Project Tamer: Annularis Angelfish

[RX_GAN]

Bought this Annularis Angelfish recently and using it to do a project called "Project Tamer".

The aim is to raise fishes, which are not Reef-safe into one.

Heard that Annularis Angelfish is a highly sought after fish.

And it should be the only angel that has three stages from Juvenile to sub-adult then to adult.

All three stages look different

Project is undergoing by means of feeding an one inch specimen with only captive food for a long period of time (one to two years maybe).

Aim: To support the hypothesis that fish's reef-safeness can be change if aquaculture or trained from young.

Environment: a lone tank with only just one fish and no corals.

Objective: To study and increase the range of selection for fishes for reef through aquaculture.

Support: Dogs and chickens have lost their basic hunting ability and instinct due to captive-bred and long period of time separated from their natural environment.

Task: To create such an environment that the fish will lose its hunting ability and get used to feeding than hunting. Will be only feeding it with X-factor.

Scientists involved: RX Gan hahaha...

Day One: Fed it with live brine shrimp and X-factor. Lights all switched off.

Observations: Shy. Willing to feed. Big appetite for a small fish as no live brine shrimp has been shown mercy. :S

Expectation from Xperiment: To have an Annularis Angelfish living in my reef tank peacefully.

In case of failure, will then sell it away to pay for the research cost. haHAha..joking nia.

Will updated on observations and status.

[RX_GAN]

Another pic of it's juvenile. Not mine. Mine has a birthmark on it. hahaha

[RX_GAN]

Beautiful isn't it ?

[jacobus]

hi bro this is a interesting experiment!

your annularis angel is captive bred ? i think that the reason that domesticated animals lose their hunting instinct ( although not completely ) due to the separation of their natural habitat is a very long process and may only come into effect after many many many many generations of offspring.

also there is another thing: will the hunting instinct be "restarted" once it returns into its natural habitat ?

just some thoughts of mine hor... dun mean to offend you in any way.

btw, it would another cool experiment to try to inhibit the agressive nature of these fishes.

nevertheless, good luck with your experiment!

we need more bros like you who are willing to test out theories to make everyones reefing life better.

[RX_GAN]

hahaha...no. not offended. no prob de.

actually it's true that most creatures will evolved and lost their hunting instinct throught generations.

But the prob right now is that humans don't realised it and also don't know how long does this whole process work.

thanks for the compliments too.

I definitely accept any insults, criticise, praise and whatsoever de.

Cos it's something that no one has tried before.

most hobbyist just wanna make sure of the safe of their corals and didn't notice of any evolution.

Just like dogs, when we first keep them as pet, we just want them to be able to hunt and guard.

And slowly their function changes and we didn't know that we are actually causing a evolution to their characteristic and habits.

Until one fine day when someone brought it up.

It's true abt that.

But the argument which i gonna bring up is based on a few stands and real-life reports.

First it is based on the study of humans. You can take a farmer's son and bring him up in a rich man's family. Feed them with abalones and steaks everyday. Teach him how to study and all the high class stuffs.

Then you can bring him back to his father. Do you think he will know how to farm and also to eat those foods ?

Of course, this gonna bring in some rebate that it may be different for individuals.

But if we bring in the logic that you actually spoilt the child from young ?

From young, he doesn't know what's wrong or right but only know he will get wat he wants.

And that will support the theory.

Hunting instinct won't change back. The animal will normally die when return to hunting environment.

Secondly, it is based on news report around the world. Think you have seen many reports about tiger living with a pig and drinking it's milk like she is his mother. So what does it suggest ?

And there are many famers and some leisure pet owners who have weird combination of animals.

I hv recently seen a moorish idol in a reef tank and the owner has no worries at all. all corals and inverts are safe. and surely that alone doesn't support the theory. it's the collection of articles which supports it. Another one example is Tarzan. haha. It's a famous story and there are many stories of animal-raised human. It shows that genetic is not a factor in the future display of habit in animals.

So this is basically the stand that i took in this research. and one more thing. Some of these stuffs are not passed down by genes instead of more on environment factors.

And we here in Singapore have an abundant of marine fishes and coral at low cost compare to other country. So all the most we should pioneer and excel in the study of them with wide selection and readily avail. goods.

We may lack behind in aquarium technology and stuffs but i can said that we definitely have more selection and availiability of marine life.

