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Fishchick

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Armchair research by someone....

Out of curiosity I went through the AQIS ICON database list

Import case details - public listing Freshwater Fish (other than Salmonidae) - Live

(ie the allowable import list)

to see what impact the Biosecurity Iridovirus testing would have on imports.

If the ruling was enacted today (effectively prohibiting the import of the listed fish) this is what you the hobbyist, and the aquarium industry, would lose:

Aequidens maronii - Keyhole Cichlid

Aequidens pulcher - Blue Acara Cichlid

Apistogramma spp - Dwarf Cichlid = approx 77 species and more to be discovered and officially identified

Astronotuso cellatus - Oscar Cichlid - several known variants

Aulonocara spp - African Peacock Cichlid = approx 26 species, possibly more to be discovered

Betta spp - Fighting fish = approximately 73 species and more to be discovered and officially identified

Chalinochromis spp - Bridle Cichlid = 2 known species

Chilotilapia rhoadesii - Rhoadesii Cichlid

Cichlasoma nicaraguense - Parrot Cichlid

Colisa chuna - Honey Dwarf Gourami

Colisa fasciata - Giant Dwarf Gourami

Colisa labiosa - Thick-lipped Gourami

Colisa lalia - Dwarf Gourami

Crenicara filamentosa - Checkerboard Lyretail Cichlid

Crenicara maculate - Checkerboard Cichlid

Cyathopharnx furcifer - Threadfin Furcifer Cichlid

Cyphotilapia frontosa - Frontosa Cichlid (including all known variants)

Cyprichromis leptosoma - Cyprichromis Cichlid (including all known variants)

Cyrtocaara moorii - Blue Dolphin Cichlid

Eretmodus cyanosticts - Dwarf Goby Cichlid

Eretmodus maculatus - Tanganyikan Clown Cichlid

Gnathochromis permaxillaris - Cichlid

Helostoma rudolfi - Pink Kissing Gourami

Helostoma temminckii - Green Kissing Gourami

Iodotrophgeys sprengerae - Rusty Cichlid

Julidochromis spp - Julie Cichlid = 9 species

Laetacara curviceps - Curviceps Cichlid

Laetacara dorsigerus - Cichlid

Macropodus opercularis - Paradise Fish

Melanochromis auratus - Auratus Cichlid

Melanochromis simulans - Cichlid

Mesonauta festivus - Festivum or Flag Cichlid

Nannacara anomala - Golden Dwarf Cichlid

Nannacara aureocephalus - Golden Head Cichlid

Nannacara taenia - Dwarf Lattice Cichlid

Neolamprologus brichardii - Princess Cichlid

Neolamprologus cylindricus - Cylindricus Cichlid

Neolamprologus leleupi - Lemon Cichlid

Neolamprologus meeli - Cichlid

Neolamprologus mustax - Cichlid

Neolamprologus ocellatus - Shell Dweller Cichlid - many colour variants

Ophthalmotilapia spp - Threadfin Cichlids = 6 known/recognised species

Papiliochromis altispinosa - Bolivian Butterfly Cichlid

Papiliochromis ramirezzii - Ram Cichlid

Parosphromenus deissneri - Licorice Gourami

Pelvicachromis pulcher - Krib Cichlid

Pelvicachromis subocellatus - Cichlid

Pelvicachromis taeniatus - Cichlid - many variants

Petrochromis trewavasae - Petrochromis Cichlid

Poecilia latipinna - Sailfin Mollie

Poecilia reticulata - Guppy

Poecilia sphenops - Mollie

Poecilia velifera - Sailfin Mollie

Pterophyllum spp. - Angelfish Cichlid - 5 known species

Spatgodus erythrodon - Spotted Goby Cichlid

Sphaerichthys osphronemoides - Chocolate Gourami

Symphysodon spp. - Discus Cichlid = 2 recognised species, many variants

Tanganicodus irsacae - Goby Cichlid

Trichogaster leeri - Pearl Gourami

Trichogaster microlepis - Moonlight Gourami

Trichogaster trichopterus - Golden Gourami

Trichopsis pumilus - Gourami

Trichopsis vittatus - Croaking Gourami

Tropheus spp. - Tropheus Cichlid = 6 recognised species

Total number of species/genus (line items) on the allowable import list = 225

Number of species potentially affected by Biosecurity = 55. Number of Genus = 9. Total line items = 64 (28%)

Number of species included in the 9 genus = 206 (approx)

I deliberately placed the word "Cichlid" in the common name of all Cichlid species to highlight the impact on this particular group. It occurred to me that most, if not all, Cichlid groups, forums and interest groups are sitting on their butts when they should be the most vocal!

