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Losing Nemo as tropical clownfish face extinction

  2. glenobo
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Because of Disney's "Finding Nemo" film, tropical clownfish became the must-have pets for kids everywhere. This increased demands and lowered fish populations. The average school decreased from approximately 25 to just 6.

Rising sea temperatures that kill off reefs also are an issue.

What can be done to save these beautiful fishies?
glenobo

33 responses // Losing Nemo as tropical clownfish face extinction

  • Disney should do something about it then as its there fault!
    born4thesurf
    1 response to this
  • watch this comment being used here, here and here
    Maybe parents should show the movie to their kids again and explain it. Wasn't part of the message to leave the fish in the sea and not take them out to be pets?
    jefftego
    1 response to this
  • http://current.com/items/88816502_coral_reef_saviors
    Here's a group of volunteers working to preserve the coral reefs and marine environments.
    abbym0308
  • jefftego is right. Parents need to watch the film, it's pathetic when parents don't get the message behind an animated film.
    nickwe3d
  • Why not get the kids a stuffed toy clownfish instead of a real one? Then the kids could even take it out of the water!
    Julie_Soller
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here and here
    Disney needs to do something! There were tons of unwanted Dalmations in pounds after the 101 Dalmation movie.
    shroomfairy
    2 responses to this
  • Clown fish require salt water tanks. Which require TONS of maintenance.
    We have one in the office and its hard enough to take care of with 7 guys, i can't imagine a child having to take care of it.
    chillwillNJ
  • Nooooooo!
    AkiraChevelle
  • Um... wasn't finding Nemo about saving a fish who was taken as a pet and returning him back to his natural habitat? Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was. So, with that said, it makes no sense to get a child a pet clownfish, it just negates the message of the movie.

    Also, the kids in the "Finding Nemo" target audience would probably kill off a pet rock, why would a parent get them a living thing that's hard to take care of?
    Nyx
    • Nyx
    • 3 months ago
  • Morons raising morons
    SamuraiDave
  • They are so pretty. I understand the aesthetic need to have one. I would think that one day they'll have a screen (like the picture frame ones) that will have a screen saver life like fish in it so that one can have it to look at and enjoy. It will look most awesome, I think. Plus it'll save the fishies from being harmed.
    J_Jammer
    1 response to this
  • poor fishies
    haleyann
  • I think the issue has more to do with the loss of coral reef, not the pet industry. I personally have clown fish in my salt water tank, but my fish were captive bred. I would never buy a fish that was caught in the wild.
    craigers
    1 response to this
  • Thanks, Disney!
    benjaminV
    2 responses to this
  • http://www.saltwater-aquarium-online-guide.com/image-fi...
    Thanks Disney is right! Something better be done about this. As a scuba diver i love finding these little fishes while diving. they are tough to spot as they usually don't swim in "schools" but instead hide in coral and anemones. Seee.......
    AROC
  • What is with this simpleminded blame Disney trite? And why does Pixar escape blame? Is it because Disney is more widely known and has deeper pockets?

    Is there anywhere in the movie that they said taking fish out of their element was a good thing?

    With the chowderheaded-thinking here that a movie company should be blamed for the actions of its viewers who blissfully go against the point of the movie, it begs the question where does this line of blaming stop?

    Individually those parents made decisions to buy their little bundles of joy live clownfish rather than alternative merchandise. Disney sells stuffed clownfish and other non-living merchandise - not live clownfish so they weren't getting anything out of the clownfish boom unless individually Disney Execs invested in such markets.

