- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
- Messages
- 3,019
Thales;132357 said:
bluespotocto;132407 said:hey is would still like to know how big these guys get because i would like to know if one could fit in my tank.
Neogonodactylus;132412 said:The pictures and videos are stunning - which still causes me concern about their generating an even greater market for these animals. If you can "rescure" and maintain them, the message is that other aquarists can keep them as well and if there is the perception that this is possible, we all know that the pipeline will open up all the way back to the collectors. If there was the possibility of culturing them like there appears to be with O. chierchiae, I would probably feel differently. However, as we have found out, culturing even small, large-egged species is demanding and extremely difficult. It isn't going to happen with the mimic.
Roy
gholland;132413 said:Given the uncertainty about wild populations and the fact that a captive breeding program isn't very feasible for wunderpus, has there been any consideration of a rescue and release program?
Thales;132418 said:I think that would take a whole bunch of funding and time and infrastructure as well as bureaucratic hoop jumping and justification regarding the rerelease. I would also fear that it would create a closed loop for collection and that it could actually end up making more of these animals get collected. However, I would fully support someone with the time an energy to try to make it happen.
gholland;132428 said:The closed loop for collectors is a valid concern, but I wasn't thinking about a concerted effort to track down and purchase every captured wunderpus from wholesale or retail outfits... I was thinking more along the lines of people who "end up with one unintentionally" and relying on their sense of responsibility to "donate" it for release. Those people wouldn't be re-purchasing the animals. Probably wouldn't be a large number of animals.
.. How much more funding, time, and infrastructure would be required to send one home compared to getting it in the hands of a hobbyist in the first place? I know there are people here with contacts in the proper areas.
Wow... I'm starting to sound like the other Greg. Maybe he could donate paintings to pay the shipping!