The Blue Tang Fish The Red Of The Wild And The Reef...

Is it ethical to possess and continue to capture blue tangs from the wild to meet the increased demand for blue tangs partly due to the release of Finding Dory? Melissa Whelpton, Vivian Witzke, Serena Perras Background The Paracanthurus hepatus, commonly referred to as the blue tang, hippo tang, regal tang, blue surgeonfish, and Dory. The blue tang fish made its debut on the big screen in Disney’s Finding Nemo in 2003. After Finding Nemo was released, clownfish saw a 40% increase in demand as aquarium pets (Goddard, 2016). And as you can expect blue tang species is seeing the same effects after the sequel Finding Dory. With such a demand for these beautiful fish, there is a worry that since a majority of the fish are caught in the†¦show more content†¦Currently researchers are collaborating with public zoos and aquariums to collect eggs and utilize what would otherwise be an unused resource. After five larval rearing trials were conducted, researchers have been successful in rearing larvae to 18 days post hatch which is a milestone in raising blue tangs for aquaculture (Cassiano et al., 2015). When we start looking towards using captive bred blue tangs for use in personal aqua riums we are able to decrease our dependence on the capture of wild populations. As a result stresses put on the reef such as depletion of reef resources and habitat degradation should decrease (SEAFDEC, 1999). Fish Left In The Wild When capturing fish, large adult blue tangs of breeding age and size are usually left in the wild (Adams, 2016). This is because the younger and smaller specimens are generally more desirable for aquarium pets (Adams, 2016). Since the fish that are capable of breeding are left in the wild, they are able to produce more blue tangs. This means that the source of these fish is renewable in some capacity. It is also found that where aquarium fish are captured are only a small portion of the locations where the blue tang inhabits. This means that many native blue tangs will not see the inside of an aquarium (Adams, 2016). Arguments Against: Ecosystem Disruption Most blue tangs are captured in the wild, and are taken almost exclusively from reefs in Southeast