Reefs.org Forums

[Bill2]

funny how a post twists and turns

[Kalkbreath]

{QUOTE}, that may be an important economic and human-affecting downside, but the reality is that zebra mussels have outcompeted and forced extinction of endemic mussels. That result is far more negative to the invaded ecosystems. They have also changed the trophic structure of many streams as they have removed so many food particles in their filter feeding.........................The mussels have corrected the water quality ,without which the whole ecosystem would have perhaps died.......again ith may very well be that the coral reefs in the keys are going to die.....why not replace them with red sea corals ? would you not rather have something alive in the water? The fish and wild life dept. had to make a choice in the past betwwen the native fish and no fish in the mountain streams of north America......and they chose the Rainbow trout......this fish is in almost every stream in the USA! and with great results.......Lets improve the FLa reefs like we did the Trout streams !
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[dizzy]

I was just wondering if the zebra mussels would make a good addition to a koi pond? They might make an excellent natural filter and definitely wouldn't compete with the greedy koi at feeding time. Also if the native mussels are a food source how about farming them in mud ponds to suppliment the farm income. I'm certain the zebra mussels can be kept out of small bodies of water.

[Kalkbreath]

I build Koi ponds for a living.....and that is a very good question!
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[fishfarmer]

The fish and wild life dept. had to make a choice in the past betwwen the native fish and no fish in the mountain streams of north America......and they chose the Rainbow trout......this fish is in almost every stream in the USA! and with great results.......Lets improve the FLa reefs like we did the Trout streams !

Ya know, Kalkbreath you maybe on to something ........I gotta lift some of those darned inbred fall spawning Wythville rainbows some point this week. Rainbow eggs in LATE August who would have thunk it. I hope we hatch out more albinos this go around, they're cool lookin'.

Now just to selectively breed these pigs to eat zebra mussels, quagga mussels, cormorants, white perch, mute swans, purple loosetrife, eurasian milfoil, water chestnuts, alewives, spiney water fleas, mcdonalds wrappers, styrofoam cups, cigarette butts(no wait they eat those ).

[esmithiii]

id like to repeat what Contender just said. if it is bad for the reefs, we shouldnt be doing it.

BeerBaron- I suggest you tear down your tank. This hobby is bad for the reef.

Ernie

[fishfarmer]

Back to the question at hand.

Rover, some fish and wildlife organizations may have regulations in place and some may not. Enforcement and education are key. You can't get pirahnas down south. I can get some 40 minutes from my house. Want some? I got a styro and oxygen, I can pack them up real nice and ship them down to you. I could also cross state lines. Both of these things are illegal, but I have yet to see border patrol fish and wildlife personnel at every state line crossing doing checks.

In Vermont we have serious problems with invasive species like eurasian milfoil. It's pretty darn easy to get it attached to a boat trailer. Move from one body of water to the next without checking for it and it will spread. I rarely see State police and Fish and Wildlife at EVERY boat launch in the state on a given weekend. They have made bust or two, but the man power(funds) aren't there to do the proper enforcement or built the necessary facilities for washing boats before entering the water.

[Rover]

True. And just about anything I want I can get from Alabama or Tennessee. But the point is if I'm caught selling it in the store I face some serious trouble including the possibility of losing my license. Simply from a customer tip. (FWIW I've been inspected before because a customer reported a dead hermit crab in one of my tanks.) If/when anything like a USL is ever adopted it doesn't seem like we need a new agency to patrol it. If a store is ever caught selling something on the list they face problems from whoever they got there license from and since you are required to keep records of all incoming animals they'll know who they got it from and the wholesaler/importer will catch it too. Every one will have some incentive to avoid the animals as the risk of getting caught aren't woth the repercussions.

[Kalkbreath]

I have an idea...instead of only using native plants to landscape our homes and offices....lets import exotic plants fom around the world, the most colorful and interesting plants we can find! Lets replace all those thousands of acres of weeds and brush around our homes with sod {Grass} from the island of Burmuda! etc. Oh and why must we only eat the fruits and vegetables native to the North American Continent?, I have heard that if we chop down all those pine trees in Fla,. we could then plant Fruits and Veg. by the millions........".What"........"already been done!" "What about the Fla. Keys idea?" ."Not yet"...."Good!"......at least I will get credit for that one"
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[Snailman]

Once again Kalk has said something that is not true.


"Lets replace all those thousands of acres of weeds and brush around our homes with sod {Grass} from the island of Burmuda! "


Bermudagrass actually comes from Africa.

[Kalkbreath]

More correct would be Tifton Ga. Because what we see in our yards is nothing like what is naturally growing in Africa..... But good attempt to avoid the issue! So replacing millions of acres of native woodlands with {Ive been corrected}"African" grasses has is safe, why not use African corals and fish to replace the Keys dying wildlife?
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[dizzy]

Rover, I don't know if you get Pet Age or not, but I thought I would print this short article from the October issue for people who don't. Forgive any typos.

Invasive Species Advisory Council Considers New Threat "The Invasive Species Advisory Council, established under the Clinton administration to address issues related to non-native species, is taking on greater prominence in light of the Sept. 11th terrorists attacks, according to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (Washington).

Invasive species continue to raise ever-increasing concerns at both the federal and state level. Now, ISAC also must consider risks associated with biological invasions and the attendant need for greater scrutiny of shipments that include living organisms and foodstuffs, said PIJAC.

Marshall Meyers, executive vice president and general counsel for PIJAC, who was appointed by the Bush administration to serve a second term."


This could mean delays in clearing customs and increased fish and coral mortality. Probably translates to higher costs to the the consumer. Defintely sad news for the marine life. I won't even bother mentioning the article on the same page that talks about Salmonella being linked to aquariums in Canada.