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Old 12-08-2004, 05:21 PM   #3 (permalink)
mps9506
They misunderestimated me
 
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Wilmington, NC
Posts: 7,142
I'm not an aquaculture expert at all, I took a few classes that allowed me to look at the feasibilty of such projects.
I know with angels larvae there is a serious issue with food sources. I believe Martin Moe ran into the same issues when raising French and Grey Angels in Florida.
There is an issue that the cost of such a project will just result in too high of a price for hte public to accept.
With clownfish you have a relatively easy food source you culture phyto and rotifers, cheap and fairly easy. With pelagic larvae like angels, tangs etc. you must go with an even smaller food source, and ensure they are nutrious enough to sustain the growth of the larvae. My assumption wold be this is neither easy or cheap. Who is going to pay for this? Apparently no one or at least not enough people will pay for it to sustain the folks that attempted the commercial project in Hawaii. If there is genuine interest in conserving wild fish, should someone step in to help out the aquacultured fish buisness? I don't know for sure, but I don't think people are willing to pay the premium price for them.
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