Concern re: selling mimics [changed title]

[chrono_war01]

What? You mean I can't keep the purdy multi colored thing in a copper pot with tap water?

 

[cuttlegirl]

24 hours later and no response... I will try again...

 

[cuttlegirl]

Here is their response to my email...

Hi,

I am interested in the octopus you have for sale. Is there anything special I need to know about keeping one of these animals?

Thank you,
Jennifer


Dear Jennifer,
Eventhough some are not in stock, on our website we have two kinds of octopus' on our lists. one of them is The Tank raised Octopus and the other is, the Mimic Octopus. Which of the two were you interested in?

-fishsupply.

I am interested in the Mimic Octopus.
Thank you,
Jennifer


Dear Jennifer,
Right now we have a list of people wanting these Mimic Octopus, and we are asking everybody the same thing. We want to know how much they know about these species of Octopus, and if they are able to let us know how to maintain them. These Mimic Octopus are really rare, and we want to make sure that they'll end up in good hands. We've had them here, in our facility for about twom months allready, and they seem to be doing great, and thats how we want them to stay. If you're intersted please give us a call at, ***-***-****.

-fishsupply.

 

[OB]

To be honest, that's not TOO bad, is it?

 

[DHyslop]

I think so. Would they be able to get away with that if it was a moorish idol?

Dan

 

[mosogama]

I don't keep any octos at the moment, and I know nothing about Mimics, but I have to say that if this octo is so rare why does anyone keep them? Surely they have more chance of continuing their species in the wild than in captivity. If they are that rare, can't we campaign to have them put on an endangered species list? If this sounds fair to everyone, seeing I'm not in your country, where do we start? Let me know what I can do to help and I'll do it.

 

[cuttlegirl]

The Endangered Species Act is only for the United States... It won't help for animals that live outside of the U.S. Mimics are from Indonesia. Good idea, though...

 

[pipsquek]

Google search: endangered species world list

First entry: www.redlist.org - International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Number of whales on list: 40
Number of birds on list: 20
Number of fish on list: 480
Number of cats: 102
Number of dogs: 15
Number of squid: 0
Number of octopus: 0
Number of cuttlefish: 0

So I looked at the criteria. Too much to read right now, but it was obvious that it was more than I am qualified to do. Some of our more scientific members might be able to sort through it.

http://www.redlist.org/info/categories_criteria2001

Seems like a good place to start to me.

 

[pipsquek]

What follows is a copy of the email I sent to the IUCN.



The subject of endangered species listing has come up in a recent forum (Concern re: selling mimics [changed title]) at www.tonmo.com, The Octopus News Magazine Online, of which I am a member.

I am interested to know if any submissions have been made on behalf of any species of cephalopods to your organization. If so, could you provide some details.

As a worldwide community of enthusiasts, scientists, and hobbyists, we are very much concerned with our impact on the planet, specifically on our impact in the oceans. Certain species of cephalopods seem very much in trouble to myself and other members of the site, and it concerns me that there is not a single listing for octopus, squid or cuttlefish.

Thank you,

Jonathan Roberts
Mantis Metalworks
1130 Fremont Blvd. #230
Seaside, CA 93955
USA

EDIT: I just found out on the website that a new and updated version of the redlist is coming out on May 4th, the previous version was from 2004.

 

[chrono_war01]

If they click the link.they won't be able to see it since they're not TONMO supporters.

 

[mosogama]

Excellent work Pipsquek. Maybe we should wait for the updated version to come out and then all of us can put our heads together and do something about it. What do you all think? Who's in?

 

[cuttlegirl]

Here is the latest reply...

I have a tank cycled and ready (well, a little more octoproofing with duct tape needed...). If you have already had these Mimics two months and they are full grown, aren't they close to the end of their life cycle? What kind of live food are you providing? I would like to get my feeder tank ready with the proper food. Do they eat ghost shrimp or fiddlers?

Thank you,
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer,
We've had them for two months, but these Mimic Octopus are not fully grow, they are juvenile Mimics. They are feeding on Frozen Silverside, Live Feeder fish (small goldfish), Frozen Krill.......... they also eat both, ghost shrimp or fiddlers. If you have any other questions please email us again or you can reach us at ***-***-****.

 

[chrono_war01]

Feeding them goldfish isn't exactly healthy...

 

[pipsquek]

The 2006 ICUN Redlist came out on Thrusday. Still no cephalapods on the list, of any sort. Not sure what to do about it. Really dissapointing.

 

[mosogama]

I'm going to check out the new list and see where we can go from there. Not much response from anyone about support for trying to do something for the mimics. A bit disappointing really.