Original seafood knows the species calendar
This beautiful hard-boned tongue fish in the picture has a well-known common name-Arowana. Artificially improved, it looks gorgeous and resembles the legendary dragon, so it is regarded as a feng shui fish and a lucky fish by many people. In the aquarium market, arowana is very popular, and the price of good appearance is even tens of millions.
Scleropages formosus | karelj/wikimediacommons
However, overfishing has endangered the beautiful wild hard-boned tongue fish. In the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), it is listed in Appendix I-which means that international trade in beautiful hard-boned tongue fish is prohibited unless there is special necessity. According to CITES appendix, our country also approved its wild population as a national key second-class protected animal.
So, can this kind of fish still be bought and kept? What about other animals that are common in the aquarium market?
How do you know if these fish can be raised?
In recent years, with more and more attention paid to environmental protection, many aquatic species traditionally cultivated in ornamental circles have been continuously listed in the protection list. To know which fish can be bought and sold and which fish need to be licensed, we must first determine their position in the animal list of our country.
At present, in China, the main basis for judging the level of animal protection is the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals. At the same time, the Fisheries and Fishery Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has formulated a list of aquatic species protection according to the CITES appendix (full name: List of Aquatic Animals Approved as National Key Protected Wild Animals in the Appendix of CITES). In addition, there is the national "List of Three Animals" (full name "List of Terrestrial Wild Animals Beneficial to National Protection or of Important Economic and Scientific Research Value") and the list of protected animals issued by various localities in their respective jurisdictions.
The List of National Key Wildlife Protected Animals is based on the current situation of wildlife resources in China, focusing on native species in China. The list of aquatic species protection is a reference list based on the degree and level of protection of various important wild animals in the world and further combined with the current situation in China.
Red arowana also belongs to the beautiful hard-boned tongue fish | Marcel Burkhard/Wikimedia Commons.
For example, the beautiful hard-boned tongue fish mentioned above did not appear in China’s wild protection list, but appeared in the protection list approved by CITES appendix, and it was approved as a first-class protected animal in China according to CITES, and the protected object was stipulated as a wild population. In other words, the arowana from the wild is to protect wild animals, but the artificial breeding is not to protect wild animals.
After the arowana was developed as an ornamental fish, varieties such as Golden Dragon with Back and Red Dragon were derived, all of which belonged to arowana. In addition, it is also approved as a protected animal (Grade II) and its close relative, Leptospira striata (wild population only). Fortunately, the arowana raised or sold today are basically artificial populations, and we usually don’t buy arowana from wild sources.
Scleropages inscriptus is also called "Totem Arowana | Kamphol Udomritthiruj/seriouslyfish.com.
Besides Arowana, what other common aquarium creatures are famous on the list? What kind of control do they need respectively?
These fish only protect wild populations.
white cloud mountain minnow
Baiyun Jinsi is also called "Tang Fish". This kind of omnivorous fish, which originated from mountain streams in southern China, is not only bright in color and grain, but also resistant to low temperature, with good skin and low price. It is an entry-level ornamental fish for countless aquarium lovers. Baiyun gold silk has a black and silver belt running through the body, which is very beautiful with the red and yellow blocks of caudal fin and ventral fin. After years of artificial cultivation efforts, there are albino and long-fin varieties of Baiyun Gold Wire, also known as "Huanghua Baiyun Gold Wire" and "Dafan Baiyun Gold Wire".
Tanichthys albo nubes | sannse/wikimedia commons
However, due to habitat loss and other problems, the population of this cheap small fish in the wild has dropped sharply. At present, the wild white gold silk is rated as a critically endangered species by the Red List of Biodiversity in China, and its wild population is also listed as a second-class protected animal by the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals.
mullet
The freshwater mullet, also known as "Smooth sailing", was once a very common edible fish in the Yangtze River system in China. Adult mullet has a towering dorsal fin and sexy thick lips. The juvenile mullet has black and white stripes all over its body, but it turns into a ribbon running through its body in adulthood-the female adult mullet has an indistinct black ribbon, and the male ribbon turns into a crimson color, which runs through the fish’s head, making it as beautiful as rouge, hence the name.
