Central Point might give exotic pets the boot

Central Point might give exotic pets the boot -An ordinance banning nontraditional critters in the city is under discussion tonight at 7

By buffy pollock
for the Mail Tribune

CENTRAL POINT — Exotic pets ranging from wolves to raccoons to large snakes could be banned in town under a new ordinance before the City Council.

The council will consider the animal ordinance at 7 tonight in City Hall, 140 S. Third St., Central Point.

The proposed law would allow existing pets to be grandfathered in if they are registered with city code enforcement officials by March 12.

The current policy on keeping pets came under scrutiny after neighbors of Blue Grass Downs homeowner Nick Kessler complained about Kessler's pet bobcat, Kona. The Kessler family moved into the subdivision — across from a city park — last summer.

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Comment:

Not really an aquarium or pond story, but considering snakes are being considered, many fish can be thrown into this ban as well. Not that we don not need boundaries on which pets we can keep and not keep, it is possible as in some local and state governments to go too far, especially when bad information is used such as California’s statement that Piranha would populate the water ways (which is not true even for Piranha, as this fish will die off in water below 60-65 F, which there in not a body off water even in LA that does not get this cold in the winter.


BASIC AQUARIUM PRINCIPLES; Information for the proper set up, maintenance, care and feeding for freshwater aquariums

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'Marine Ecology for the Wet and Wild' offered at Oregon Coast Aquarium

'Marine Ecology for the Wet and Wild' offered at Oregon Coast Aquarium -The Oregon Coast Aquarium is offering a rare opportunity for intermediate SCUBA divers. "Marine Ecology for the Wet and Wild," is an extraordinary experience for divers who will go into the waters of the aquarium's "Passages of the Deep" exhibit, home to hundreds of marine animals. The class is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, and includes a review of the 13 major groups of invertebrates inhabiting Northwest waters.

Vallorie Hodges, dive safety officer at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, described what students in the class will experience, "We'll be right up close to many common - and some uncommon Pacific Northwest fishes and invertebrates. This is an ideal place for divers to learn about marine life because you would have to log many hours diving in the open water of the Oregon coast to find and identify the marine life you will see in one dive at the aquarium."

In this setting at the aquarium, divers learn in more focused manner. "You see the animals through the acrylic, learn about them in a classroom and then dive into Passages of the Deep at the Aquarium," Hodges says. "You really get to see them up close and walk away with a solid knowledge of what you see in Pacific Northwest waters."

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Comment:
This is a cool place to visit, anyone who loves fish keeping or the ocean should make this a must see if traveling the Oregon Coast!

AQUARIUM INFORMATION

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Correction to Grants Pass Courier article about poisonous pet fish.

The Grants Pass Courier ran a story about poisonous marine fish on December 16, 2006.

Unfortunately they did not do their home work (not that it would have been hard to get the correct answer, I personally have ran an ad with the front page for over a year without one response, the writers easily could have had the courtesy to ask an advertiser such as myself who has been in the aquarium trade profession since 1978 with one of the largest maintenance companies in LA).

Foxface and Lionfish produce different neurotoxins that attacks the nervous system, so does the Stone Fish, Puffer Fish, and the Blue Ring Octopus (as well as the Black Widow Spider).
Each of these fish/animals puts in different amounts or use different neurotoxins that are more or less deadly/toxic. This is important to note as a second or third sting/bite with neurotoxin can be life threatening (which a Blue Ring is very much so due to the highly toxic nature of the Tetrodotoxin used by these cephalopods and only one bite is needed to kill a human).

Foxface which use a more mild "Enterotoxin" which primarily breaks down proteins in the intestines are not generally a danger though to the hobbyist. The best treatment is a hot compress of 50 C with baking soda. At this temperature tests have shown the poison to be denatured.
Lionfish use a more dangerous Neurotoxin that while usually not fatal, is more dangerous than that of the Foxface, but not as dangerous as a Blue Ring Octopus or Puffer fish which utilize a Tetrodotoxin.
The Black Widow Spider uses a latrotoxin which is another form of neurotoxin.

The story implied a tissue toxin, which is very different with different treatment.
The Courier should realize there are some people who may know something and get their stories strait. Admittedly not all internet sources are correct here either, that is why the best sources are usually human medical articles as describing the wrong venom in a medical article could draw a lawsuit.

Here is one recent source:
INVASIVE LIONFISH

More REPUTABLE Aquarium Information and Product Resources


Aquarium Saltwater-Marine Basics For more information about poisonous marine animals.




Aquarium Information
-A great source for current aquarium information that is updated regularly as new research becomes available.


For the VERY BEST in Aquarium Light Information:

Aquarium Lighting

UV Bulbs
SEACHEM PRODUCTS

Drs. Foster and Smith Saddles Up New Horse Supplies Category

Drs. Foster & Smith Saddles Up New Horse Supplies Category
-Not really Grants Pass related, but since many who read this are online shoppers I thought I would comment.

Unfortunately my comment is not good. I do not know how this company did business in the beginning, but based on my customer feedback (And I am mostly referring to my previous Pet Store customers mostly), they gave poor customer service with lack of true knowledge (which became a reason for many aquarium maintenance service calls) and support for products sold such as the Aquarium Cleaning Machine or Submariner UV Sterilizer.
This place also often sold poor quality or out of date merchandise according to my customers.
Currently customers have stated that they carry the less than desirable, aquarium pumps, filters, LED Aquarium Lights, and along with some good UVs cheap poorly made UV Sterilizers (Aqua Medic) that will give UVs a bad name.

Admittedly this is based on "here-say", but reliable "here-say", and I can vouch for the poor quality of Marineland, and Hagen power heads and especially the really poor quality of Aqua Medic. I can also state that in my opinion it is dishonest when a web site does not have a clear shipping price and policy link and the only way to find this is to go through the checkout process (which most customers when then purchase, even if they think the shipping is too high). And does not have an easy link to such.

For me this in my opinion is once again frustrating to watch companies such as this grow while honest companies that often operate on razor thin margins by selling quality products and by quality staffing are ignored by the buying public. Partly due to the general apathy that has swept over our Great Country.

12/30/06 Here is an addition to this post;
I was visiting Yahoo Answers (this is a really poor forum for good advice, but I visit regularly to help where I can), I found a post inquiring as to where Spirulina Flake may be found, and Dr. Fosters and Smith was listed as a place to get this product. I followed the link and all Dr. Fosters and Smith had was a very poor quality Tetra Spirulina flake that has spirulina way down on it's list of ingredients, as compared to the Spirulina 20 which I recommend which has this ingredient as #1.
This is typical, people are basically lazy and will go to web sites or store based on image rather than knowledge or quality.
What a sad point this is.

Resources:
*Aquarium Lighting

*Aquarium Filtration, Filters Information


Carl Strohmeyer