Future of the BanggaiPterapogon kauderni

MACNA XX presentation

• Aquarium trade Threat to Pterapogon kaudneri

• Eric Borneman, Alex Vagelli, Frank Marini, Andrew Bruckner, MASNA

• http://www.njaquarium.org/PDFS/Banggai/MACNA_08.pdf

Habitat

• Found in 32 of 57 islands in Banggai Archipelago

• Potential habitat: 34 km2 out of total area of 5500 km2

•Associated with benthic invertebrates: urchins

•Carnivore, shallow water

•Lifespan 1-3 years in wild

Aquarium Collection Issues

• Trade began in 1992 locally and 1995 internationally

• Population declines– In protected pearl farm, 63 per 100m2 (now

poached)– Where collected, there remain 8 per 100m2

• 2 extinctions have occurred, perhaps more

Aquarium Collection Issues

• Mortality 25-30% post collection• 15% rejection rates• 15% mortality post export• Population decline est. 89% with fewer adults• Extinction likely within 10 years, genetic lines lost• 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species• CITES listing was declined

Death Toll

• Some individuals die after the first flight between Indonesia and Singapore, and others upon arrival to USA, Europe or Asia

• Many times entire shipments of those survivors die soon upon arrival to a wholesaler facility.

Real impact on local economy

• 60 fishers, and less than 200 people are collecting in the entire region.

• Thus, <0.1% of the Banggai region human population (app. 160,000) is dedicated to this activity, and it is typically not their sole means of livelihood.

• Cardinal fishing is not a historical or traditional or principal source of income for local people

MACNA XX Summary

• Natural populations are declining due to aquarium trade harvest

• Survival in captivity– Wild caught Banggais --very poor – Captive bred ones survive well

• Hobbyists can discourage the collection of wild caught fish – Refuse to buy wild caught– Ask for captive bred banggais

• Talk to the manager/fish buyer for the store

Commercial Captive breeding--why aren’t there more cb?

• Economics– Prices dictated by cheap wild caught prices. – Small market. Not many fish desired.

• Efficiency– Difficult to rear in large numbers– May require more water volume per broodstock

pair-expensive to rear

Proposal

• Many hobbyists keep pairs of banggais--likely breeding in our display tanks

• Anyone can raise banggais--you can too– Observe feeding and activity– Note day of first mouth brooding– Allow fry release in protected environment, or

force spitting of fry

Banggai breeding advantages

• Mated pair will breed in most large reef tanks or (nano cubes)– Mouth brooding parental care– No larval phase. Male spits out fry.– Fry eat newly hatch brine shrimp--easy first

food

Breeding issues

• Obtaining mated pair– No obvious sex differences– Use behavior based differentiation

• Holding to term

• Protection of fry--they are too yummy

Summary

• Aquarium trade may cause the demise of the Banggai cardinalfish

• We hobbyists can take effective measures to prevent this tragedy– Talk to LFS managers– Breed the fish in our tanks and raise the fry

Raising banggais

• Sell your young banggais to the LFS

• Decreases pressure on wild populations

• Every fish you produce saves many in the wild

• Your fish have much greater chance of survival in captive systems

More information

• Cathi and Bob Branham

• MOFIB: Marine Ornamental Fish and Invertebrates Breeders Association– Not for profit organization– www.marinebreeder.org– http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/

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