Myxocyprinus asiaticus | Chinese academy of fishery sciences
Myxocyprinus asiaticus has a long life, and its adult body can grow to nearly 1 meter. Most of the fish raised in the ornamental fish industry are fry. The juvenile Myxocyprinus asiaticus is cute and brightly colored, and it belongs to cold-water fish without heating, which has been favored by many original fish lovers. In recent years, thanks to the breakthrough and continuous expansion of artificial breeding, more and more artificial second-generation mullet have entered the ornamental fish market at a lower price and also entered the edible fish market.
However, in recent years, due to the environmental damage and overfishing in the Yangtze River basin, the wild mullet resources have dropped sharply. In the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals, the wild population of Myxocyprinus asiaticus is listed as a second-class protected animal.
These fish, artificial and wild populations are protected.
Giant bone tongue fish
Giant bone tongue fish, alias "elephant fish", has existed on the earth since more than 100 million years ago. The adult giant tongue fish can be more than 2.5 meters in size, and the historical record can be more than 4 meters long. Even piranhas dare not provoke it easily. The giant tongue fish has super-strong scales, and its brute force is huge. It has a strong impact force and can even easily smash human bones.
Arapaima gigas | Citron/Wikimedia Commons
The giant bone tongue fish is an adult domineering fish, which can’t be kept in the ordinary aquarium, but its seedling is a favorite of many aquarium lovers. Even if it is fry, giant bone tongue fish also has a domineering swimming posture, which is shocking to eat; With the growth, the second half of the body will gradually appear red patches, and the whole body will show a light olive green metallic luster.
However, gigantosaurus belongs to Appendix II of CITES, and China has also approved it as a second-class protected animal according to CITES, and it does not distinguish between wild and artificial populations. Therefore, the artificial breeding and sale of giant bone tongue fish are treated according to the breeding and management of animals protected by the state.
Primitive sucking loach with thick lips
The thick-lipped primitive sucking loach, which originated from the mountain stream of Dayaoshan in Guangxi Province, China, has black and white markings on its larvae, which are similar to those of giant pandas and are also called "panda loach". It is popular among many people in the aquarium industry. It is not only cute, but also eats algae on rocks or heavy trees, and can also become a tool fish in a fish tank. However, raising panda loach needs to simulate an environmental model similar to its origin, so as to ensure that the dissolved oxygen in the water is high and the water temperature should not exceed 24℃.
Larvae of Protomyzon pachychilus | Stansung/seriouslyfish.com
The number of panda loaches in the country of origin is already small. Coupled with the influence of illegal mining and environmental pollution in the country of origin, wild panda loaches are very rare at present. It is included in the Red Book of Endangered Animals in China and listed as a second-class protected animal in the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals, and it does not distinguish between artificial and wild populations. Therefore, those who breed and sell panda loach artificially should also apply for the corresponding breeding license or approval for operation and utilization.
There are other aspects to consider.
In addition to the common species of ornamental fish introduced above, there are many species of freshwater ornamental aquatic animals listed in the protection list, including all species of salamander such as filament, Australian lungfish, pig-nosed turtle, oriental salamander, Mexican blunt-mouthed salamander (nicknamed "hexagonal dinosaur", only for wild population) and yellow-headed side-necked turtle (nicknamed
Yes, this dozen-piece pet (Mexican salamander) is almost extinct in the wild. Poke the picture to learn more | ｜Pixabay
In the seawater viewing circle, among all kinds of colorful and beautiful corals that everyone likes to raise, all species of Lithocarpus, Anthraconaceae and Amaranthaceae are also listed as protected animals in China; All species, sea turtles, seahorses, etc. of the family Lepididae belong to the protected animals stipulated by China. When you buy these marine creatures, don’t start at the sight of them. You must do your homework before you buy them.
Tubipora mica | fré dé ric du carme/wikimedia commons
In addition to whether species can be cultured, people who love to cultivate and watch aquarium creatures should also remember that it is also an important issue to properly dispose of these small creatures if they don’t want to raise them one day.
