Re: Species Maintenance Program

[Jota Melgar <jsmelgar@compuserve.com>]

Randy wrote:

>With every publication, post each species maintenance registration.

I was thinking of doing that and also having a section of the ASG web sit=
e.
You make a good point in that a listing should only be made until  the
species has been maintained for a set amount of time. Now, what would you=

consider a good amount of time? Personally, I was thinking 1 year. This
assures that the maintainer has had plenty of time to get the fish to
sexual maturity and has attempted to breed them. =


>I'd add a requirement to
>participation that the person cannot ask over a set dollar amount per
fish, the
>rate based on fry-juvenile-adult stages.  Afterall, the intent is to kee=
p
them
>available to fellow hobyists.  The maintainer should be able to make som=
e
money
>for his/her work, but the acquirers should be able to afford them.

Oh boy, you like making things difficult, don't you? Just kidding. First,=

what would you consider a fair price for fry-juvenile-adult stages? Shoul=
d
all species be given the same value? After all, it would be very difficul=
t
to prevent someone that has registered and bred, let say, A. diplotaenia
from looking for other buyers willing to pay a higher price. A way around=

this, and one that would reward participation, is to have set prices only=

for SMP participants that have achieved at least one listing (i.e. 1 year=
).

>Also, I would not include species which are considered commonly availabl=
e.
 If
>someone is to register, they need to work with something that is not
commonly
>seen.

I don't think we can discriminate like that. What might be commonly
available in the East coast might not be so in the West coast or Midwest.=

For example, A. eunotus is a fairly common species. However, you rarely s=
ee
it listed or hear anyone keeping them. It also gets more complicated when=

you start thinking about morphs or aquarium strains, which many members
think are highly desirable. How about having a maximum number or
maintainers per species? Finally, which ones would you consider common?

Randy, thanks for all your comments.

Julio Melgar =