i agree with you...

Well I dont do it my self, and agree with you. But I would like to know if there has been any real big problems IN Florida. Thay probable, have had every fish known to this hobby put in there waters. plus all the fish pond breeders down there ,that have had flooding. Lots of species from around the world call florida Home now

 

[ewurm]

Well I dont do it my self, and agree with you. But I would like to know if there has been any real big problems IN Florida. Thay probable, have had every fish known to this hobby put in there waters. plus all the fish pond breeders down there ,that have had flooding. Lots of species from around the world call florida Home now

There have been plenty of problems in Florida. It might seem cool to have a worldwide aquarium in your back yard, but native species are suffering due to the new species being added. There are populations of many cichlids, tilapia, plecos, etc. Peacock Bass were introduced to eat the rapidly multiplying tilapia population.

 

[Polypterus]

Well I dont do it my self, and agree with you. But I would like to know if there has been any real big problems IN Florida. Thay probable, have had every fish known to this hobby put in there waters. plus all the fish pond breeders down there ,that have had flooding. Lots of species from around the world call florida Home now

This is really a discussion best taken to a different post for more detail as it has little to do with NOT releasing exotic organisms.. What can be said simply is that there is little data on the effect exotic aquatic animals have had on Florida's native wildlife. Most of the exotics in the state are contained in what already are massively disturbed habitats. They exist primarily in manmade canals, channels and 'burrow ponds". due to the extensive network of these anthropogenic disruptions, migration and movement of these fish has been made possible. While there has been documented 100's of species being sampled or noted for the state the actual number of successful reproducing populations has actually been low. While Exotics are a serious concern, still the primary cause of disruption and the decline of native aquatic species (and associated primary consumers of them..I.E. Fish feeding birds, reptiles etc.) in the state is from over development and human influence through habitat fragmentation, parceling and channelization and wetland destruction.

 

[Polypterus]

There have been plenty of problems in Florida. It might seem cool to have a worldwide aquarium in your back yard, but native species are suffering due to the new species being added. There are populations of many cichlids, tilapia, plecos, etc. Peacock Bass were introduced to eat the rapidly multiplying tilapia population.

And yes indeed there are some high profile cases (intentional and accidental) where this has been a big problem and headache...

 

[Sakon]

Crayfish plague is a disease that occurs when a non-native species is introduced into the wild. Releasing redclaws (from Australia) into the Chesapeake Bay (MD) would cause this plague. It is fatal and there is no cure.