Are These in Captivity? #2

Why have there not been/been more attempts at the Coelacanth? Is it something like their deep sea and pelagic behavior that prevents so many fish from being kept in captivity?
 
Why have there not been/been more attempts at the Coelacanth? Is it something like their deep sea and pelagic behavior that prevents so many fish from being kept in captivity?

Well what would be the point in this ?

This is an animal which rarely survives being caught and brought to the surface and it has only been kept alive in captivity for almost a day only.

For conservation ?

The conservation of this species is dependent on policy changes on fishing practices and marine ecosystem conservation so very little could be done in terms of ex-situ.

For curiosity ?

There are enough coelacanth specimens in natural history museums around the world for people to see and there is footage of the species in the wild too.
 
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Why have there not been/been more attempts at the Coelacanth? Is it something like their deep sea and pelagic behavior that prevents so many fish from being kept in captivity?

The species is rarely brought up alive in the first place, and as far as we know is fairly uncommon. Trying to even get one above the surface successfully would inevitably result in a lot of casualties. Their habitat is difficult to replicate properly, especially for an animal the size of a coelacanth. The aquariums that have kept deepwater animals successfully are well out of their range, meaning extra risk of prolonged transport. Not to mention we know next to nothing of their life habits.

It's just not worth the amount of coelacanths that would die when trying to get even one on display.
 
Well what would be the point in this ? This is an animal which rarely survives being caught and brought to the surface and it has only been kept alive in captivity for almost a day only.

For conservation ? The conservation of this species is dependent on policy changes on fishing practices and marine ecosystem conservation so very little could be done in terms of ex-situ.

For curiosity ? There are enough coelacanth specimens in natural history museums around the world for people to see and there is footage of the species in the wild too.
The species is rarely brought up alive in the first place, and as far as we know is fairly uncommon. Trying to even get one above the surface successfully would inevitably result in a lot of casualties. Their habitat is difficult to replicate properly, especially for an animal the size of a coelacanth. The aquariums that have kept deepwater animals successfully are well out of their range, meaning extra risk of prolonged transport. Not to mention we know next to nothing of their life habits.

It's just not worth the amount of coelacanths that would die when trying to get even one on display.
So they are basically just another deep sea fish that is off limits and totally impractical for the foreseeable future? I should've guessed :rolleyes:
 
The octopus is indeed around in private hands, and it wouldn't surprise me if the snail and anglerfish are too. The sea krait was in captivity in Europe until recent years, but is no longer kept in public collections - no idea if it is in private hands too.

The brush-tailed bettong is in a fair few European collections.
The brush-tailed bettong is pretty common in American collections too. It is managed by the AZA.
 
I can't imagine this hasn't been asked, but whats the status of nautili in captivity? Are they kept anywhere other than Monterey? Europe? How did those young in Monterey fare? How about the other nautilus species?
 
I can't imagine this hasn't been asked, but whats the status of nautili in captivity? Are they kept anywhere other than Monterey? Europe? How did those young in Monterey fare? How about the other nautilus species?
Looking through the gallery, quite a lot of institutions have them worldwide. As far as I can tell only chambered nautilus is kept, but I'd love to be wrong.
(Search Results for Query: nautilus - ZooChat)
 
This is an animal which rarely survives being caught and brought to the surface and it has only been kept alive in captivity for almost a day only.

Wait what? Where?

You mean the one that survived for a day ?

I think it was in the Comorros and footage was obtained of this animal.

Honestly can't remember but there will be info somewhere online about it.
The book "Old Four Legs: The Story of the Coelacanth" (J. L. B. Smith) records that the eighth coelacanth specimen to be obtained was caught on 12th November 1954 and towed alive to the shore. The coelacanth was then confined to a sunken boat by covering the top of boat with a net to prevent the fish from escaping. This coelacanth was kept alive for nearly twenty hours.

Possibly this is the specimen referred to above that had "been kept alive in captivity for almost a day only".
 
The book "Old Four Legs: The Story of the Coelacanth" (J. L. B. Smith) records that the eighth coelacanth specimen to be obtained was caught on 12th November 1954 and towed alive to the shore. The coelacanth was then confined to a sunken boat by covering the top of boat with a net to prevent the fish from escaping. This coelacanth was kept alive for nearly twenty hours.

Possibly this is the specimen referred to above that had "been kept alive in captivity for almost a day only".

Thanks for sharing Tim !

I think the event I was referring to happened much later and that the fish had been brought to an inflatable swimming pool that had been filled with seawater.

The event was filmed by video camera and footage obtained, not sure but could have been during the 70's or 80's.

I read about it in a popular science book about these fish called "A fish caught in time: the search for the coelacanth" by Samantha Weinberg.

I may have got it wrong though as I read the book quite some time ago.
 
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