Re: BAP 'N Dump

["Darren J. Hanson" <djhanson@calweb.com>]

>tsuh yang chen, new york city wrote:

>i do agree with william vannerson though.  there are many (maybe not all)
>breeders who are only interested in getting points and don't really care
>for the fish, and once they breed the fish, tehy dump them.  there is
>nothing wrong with keeping an old friend for a long time, i really don't
>see why the rush to keep and breed every single species. i love many
>groups of fish (rainbows, livebearers, catfish, labyrinth, tetras,
>apistos etc.) but i recognize my limitations and don't try to keep
>everything i want to.

>this is not an attack on anyone, just some reflections.

I just got to thinking about this thread in a different way. I can see both
sides of the coin. For me though, I am in the business of breeding tropical
fish for the wholesale trade. Not too much for the retailer. I find when
breeding different species I get a feel for them and how they will sell.
Now, some folks will baulk at this, but unless you have it in 'your blood'
to be more than just a hobbyist, you would never understand the motives.
They are not all for the money or the BAP programs. And without breeders
like us there would be less fish in everyone's LFS. Most LFS prefer to buy
from local breeders than to take the fish from the wild. 

I have found quite a few fish that I have spawned that I want to continue to
spawn because I like the species and they are also wanted by the consumer.
My Corydoras paleatus, commonly known as the Pepper Cat, have been with me
since 1987.  My first spawning was in 1986. I have the same strain/line that
I originally started with. I happen to really like corys. Now, I would also
have problems with people who are just spawning for BAP points and like
others on this list have stated "don't really care for the fish, and once
they breed the fish, they dump them." There are quite a few fish that I have
spawned in the past that I no longer have, also like a lot of you, due to
lack of space. Once I can expand my business, I will incorporate the species
that I really enjoy. But, I too will never have the total space I would like
to produce all the fish I love on a commercial basis. I wouldn't mind though.

I guess I could ask all the readers what their number one reason is for
keeping the fish they do. There will be different reasons for everyone
because of the diversities in preferences and opinions.

Another thing I have found working with so many different species is that
even with corys, they are not all alike. Some have larger spawns with
smaller eggs. Some need more heat while others need cooler waters. Some need
more males to females while others do fine one on one. So there is something
to be said for spawning a lot of species even several of one family.

I think if a person is doing the BAP turn-ins and learning something
significant about their species than that is a substantial benifit whether
they keep the fish or not.

I myself will never keep or spawn Haplochromis obliquedens again. They are
quite beautiful. They are also very viscious for their size. At 3 months of
age all the males in my growout tank were killing each other off. I'm sorry,
but, this is not the type of fish I wish to keep. I did try my hand at them
then sold the rest of them.

Sorry for being so long winded.

I ask again:

What is the number one reason for any of you for keeping the fish you do?

Kaycy