So I have pioneer this project in hope to change or ripple the reef market and science in this aspect. hahaha.

[RX_GAN]

Hey guys, got any suggestions ?

What I change to do now is that to feed it alone for sometime and let it adapt to feeding first.

Let it get used to being feed.

After that i will introduced one type of coral each at a time and still feed it.

starting from Zoo.

then will be hard corals, LPS.

then will be SPS.

one at a time and observe it.

To make sure it doesn't eat the coral. But instead make it more lazy to eat coral.

haha.. it will be feed with the corals. so that it will become a pricky eater.

Will only eat my food and not corals.

then finally if everything is safe. I will add in shrimps.

And last of all it will be sponge.

When I add in LPS, I will take out the Zoo.

Same for the rest.

Once everything runs smoothly, i will add it into the main tank and take observations.

And last of all, I can conclude the success of the experiment.

And will go on to produce reef-safe angels. Or maybe will experiment with other fishes which is considered not reef-safe.haahah..but that will depend on the availiability of stock for the experiment.

Let's say if the experiment stop at one point that the fish will eat the coral. I will continue to feed it with my own "X-factor". And will think of some other solution. Maybe I can try to isolate it but let it to be able to see the coral and yet not get it. Then feed it with the "X-factor". It is to let him get used to living with each diff. types of coral. Hurray.

[LoReNsIa]

good luck bro.. wait for ur good news..

[Bali Brain]

Bro,

Admirable, but I am afraid that you may probably have to end up selling the fish.

Firstly, to quote your analogy, if you take a rich child and feed him with just white rice only, and you put back the grown man in a room with abalone and other good stuff, the man will just chuck away the white rice he has been eating since he was a child and start feasting on the abalone. Unless you label it as poisonous.

Secondly, talk about evolution and change through generations, I would think there is a chance of success. Only problem is that you would have to successfully breed generations of the fish. Thirdly, don't bother with one coral at a time. Just give him brain or elegant coral. If he can resist that, your experiment is a success.

Good luck anyway. I would like to be proved wrong.

[dleecool]

I had the blue ring angel b4, yes it is really a beautiful fish, but I'd doubt it will become reefsafe. Mine dont touch the corals when young, but when it turn to adult, YUMMY!! all pratas gone!!

GOOD LUCK!!!

[jacobus]

bro i totally agree with you about the pioneering thing ... singapore is already big with freshwater fishes ... why not marine ..

on the part that u mention: when the animal returns to the natural habitat.

you are gonna keep the angel in solitary confinement, will it be able to handle competing with other fishes for food when it is put into a tank with other inhabitants ?

the so called "hunting instinct" that u mentioned is toward coral nipping right ? or did i misunderstand u ? if it is coral nipping... like bro dlecool mentioned, might only begin after it reaches a certain stage of its life. some instincts programmed into our genes are only triggered after we reach a certain stage of life. like when we are little boys and girls we do not think about certain *things*.. so maybe u have to make sure that the angel is safe only until after adulthood ?

sorry if i keep butting in like that bro.. im very interested in marine biology and i see ur thread and cannot help it ... pai seh

[RX_GAN]

hahaha.. thanks guys for the responses.

It will be a long process in the end. So we shall slowly see ba...

Or maybe anyone who support my idea, can give me some suggestion on the experiment.

Haha...if only i have the technology to study it's DNA, and find out which gene is the one to activate it's coral eating habits. Then modify it.

Cool RIGHT ? hahaha...but it will be a long process with huge investment. haha...

[RX_GAN]

Right now I am still training the fish to eat and get adapted. Will be adding a few mirrors to the tank to lower the aggressiveness of the fish during it's juvenile stage. As I hope that by doing so, It wun be so aggressive in a reef tank tearing apart all corals and fishes. hHAHA.

Wanna update pics soon but camera very hard to take pic of it. Will try again and update here.

HAve a nice day everyone. hohoho.

[RX_GAN]

haha...been experimenting with it. but came home today to find it sick with ich.

think it's too stress with my experiments...hahaha..poor thing.

Thread end here for the time being until i have revised the methods.

Ain't easy in the first place.

Kinda sad to see this fish so poor thing..hope it can get well soon.

[STORM TROPPER]

any update n is the fish doing fine now?

[RX_GAN]

i pass the fish to a friend. will continue with the experiment cos i organise a desktop tank.

thanks for the concerns.