How young can/should fry be when offered for sale

[ApacheDan]

i have also heard that fry travell much better than adult fish.
andrew

Andrew, enlighten me here...since I'm trying to learn. Where did you heard that fry travel better than adult fish? I guess that Zebras fall under the clasification of Ornamental Fish, as defined by the aquaculture trade, but even commercial fishes like trout and channel carps are harvested with big-holed nets, to allow smaller fish to slip through. Do a Google search under Aquaculture & the logic will always be to sell the bigger fish..not the smaller, growing one. That also applies to ornamental fish.
Now again, I would definetely like to read something to the contrary...

[zebrastorey]

McEve wrote:

I would have objected if somebody was to sell eggs as well (LOL snr69 ) And feel it's part of my job to to intervene when I see something that I feel is wrong going on on the site, no matter which category it is.

So why doesn't anyone else have the right to post if they feel that somthing being said or sold is wrong?


ApacheDan wrote:

Andrew, enlighten me here...since I'm trying to learn. Where did you heard that fry travel better than adult fish? I guess that Zebras fall under the clasification of Ornamental Fish, as defined by the aquaculture trade, but even commercial fishes like trout and channel carps are harvested with big-holed nets, to allow smaller fish to slip through. Do a Google search under Aquaculture & the logic will always be to sell the bigger fish..not the smaller, growing one. That also applies to ornamental fish.
Now again, I would definetely like to read something to the contrary...

The use of nets like that are to allow smaller fish to swim through so over fishing doesn't occure. And there are always fish left to breed. It has nothing to do with them not being able to transport younger fish. And like andrew i have also heard that younger fish ship better than adults although i have no experience in shipping fish of any ages so i cannot say wether it is true or not.

[Barbie]

I'd just like to add to the thread here that I too feel under 1" is too small to ethically sell these fish. I have many good friends that sell them smaller for the same price I charge. It's my own personal choice. It's money I lose myself when I discover deformities or suffer losses in the growouts. I feel better about the potential longevity of the fish this way though, and for me, that's the point!

The thread in the buy/sell forum has been cleaned up. It would be appreciated if everyone took another look through the rules posted at the top of that forum.

And yet again, please, make the attempt to keep your comments civil. The tone of the board is all new people see when they come here. I personally know of 3 different zebra owners that want nothing to do with the board because of the nastiness that seems to be perpetuated by a minority of the members. There is no need for insults. Debate and disagreement are fine, but condescension and badgering are unnecessary.

Barbie

[ApacheDan]

[/quote]
The use of nets like that are to allow smaller fish to swim through so over fishing doesn't occure. And there are always fish left to breed. It has nothing to do with them not being able to transport younger fish. And like andrew i have also heard that younger fish ship better than adults although i have no experience in shipping fish of any ages so i cannot say wether it is true or not.[/quote]

I'm not saying the contrary...just trying to find some logic behind the comments regarding selling young fry.

So, the exportation of L046's was prohibited due to the over-harvesting of such species in the Xingu river, to the point of potential extinction. Now that is a well-known fact. So, what does overharvesting due to the Zebra population?...it takes the adults & leave the helpless fry to fend for themselves. That means that potentially these young fry would not reach adulthood; thus the ban exists.

So...now the adult Zebras existing in private aquariums can be a source of helping the species make a comeback...if done responsibly. If adults are allowed to breed, the healthy fry sold to new aquarists, who will further breed them when they reach adulthood,...then L046's have a chance.

The key word is "healthy fry". I've had fish since I was a kid. I taught my own children about aquariums. I guess my favorite pets are discus...and its always been the case that the stronger & bigger fish that you stock your aquariums with are the ones that fare better in the long run.

My daughter breeds & sells AKC Mini Pinschers. She takes the time to show them in contests & earn her share of Blue Ribbons. People from far away buy her litter versus buying from a local Pet Shop, who are stocked by unscrupulous "puppy mill" owners.

My fish mentor was and still is Jack Wattley, from Wattley Discus. Years ago I would pick my own fish from his tanks & he would sell them at quarter size, not dime size..no matter what the money. It seems to me that a few Zebra breeders are into this for a quick buck, thus creating a "zebra mill"... and that is a very scary thought. IMHO.

From my own experience, the survival rate of Zebras sold at less than an inch is around 60%-80%, depending on the situation. Again, I just received some 1"+ zebras, with 100% survival rate. If somebody can point out to me a source that says that selling very young fry is better than selling them at an older, stronger stage, then I would like to know, other than "I heard, somebody said".

Until then, I'll stick to 1"+ and at least 6 months old, as a rule of thumb.

[eklikewhoa]

i dont think 3/4" is a good size to be shipped either and would prefer to buy zebras that are a bit older/bigger than that to ensure a healthy zebra.

[McEve]

McEve wrote:

I would have objected if somebody was to sell eggs as well (LOL snr69 ) And feel it's part of my job to to intervene when I see something that I feel is wrong going on on the site, no matter which category it is.

So why doesn't anyone else have the right to post if they feel that somthing being said or sold is wrong?

A mod doesn't have to follow a rule of "no discussion" when we see something that we feel is wrong - be it warning against a scammer, or fish that is unsuitable for sale, be it because they are sick or that they are too small or there's something else we feel warrants a headup. That's one of the duties, (or actually a grace as we don't have to do it), of a mod in order to keep the board an enjoyable place to be for the majority. Even so, the board is not responsible for the sales taking place!

"Anyone" cannot delete unsuitable posts either, as I do on a daily basis, be it advertizing insurance, mortgagerates or adult sites. Again to keep the board as enjoyable as possible