Ethics - a good story about Aquatic Gallery

[Thales]

I got an email from an LA wholesaler on Monday. One of their LFS customers in my area, Bao Le of Aquatic Gallery in Milpitas, was transhipped a zebra octo by accident. Bao had called to wholesaler because he didn't know anything about taking care of the octo, and the wholesaler knew that I was local to the store and put us in contact.

After discussing the needs of the animal for a few minutes on the phone, Bao decided it wasn't worth the risk to the animal to hold it in his store even for a week just to take pics and told me I should come pick it up because I had space in my ceph system. Faced with the idea of this animal on display in and LFS and therefore generating interest in keeping them, I decided to drive the hour to pick it up.

As I talked with Bao, he told me that he had contacted the wholesaler/collector and told them if they were going to continue to collect these animals, he would take his business elsewhere. He also told me that he felt the same way and didn't support the collection or sale of rays and seahorses. I actually called the store before I talked to Bao to ask about the zebra octopus and how much it was, and flatly they told me it wasn't for sale which tells me he was serious about this from the get go.

Bao also refused to take any money for the octo, even when I told him I would be happy to pay, and that I would be totally comfortable paying the landed cost. He was just interested in getting the best home for the animal as quickly as possible.

So, even though I didn't want another one, I now have a very adult, female wunderpus in Fontenelles old digs. She has already eaten and taken up residence behind the hang on tank overflow...seems oddly familiar.

It seems that in the anything for a buck marine ornamental industry there are indeed a few people who are trying to do the right thing. Gold stars all around in my book, so if you are in the Bay Area, please check out and support www.aquatic-gallery.com .


If you are interested in octopus, please do your research first, both on 'appropriate' species and on their specific needs. Check out www.wunderpus.net for wunderpus info, http://www.stickycricket.com/cuttle/considerations for things to think about before buying a ceph, or www.tonmo.com for general ceph info.

And, because this posting is about wunderpus, the quick wunderpus FAQ:
The size of Wunderpus photogenicus populations in the wild is unknown, and it is unclear what effect their collection will have on those populations. Little is known about what they need to survive in the wild, and even less is known about what they need to live well in the aquarium. After much wrestling with this issue, I urge even experienced ceph-keepers to think long and hard before bringing one into the home aquarium. Many cephalopod enthusiasts feel that the wunderpus shouldn’t even be collected for the trade at least until more scientific research has been done on the species. I agree with this sentiment, and it is my hope that those who are interested in these animals do not rush out to buy them and do everything they can to ensure that their wild populations are protected.