The inclusion of all gourami species needs to be clarified. However, if they can lump Bettas in with gouramis because they have a labyrinth organ, I figure all gourami species will be included.

There is also some confusion on whether or not it is only guppies that will be tested, or all poecilia, or all livebearers (which will encompass platies and swords, not listed above)

The common names are a combination of what is on the list and my own knowledge. Some need to be updated.

Spelling of scientific names is as per the list (unless there is a typo)

Information Source:

Allowable import list - http://www.aqis.gov.au/icon32/asp/ex_casecontent.asp?intNodeId=8872757&intCommodityId=6114&Types=none&WhichQuery=Go+to+full+text&intSearch=1&LogSessionID=0

www.fishbase.org was consulted to determine the number of valid species in each genus.

Best regards, someone (LFS)

This post may be copied to any other forum provided it is done so in its ENTIRETY, that I remain the author, and doing so does not breech the copyright of this forum

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Edited by Fishchick
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Devastating Impact is about as under-stated as it gets.

someone, We're all about to be affected by this; and obviously some have more to loose than others, but the big picture is the suffering of the entire hobbyist community when diversity just isn't available.

When are these proposed tests coming into effect? (The previous thread's discussion petered out toward the end of last year...)

Needless to say, if there is anything we can do by way of actively protesting this please let us know.

-Ness

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What exactly is the reasoning behind all of these bans?

They're not exactly bans, these are the fish they will "test for iridovirus" on arrival to the country, which basically means putting a significant % of each imported batch of fish in a blender to test for a virus that's already present in Australian waterways. And if it's present the remainder of the fish in that batch will be destroyed. And all this is done at the expense of the importer (this includes aquabid fish that hobbyists bring in, the hobbyist being the importer).

:censor:

Do a forum search for "iridovirus" or "batch testing". I have just bumped a couple of threads.

This is what the petition in the big box on the main forum page is about.

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I realy find it hard to understand the logic of this testing unless it was for fish going to area where the virus isnt present aaaand if thats the case then interstate transport of fish would be affected. If this is to protect aquaculture then I cant see that we can do much harm with the hobbie trad have you seen some of the security at the aqua farms it like argile huge I tell ya but polys wont listen untill ther is a big enough outcry get your local MPs involved if enough people bring it to there attention they will at least be aware that some of there posible votes could be gained or lost it might work

Cheers

Les

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well iv started to inform a few guys I know who have cichlids and they started fliping out the didnt have a clue so maby the word will get around if we keep spreading it to those others not just the betta folk

Cheers

Les

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well iv started to inform a few guys I know who have cichlids and they started fliping out the didnt have a clue so maby the word will get around if we keep spreading it to those others not just the betta folk

This was well publicised among the online aquarium hobby community. There were discussions on several forums including a cichlid forum. In Victoria, all the clubs got together along with industry reps to form a working party to address this issue and the noxious species list revision. I'm not saying that everyone who has an interested definitely knows about it. I'm just saying that it's been publicised sufficiently to come to the conclusion that everyone who is likely to take action has already done so -- excluding newcomers or people who return to the hobby.

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I think there would be a lot of people out there who keep fish and are passionate about them but don't belong to an online community or forum so wouldn't know. If it wasn't for the fact that I was trying to research betta genetics I would not have found this forum and I would not have thought to look for it. Those who aren't exactly computer savvy would not look for an online group to find information so there could well be a large number of people who would take action but simply don't know that this is happening. I have a friend who is very passionate about his convict cichlids and the couple of others that he keeps but I know due to his problems with reading and writing would never think to join and online forum.

Until someone commented on here recently about what was happening I had no idea and its not like I don't spend a lot of time online, I was just not a member of any online forums or communities before this. I would never have imagined that there were clubs for fish keepers where you could take your fish and enter a show. I think the best way to get it out for the wider hobbyist community to see is to have notices in places that sell the fish. Seeing as these changes are going to affect them as well it would make sense for them to provide the information.

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