Many cultured aquatic animals are highly competitive in China’s natural waters and lack natural enemies. If they are released rashly, they will cause damage to the local ecological environment. Common species that can never be released into the natural environment include: snapping turtles, leopard-print catfish (scavengers), Procambarus clarkii (crayfish), red-tailed catfish (red-tailed cats), and finches (ghost rockets). In addition, some species, as exotic species, are likely to die due to the difference between the new environment and the origin after release. Therefore, the most sensible way is to know the origin of the species you breed, and then deal with it with the advice of professionals.
Pterygoplichthys pardalis, commonly known as "scavenger", has formed a wild population in some areas of southern China due to improper release | Ildar Sagdejev/Wikimedia Commons.
In addition, there are many ornamental aquarium creatures that have not been listed as endangered wild animals by international trade conventions or protected by legislation in China, but due to the strong demand of aquarium players, the origin of these species has been overfished. This includes many native ornamental fish in Yunnan-Guizhou region of China, many traditional ornamental fish in South America in Brazil and surrounding areas, and some freshwater fish in Southeast Asia. Many of these fish have not been artificially bred, and blind pursuit of breeding will only lead to further degradation of wild resources in their origin, so it is more appropriate to stop properly.
In the future, certification and compliance breeding will become the mainstream trend. If it is impossible to achieve legal compliance for the time being, it is also wise to give up feeding. Blind breeding of wild animal species that have been included in the protection and restriction of breeding is not only not conducive to the conservation of resources, but even brings illegal risks to itself.
summary
Generally speaking, at present, for all kinds of protected aquatic animals listed in the list, the corresponding management means and feeding requirements are mainly divided into the following situations (swipe left to view):
Alien species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) but not listed in the List of National Key Wild Protected Animals, and marked as "suspended execution" in the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals approved by aquatic animal species in the appendix of CITES:
As long as there is a legal source certificate, it can be raised, and it is not regarded as a national key protected wild animal. The buyer and the seller do not need to apply for artificial breeding license or approval for operation and utilization (if a separate management policy has been formulated in accordance with the requirements of CITES Convention, it shall be implemented in accordance with relevant management policies). But remember, alien species should not be released and discarded at will, which may cause species invasion and endanger the local ecological environment.
Species marked as protected objects in the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals and the List of Aquatic Animals Approved as National Key Protected Wild Animals in CITES Appendix, but the protected objects are only wild populations whose artificially bred populations are not protected by the state:
Wild populations are protected according to key wild animals; For artificially bred populations, buyers and sellers need to apply for an artificial breeding license when raising them, and if they buy and sell them for the second time, they also need to apply for approval for operation and utilization. However, many animals of this kind have been artificially bred and their circulation is very common. Therefore, in the future, the country may simplify the management requirements for such animals by means of pilot artificial identification management.
Species clearly marked as protected animals in the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals and the List of Aquatic Animal Species Approved as National Key Protected Wild Animals in the Appendix of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) without distinguishing between wild and artificial populations:
Both the wild and artificial populations are managed according to the key wild protected animals. If the above species are artificially bred and sold, the corresponding breeding license or approval for operation and utilization shall be handled; For the buyer, it is also necessary to apply for a breeding license before it can be legally raised.
For the species listed in the three-name list and the key protected wild animals within the jurisdiction designated by various places, they shall be implemented according to the corresponding laws and regulations;
In many places, it is stipulated that it is still necessary to apply for the License for Artificial Breeding of Wild Animals under Non-national Key Protection (Sanyou). In addition, the species listed in the wild cannot be caught at will, and a large number of catches may involve violating the criminal law;
Animals listed in the Catalogue of Genetic Resources of Livestock and Poultry shall be managed according to the provisions of the Animal Husbandry Law and not according to the protection of animals.
Author: seafood knows
Original title: "Arowana and hexagonal dinosaurs, which are common in the aquarium market, are actually protected animals? 》
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