Hi Rafael.
I must say I find this incredibly fine work, – it was very very interesting to read, and it becomes for me a lot easier to really understand how to measure what we are doing.
I think in the future it should be a very helpful instrument for us.
The species that seem to be doing well, the five you mention, – for each of those there may be a clear reason why, but the same.
Linkei may be because linkei simply is easier and happier to spawn than other species. Certainly for myself I have no problems maintaining my stock of these.
phoenicurus was importet in numbers, and there also was a very specific attention paid to this import, and many members were quick to act
quindecim, – I think the explanation here is one breeder, who is extremely dedicated to this species, – if this person was not active, – I wonder what the picture would be for quindecim.
bintan – I would think that is because theres a lot of perhaps ‘unknown’ species which comes close (but may not be) bintan. I am not sure the numbers in census representing bintan are really all bintan – ?
What I mean to say, is that I am not sure there is the same explanation for these. And then its difficult to say which other species would likely show the same development in the future.
Perhaps for some of them – linkei and quindecim there might be a common trait, being that they produce good and stable offspring numbers. One species which I have found lately to do a little bit of the same is the p.tweediei (ruinemans 2013). This species also attracted some attention at some point, became ‘known’ and is as far as I know spread somewhat to dedicated people, – and it is not too difficult to breed. I just had a new ‘big’ batch of fry from this species. So maybe ?
The other species, those that seem to be vanishing, – well, – with those I think there would have to be some kind of ‘analysis’ made, because some may be more threatened than others, and the only thing I can think of is that the specific owners of these species has to become aware of the threats to them, and try to work harder on assisting these species multiply.
From my own experience, I can only say, that some years ago, I chose to always have p.parvulus. I haven’t bred a lot, but I will always keep at least 5 separate pairs of this species. And a couple of years ago I then (at a low point in Census) brought some to Bernd, who then produced a lot from these. That way it has made sense that I kept these parvulus as a ‘reserve’ sort of.
At this time I also have some p.anjunganensis, which I am very aware of is really in danger of disappearing, – so I do try now to set up special breeding tanks and encourage this species to breed (unfortunately they dont seem to at the moment)
Perhaps with this experience you can say, that I think really dedicated breeders are necessary to concentrate or be dedicated to a few species, and maintain these always.
This is not so much different from what I think we have done in the project for a long time, and I am certainly not the only one ‘holding’ on to some of these threatened species. We of course also then need really good breeders as Bernd, who can receive a few pairs and really make the numbers grow.
Well, this is just a few comments and ideas of mine, I hope we will also continue this debate in Hamburg, – and again, I really think your work is great. Thank you very much