As a newbie here, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that most folks here probably aren't very into the aquarium hobby. Unlike most other animal hobbyist groups, aquarium hobby clubs are not aimed solely at breeding and competing, but at educating, and learning about fish, tank building, making your own fish food, propagating aquatic plants and all kinds of other stuff.
Fish are much different than other pets, and its important to recognize that. My fish club runs a fish rescue program, which, though it is rarely used, is widely successful. Yes, there are unwanted fish, mostly big oscars and piranhas, originating from mass producers who supply petshops, not the small colourful hobbyist types of fish. I don't think any of the fish that have ever been placed have been 'hobbyist fish'. Most advanced fish hobbyists don't keep the types of fish found in pet shops, which are horridly mass produced by largescale breeders in florida and singapore, have terrible genetics,and are disease prone.
The awful genetics of pet shop fish is one of the reasons why it is important for fish hobbyists to breed fish and circulate them through responsible channels. If the pet fish are only bred by these irresponsible breeders who continually line breed, inbreed and rarely outcross, trying so hard to produce crazy new strains....the species deteriorates rapidly. Real fish hobbyists who breed only breed the natural types, and work hard to outcross with different bloodlines to keep the fish pure, and clean, and with good genetics and strong health.
In fact there are programs to reintroduce some species of fish (haplochromis genus, and goodeid genus) which became extinct in the wild due to watershed mismanagement in third world countries, including Lake Victoria (I believe Nyassa) and some lakes/rivers in South America (don't remember exactly which country...somewhere near the Andes though). And you know where the fish populations came from for these programs? The fish hobbyist community. Many zoos over the globe are working with local fish hobbyist groups to gain individuals to put towards their stock aimed at reintroduction to native habitats. This keeps the genetic pool of these animals as varied as possible, which is crucial to the survival of any species in the wild. There are a few species which have been successfully reintroduced, and several which are being maintained this way through a global effort, with the hopes of reintroducing them in the future.
FYI, the watershed mismanagement is either pollution (in SA) or introduction of non-native species (nile perch in Africa) for food fishing. It has nothing to do with wild collecting ornamental fish, something many real fish hobbyists now largely frown upon.
Fish hobbyist clubs are more recently also key in encouraging govts in many south american and south east asian countries to adopt collection policies that are ecologically more responsible, and not to just rape their waters for the pet trade. Beacause of monies raised by hobby groups and initiatives taken, many tropical countries now have a regulated trade, with imposed catch limits, checking stations, regulated export, and collectors licenses. Not entirely ideal, but a BIG step up from the unabashed collections and ecological devastation which formerly took place.
Many Canadian cities (including the one my fish club is based out of) also has a complete ban on the trade of wild collected fish. While this unfortunately is not any better for animal welfare (which is what the ban was aimed at, it was initiated by PETA) due to the terrible nature of mass fish producers now taking the place of wild collectors, it is much better ecologically, which at least IMO is iVERY important.
At any rate, I think its important to recognize that fish are a lot different than mammals. If you do occasionally breed fish, it is also really easy to house several hundred small fish happily and healthily in a tank in your basement or elsewhere in your house, until one of your fish geek friends wants to trade you for that 'great new plant' they just propagated, or give you the plans to the new filter they just invented. Actually most hobbyists who occasionally breed, don't really look for homes for their fish offspring, they just keep them on...if a fellow fish geek ever wants some, then they scoop some out and share the wealth.
Generally speaking, most fish will also stop breeding (but not growing, that's a myth) when the tank hits 'capacity'. So you can have a 50 gallon tank, stock it with your favorite little cichlids from a few of your buddy's tanks and when they've filled the tank, you have a colony. That's that. When the oldest fish complete their lifecycle, some of the young ones will start to reproduce, until the tank hits capacity again. (**capacity is usually determined by territory, not by water quality or available food as is sometimes thought)
Breeding fish is also very difficult. Its not really something that happens by accident. And if it does, then the parents usually gulp them down, another part of the natural fish world. If you want to raise up some fish, it takes a lot of time and money, daily water changes, hatching brine shrimp eggs in finicky hatching jars, making your own specialty feeds...Its NOT very idiot proof by any stretch of the imagination. The average person would be lucky if they kept fish for 20+ years and they spawned twice, and they got one offspring out of hundreds of eggs.
Its not the same type of pet over population complexities as when mammals breed.
I wouldn't expect anyone who is not involved directly with the aquarium hobby to know about that, it isn't very widely spread info. But now that you do know, perhaps if any other fish geeks than myself stumble upon here, you can have a little better understanding about it. And more importantly, when you meet a fish geek who has bred their fish, you can better accept them into your circle of friends, beacause its always good to have more friends
Its important for anyone, to not judge what they don't know. At the same time, we all do it sometimes, especially when it comes to things important and close to our hearts like animal welfare. So I personally would never fault anyone for thinking negatively of fish hobbyists who occasionally breed. (well at least those who are just ignorant about it through lack of education. Anyone who's read this, well then I'd fault you!!! hehehe, *wink*)
Just thought I'd clear that up.
Corie =^..^=