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Cichlids an invasive species? Who knew?

I want to know when cichlids became a species ?
 
OldFishKeeper said:
I cannot understand the mentality of some people. Releasing any non-native thing into the wild is not humane, it is a recipe for disaster. This can result in an ecological threat and and invitation for authorities to restrict importations of any kind.

I wish people would think of the potential results of their actions.

In recent years, there have been reports of an alligator in a San Francisco park and a piranha in a lake in Marin County, CA.
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You do not exactly understand how the unwanted species got there. During several hurricanes, Andrew for one, several snake museums and fish museums were torn apart and , some, not all of the unwanted species were released into the wild by the storms. Granted some were released by people who no longer wanted their pet and felt it best to release them, rather than flush them.
 
JohnnyReb said:
You do not exactly understand how the unwanted species got there. During several hurricanes, Andrew for one, several snake museums and fish museums were torn apart and , some, not all of the unwanted species were released into the wild by the storms. Granted some were released by people who no longer wanted their pet and felt it best to release them, rather than flush them.
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Genetic studies have shown that Burmese pythons were well established in Florida prior to hurricane Andrew. It’s the same old story- the irresponsible few ruin it for everyone else.
 
It’s astounding that, despite all of the publicity surrounding invasive species, people still think releasing non native animals is the best solution when they have lost interest in them. I regularly see people online talking about releasing red eared sliders and bull frogs that they no longer want.
In southwestern Minnesota, there is a city park with a large pond that I visit every couple of years. It used to have a thriving population of native leopard frogs. I visited over the summer. I saw very few leopard frogs- but hundreds of non native bullfrogs (which eat smaller species of frogs). I’m guessing someone bought some bullfrog tadpoles, and thought releasing them was a good idea.
RIP Leopard frogs.
 
Herpin Man said:
Genetic studies have shown that Burmese pythons were well established in Florida prior to hurricane Andrew. It’s the same old story- the irresponsible few ruin it for everyone else.
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That is true but not the 1000% increase that occurred 10 years after Andrew.
 
OldFishKeeper said:
I know that Ontario has more extreme temps but, it was common for goldfish to survive winters under ice in Vancouver, BC.
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Oh the goldfish are here and thriving. Breeding too, that's how I got my first goldfish--caught as a fry when I was netting tadpoles out of the river with my kid 🤣


The winter thing was directed at the *African cichlids* caught in a local reservoir here in my city!
 
anewbie said:
I want to know when cichlids became a species ?
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Around the same time fry became frys.

It's a typo.

A lot of creatures got loose with the big hurricanes. But they got loose from hobby installations.

If you knew how many hobbyists on forums and elsewhere have said they can release their fish when they get too big - it's depressing. The tank buster hobby is cool if people start with huge tanks for huge fish. I don't understand why common plecos, red tailed cats, oscars, etc aren't special order fish. They shouldn't be in regular stores as babies. We've seen progress, as I was in a US chain store 20 years back and heard a clerk enthusiastically suggesting pacus as ideal for a ten gallon. You used to see those potential turkey sized fish in every chain store - now you don't. But the people who do the ordering for the large corporate importers are the invisible hand of the market, and their choices are disastrous for the environment. Short term profit always comes first.

Meanwhile, too many people think all fish are just fish, and think wild release is an act of kindness. They don't understand basic fish evolution, distribution and biodiversity, and how they work. It isn't just fish - birds, reptiles, insects and even garden plants are affected.
 
gwand said:
Terrible. You should capture as many as possible and either give them to a lfs or euthanize them.
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This is one of those instances where highly unusual environmental factors make their survival possible . If the water were colder a half dozen trout would wipe them out before they succumbed to the cold . One well placed earthquake will remedy the situation by diverting the thermal flow .
 
CassCats said:
Oh the goldfish are here and thriving. Breeding too, that's how I got my first goldfish--caught as a fry when I was netting tadpoles out of the river with my kid 🤣


The winter thing was directed at the *African cichlids* caught in a local reservoir here in my city!
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Here in Texas we use Goldfish for bait and many are released. They are carp like Koi and are easy to establish, as long as Mr. Bass does nor eat them and 20 other predators.
 
JohnnyReb said:
Here in Texas we use Goldfish for bait and many are released. They are carp like Koi and are easy to establish, as long as Mr. Bass does nor eat them and 20 other predators.
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Here they outcompete bass in some localities and eat their eggs! And eat the plants that native fish need to spawn. They are a problem here
 
CassCats said:
Here they outcompete bass in some localities and eat their eggs! And eat the plants that native fish need to spawn. They are a problem here
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If that is the case, and I believe you, they should be ashamed to be in the Bass Family.
 
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