    But in the end it's easier to blame Disney: take an organization and throw all your pent-up frustrations at it to make yourself feel better.
    SamuraiDave
  • Mickey Mouse didn't cause mice to face extinction. I guess people like clown fish more then mice.
    Future_America
  • If they are in pet stores, don't we assume they're okay to buy? I think if everyone gets educated about problem, then things will change. I didn't buy a clown fish for my kid but I certainly won't now. Pet stores should be the ones under fire, not Disney. Disney/Pixar were giving us the right message. It's the buyer's fault for missing the point and it's the pet stores fault for marketing them.
    dbocaz
  • Rather then use this article to play the blame game, it needs to be used in culmination with working to preserve these fish and our oceans. Should Disney help out? That'd be great if they would. By making little clips of Nemo and his father explaining about the oceans and global warming on the level of kids, they could really help a lot by airing it on the Disney channels.
    recommended by  jade_azul16
    silently_sarah
  • The Nemo Fish 'Ocellaris' has been tank raised since the early 90's. I dont believe that the fact that they are becoming extinct has to do with Disney or Pixar, But more our climate.

    Never the less Pet store owners should be more responsible in who buys there fish. I use to work in one. And I believe I was there worse sales person because I drove 90% of the people away, Simply for the fact that most people had no idea what they were getting into. The Aquarium Hobby has come a long way though, and there are all sorts of programs out there that actually help conserve our coral reefs. Some Organizations actually Raise captive bred fish and Corals, and release them into there natural environment.

    Bottom Line, People should research what they are buying Especially if its a living creature. Anyone that buys an animal out of impulse without knowing how to take care of it is the real one to blame.
    Ins0704
  • I could see how Finding Nemo would help increase the demand for this type of fish. I think there should be laws in place that prevent the sale of these types of fishes until the species can recuperate a bit.

    Often times I see clownfishes being sold in random pet stores around the city. I don't think Disney can do much to help the situation. They can certainly try to inform, but that won't keep many from buying the beautiful creature.
    travisbrowny
  • ummm.....clownfish etouffee
    jeromecon
  • Blatently copied,,,,,,

    In a group of clownfish, there is a strict hierarchy of dominance. The largest and most aggressive female is found at the top. Only two clownfish, a male and a female, in a group reproduce through external fertilization. The clownfish are hermaphrodites, meaning that they develop into males first, and when they mature, they become females. If the female clownfish is removed from the group, such as by death, one of the largest and most dominant males would become a female. The rest of the remaining males will move up a rank on the hierarchy

    ,,,,,Fascinating creature,,,,maybe they could open animal sanctuaries for all the cast off's from Disney movies.
    Purdey
  • Clown fish may become extinct in the future??

    Here is a unique opportunity for some quick thinking bright person!! Why not breed some common little goldfish, paint white stripes on them with black lined borders!!

    Eurica!! Millions to be made!! After all goldfish I have kept only lasted a very short while sowho is the one to take up the challenge?
    themanwithadog
  • This thread is waaaaaaaay off target. If Ocellaris anemone fish were in danger due to the aquarium industry, or this movie, I would be on my soap box as well. The fact is that this is not the case. There are very few of these anemone fish imported for the hobby. At least into the states. The vast majority of these fish are captive bred. Don't take my word for it. Go to your local fish store and look at these fish for yourself. There will most likely be a tank with quite a few of these fish. They will all be young and very close to the same size. This is because they have been creatively bred. All of the fish in the tank will most likely be siblings. These are considered the easiest SW fish to breed in captivity, and ornamental fish breeders crank them out by the thousands. Wild caught Ocellaris will be much older, stressed out and sickly from their journey half way around the planet in a small plastic bag. It doesn't make good business sense to buy a delicate wild caught fish, when you can buy the same species captively bred for half the price, and the fish will be in much better shape.

    The article makes no sense. These fish do not live in large "schools" like some other fish. They have always lived in very small groups. These fish can not survive without an anemone. The anemone can only host a given number of fish. There will be a breeding pair, and if the anemone is large enough, there will be several small, gender neutral, fish.

    This is a completely fictional quote from the article.
    " Now the average group of clownfish population in Queensland, Australia, has shrunk from 25 members to just six, making it harder for them to breed, the report shows."
    The report is wrong. The breeding potential of a large group (25 would be unheard of) of these fish would be the same as a small group. There will only be one breeding pair in either group.

    I am all for conserving our wildlife, but placing the blame, for the decline in numbers, in the wrong place will only hinder efforts to correct the problem.
    EleganceCoral

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