How do you make a puffer fish puff?

[esmithiii]

IMO the person whe decries puffer pinching is likely to be the person who will care most about the reef and it's inhabitants once they are informed of the reality of our hobby. Steve (and you) are right, our priorities are screwed up. Maybe this thread can push at least one person to get their priorites straight.

Although I agree with the other parts of your post (as to the importance of learning more, open discussion of ethics, etc) I disagree with the last paragraph. I don't drcry puffer-pinching, and yet I think that I am outspoken about caring for the reef and it's inhabitants. I think, in most cases, the people who (de)cried the most about puffer-pinchin (with a few notable exceptions) are not necessarily the most informed. People (like PETA) who get so emotional and vocal about "caring about mistreatment of animals" distract people from the real issues. The fervor they have and the language that they use when chastising people for silly things (like puffer-pinching) makes them seem petty, and not credible. Their time would be better spent learning about real issues that face this hobby, as well as the health of the reefs.

Ernie

 

[Expos Forever]

I understand your point Ernie.

My point was that someone who "cares" so much for one fish should be inclined to care for the reef and the people of P/I and the rest of the issues facing our hobby.

 

[esmithiii]

I understand your point Ernie.

My point was that someone who "cares" so much for one fish should be inclined to care for the reef and the people of P/I and the rest of the issues facing our hobby.

I agree with that point.

Ernie

 

[Anonymous]

I understand your point Ernie.

My point was that someone who "cares" so much for one fish should be inclined to care for the reef and the people of P/I and the rest of the issues facing our hobby.

'Should' being the operative word, and while I agree with the above, I think it is often not the case.
Many people are only able to deal with what is right in front of them, rather than follow the causal chain to the beginning. Most people love to eat chicken, find factory farming to be horrible, and somehow they convince themselves the link between the two doesn't exist.
I think most people in this hobby haven't bothered (either by design or accident) to think about anything further than what is in their tank, or possibly how the LFS treats its stock. The idea that for every fish they have in their tank, at least 20 had to die is such a distasteful thought, that it often doesn't even come up. We can deal with what is right in front of us because it seems like we have some control in that regard, while collection practices that are going on halfway around the world seem completely out of our control.

So what is the point of this rant ? What can the average hobbiest do to help? It seems like very little. Industry people seem to be at odds with each other, and it is difficult to side with one when the other makes such good points. And, since I don't deal in the wholesale, all I can do is hope my LFS isn't lying to me about where something came from and hope my asking them to buy 'responsibly' has some effect. Other than that, what else can the average hobbiest actually do?

Sorry for the long blah blah blah, but I am not feeling all that positive today.

RR

 

[clarionreef]

RR.
You are very on target.
We are far removed on this end and people see just this side of it.
Its like a delectable shrimp dinner...Look at shrimp...ahh, jumbo breaded coconut battered shrimp. Thats an image on the consumer end.
I have a collection station in Mexico where shrimpers would drag their heavy chain trawl nets over the bottom nite after nite...killing more in an hour than most importers in ten years!
People are so NOT CONNECTED to the process that brings them their big shrimp and little puffers.
But now, with the internet and the industry postings, with the Discovery channel etc. people are in fact getting closer.
I must confess;
I am jealous of how much interest and people power you represent here!
20 PAGES AND 6,125 POSTINGS IN WHAT...12 DAYS?
YOU HAVE STOMPED THE TOTAL VIEWINGS IN THE TOP 20 INDUSTRY THREADS in the same timespan!
You guys have a lot more power than you think!
Steve

 

[dizzy]

First you don't want us to touch our puffers. Now you want to make us feel guilty about eating shrimp and chicken. Next you will want us give up our SUVs. After that we will have to turn our aircon settings up to 80 degrees. You guys are not much fun to hang out with. At least I throw my beer bottles in the recycle box. 8)

 

[esmithiii]

First you don't want us to touch our puffers. Now you want to make us feel guilty about eating shrimp and chicken. Next you will want us give up our SUVs. After that we will have to turn our aircon settings up to 80 degrees. You guys are not much fun to hang out with. At least I throw my beer bottles in the recycle box. 8)

LMAOROTF!

Well put.

Ernie

 

[Anonymous]

You also shouldn't drink beer, and 'recycling' the bottles is just a feel good action that doesn't really help the enviornment. :wink:

 

[Reef_Monkey]

Here's some pics for all you members...thanks for the help!

 

[R33f_$hark]

Sweet pics dude. That tank looks familiar.....maybe cuz I helped set it up. :lol: :lol: I kill me. Nice scorpin though. You should use him to pinch your puffer to get him to blow up. 8O JUST KIDDING. :?

Lisa looking at a card from Ralph.
[Lisa] "Look in the tunk. He must me trunk."

:lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Mitch, is this the biter?

 

[dizzy]

Grsh,
That looks like the rascal. I also had one that would attack his tankmates. They look like a muppet, act like a monster. Gremlin fish. Good algae eater though.

ReefMonkey,
If you lightly pinch your scorpion's tail from behind just below the stinger you can handle it and it can't sting you. Let us know how it goes. Also if you take the slack out of the drain lines going to your wet/dry filter it will drain better and be quieter.

 

[Anonymous]

Damn! That sweet looking thing put you in that kinda world of hurt??? I've been nailed by many things as well (including a green Mojave rattler, but that's another story), but NEVER by a cute wittle blenny.. 8O

 

[Reef_Monkey]

I thought about taking out all the slack...I know there's a lot, I just haven't gotten' around to it.

And from what I understand, I don't think the scorpin would sting me unless really threathened anyways, but it will get me with those pinchers.
I don't know, I' m gonna wait till he's a little bigger.

 

[Reef_Monkey]

Well this thread looks like it is winding down...I just wanted to thank eveyone who was invloved in this. I learned a lot.
Thanks :!: :!: :!:

 

[clarionreef]

Thats it then,
The puffer piece is dead. It passed away due to a creeping parylysis of over analysis...6,400 views in 12 days...
Steve

 

[dizzy]

Steve,
It ain't dead yet. I was watching Wild Explorer on MSNBC last night. Anyone see it? Anyway it was showing the fish of the African Coast and the mangrove areas. To shorten the story it showed how this pack of porcupine puffers picked at peaceful snails that live there. Then it showed how groupers tried to eat the porcupine puffers. The grouper would come up and grab one of the puffers in their mouth like it had a good meal, and then poof the puffer would puff up and the grouper would spit out the pickly mouthful. The puffer would then swim off like nothing had happened. They seemed perfectly adapted to handle the whole ordeal in stride. I hope I'm not the only one who watches nature shows on the telly.

 

[Reef_Monkey]

I SAW THAT!!! That was great!! I really educated me on the whole puffer idea and how it (as you said) didn't look like it effected it in the least bit. That was veryinformative for me...especially with this thread.

 

[R33f_$hark]

So I guess that this Wild Explorer documentary is evidence for the side that puffing is a natural thing for the fish to do. True it may cause some stress to the fish, but hell, so does me going to work. I would say that causing it to puff would be ok just so long as it is not a reoccuring thing.

 

[John_Brandt]

BUMP

The greatest thread in the history of Reefs.org just got dredged up from the abyss.