Seafan
10/17/2001, 11:33 AM
I have done a lot of searching for information about the life span of marine animals in captivity, and couldn’t find any such data. This question of life span often comes up on the forum, so I assume it is also of interest to other hobbyists. Through personal communications I learned that other folks have searched libraries and other resources and failed to find such information also. So I got thinking – why don’t we start our own online record book on the life span of the marine aquarium animals?! I believe most marine animals could and should be able to live a long life in our homes with good care and plenty of food, without predation, if we fully understand their needs. A record of life span could show what could be achieved, what our aims should be, and let beginners know that a fish or coral dying after a few weeks, a few months or even a few years is not natural.
Here is what I propose to do –
Let’s set up a new forum, called it “Life Span Records� or something like that. Anybody who has kept a fish, coral or other inverts for more than 2 years (just a number to get it started, let me know if you think it should be longer or shorter) could start a thread (if nobody else has already done so on the same species) in the new forum, with a title in the format (to make it easy to search alphabetically)
Fish Life Span – Scientific name (Common Name)
Coral Life Span – Scientific name (Common Name)
(and Crustacean, Mollusk, Echinoderm etc)
And put the following information in the thread:
date acquired and current status (date if the animal is no longer with you)
initial size
maximum size reached in captivity
picture(s) if possible
the name of the owner (it doesn’t have to be the member him/herself, as long as the information is reliable, accurate, and can be verified by the member)
a contact email address if the owner is not a RC member
any other related information you’d like to volunteer
And I could put together the above information on different species on the web. Later anybody who has a longer record of the same species could post to that thread, and the record would be updated. I know we can’t verify the claims to make it really official, but I think we could trust and rely on a reefer’s honor. This could be the first record book of its kind! And if we really get this going, it may become THE record book!
Folks, let’s hear what you think about this idea!
Thanks.
Here is what I propose to do –
Let’s set up a new forum, called it “Life Span Records� or something like that. Anybody who has kept a fish, coral or other inverts for more than 2 years (just a number to get it started, let me know if you think it should be longer or shorter) could start a thread (if nobody else has already done so on the same species) in the new forum, with a title in the format (to make it easy to search alphabetically)
Fish Life Span – Scientific name (Common Name)
Coral Life Span – Scientific name (Common Name)
(and Crustacean, Mollusk, Echinoderm etc)
And put the following information in the thread:
date acquired and current status (date if the animal is no longer with you)
initial size
maximum size reached in captivity
picture(s) if possible
the name of the owner (it doesn’t have to be the member him/herself, as long as the information is reliable, accurate, and can be verified by the member)
a contact email address if the owner is not a RC member
any other related information you’d like to volunteer
And I could put together the above information on different species on the web. Later anybody who has a longer record of the same species could post to that thread, and the record would be updated. I know we can’t verify the claims to make it really official, but I think we could trust and rely on a reefer’s honor. This could be the first record book of its kind! And if we really get this going, it may become THE record book!
Folks, let’s hear what you think about this idea!
Thanks.