|
|
|
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Captive fish have been important
to mankind since prehistoric times.
Ancient Egyptians were the first humans known to keep fish not only
for food purposes but as a source of food and entertainment. As depicted in their hieroglyphics, Egyptians
mostly worked withTilapiaspecies and Mormyrids.
Goldfish have been selectively
bred in China since at least the 10th century.
However, Goldfish were not introduced into Europe until the late 17th
century (c. 1791). In 1853, the London Zoological Society established a public aquarium to display fish species. By
1864, public aquariums had been opened in Paris and Hamburg. The majority of the fish in these aquariums were
species that were local and could be caught in nearby rivers and lakes. In 1869, the first "tropical" fish was
imported from Asia, the Paradise Fish (Macropodus
opercularis). From that point on, more and more "tropical"
species were imported from far off lands.
In the early days, tropical aquariums
were heated by an open flame, a dangerous and inefficient means of warming an aquarium. Filters were large, noisy and expensive. Water
chemistry was poorly understood and good water conditioners did not exist. Fish suffered dietary deficiencies from
the poor variety of live and dried foods.
Only a small variety of species was available, of those, only a few
were well documented. The aquariast was at a loss of finding reliable information regarding fish size, feeding,
care, and social behavior. Almost all fish were wild-caught; and few were captive bred. During transport, mortality rates were
high, further driving up the cost of the hobby.
As a result, tropical fish-keeping,as it was known, was a hobby was
for the rich and scientifically inclined.
Today, aquarium technology has improved and fish keeping is much easier.
Today, most aquarium fish are
still bred in Asia, although substantial numbers are produced in Florida. These captive-bred species have several
advantages over wild-caught fish in that they are available on a more regular basis, are less likely to harbor
a wide range of parasites, are less expensive, and tend to be hardier. However, successive generations of captive
inbred fish tend to have less color and smaller fins than wild fish except in the case of selective breeding.
Tropical fish-keeping is becoming
more and more popular despite the advent of aquarium simulation programs on the computer where a person can keep
a fish tank without ever getting their hands wet.
The reason for the increasing popularity of the hobby is due to environmental
awareness, the great variety of species, and relative ease of care of fish. Fish are pets that do not require much
care, and an aquarium can add to the decor of a room.
Fish-keeping is an enjoyable hobby that can bring relaxation and enlightenment
for persons of every age and interest.
|
|
|
|
Recent news
New Yangtze River dam could doom more endangered species
(06/22/2009)
Eight Chinese environmentalists and scientists have composed a letter warning that a new dam under consideration for the Yangtze River could lead to the extinction of several endangered species. The letter contends that Xiaonanhia Dam, which would be 30 kilometers upstream from the city of Chongqing, will negatively impact the river’s only fish reserve. Spanning 400 kilometers in the upper Yangtze, the reserve is home to 180 fish species, including the Endangered Chinese sturgeon, and the Critically Endangered Chinese paddlefish, as well as the finless porpoise.
Fish take less than a decade to evolve
(06/22/2009)
Evolution is often thought of being a slow-process, taking thousands, if not millions, of years. However a new study in The American Naturalist found that Trinidadian guppies underwent evolution in just eight years, or thirty generations. Less than a decade ago Swanne Gordon, a graduate student at UC Riverside, and her team introduced Trinidadian guppies into the Damier River in the Caribbean island of Trinidad. They placed the guppies above a waterfall to allow them to flourish in a largely predator-free environment.
Madfish?: scientist warns that farmed fish could be a source of mad cow disease
(06/17/2009)
In a paper that shows just how strange our modern world has become, Robert P. Friedland, neurologist from the University of Louisville, warns that farmed fish could be at risk of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease, or mad cow disease.
New report predicts dire consequences for every U.S. region from global warming
(06/17/2009)
Government officials and scientists released a 196 page report detailing the impact of global warming on the U.S. yesterday. The study, commissioned in 2007 during the Bush Administration, found that every region of the U.S. faces large-scale consequences due to climate change, including higher temperatures, increased droughts, heavier rainfall, more severe weather, water shortages, rising sea levels, ecosystem stresses, loss of biodiversity, and economic impacts.
Will jellyfish take over the world?
(06/16/2009)
It could be a plot of a (bad) science-fiction film: a man-made disaster creates spawns of millions upon millions of jellyfish which rapidly take over the ocean. Humans, starving for mahi-mahi and Chilean seabass, turn to jellyfish, which becomes the new tuna (after the tuna fishery has collapsed, of course). Fish sticks become jelly-sticks, and fish-and-chips becomes jelly-and-chips. The sci-fi film could end with the ominous image of a jellyfish evolving terrestrial limbs and pulling itself onto land—readying itself for a new conquest.
Marine scientist calls for abstaining from seafood to save oceans
(06/08/2009)
In April marine scientist Jennifer Jacquet made the case on her blog Guilty Planet that people should abstain from eating seafood to help save life in the ocean. With fish populations collapsing worldwide and scientists sounding warnings that ocean ecosystems—as edible resources—have only decades left, it is perhaps surprising that Jacquet’s call to abstain from consuming seafood is a lone voice in the wilderness, but thus far few have called for seafood lovers to abstain.
|
|
