Coral Reef Animal Survey- Not Attached

Jonathan Lowrie jlowrie at cscmail.org
Fri Apr 2 13:39:18 EST 1999


By request, I have resent this survey as an email document. With all the
fear of the Melissa Virus and all the complications of multi-platform
systems, its probably best this way.
Please take a few moments to complete this if you keep coral reef
related animals in a captive situation for research, propagation or
pleasure.

I apologize if you have already received this survey.

Thank you,

Jonathan Lowrie

Cnidarian Research Institute
Department of Educational Services

Dear Marine/Reef Aquarium Owner:

Please take a few minutes to complete this Reef Aquarium Survey.  This
survey will be used to compile information for an upcoming international
scientific conference on coral reef monitoring and restoration. The
results of the data gathered here are not being used to directly affect
or legislate (positively or negatively) the marine aquarium hobby or
trade.  It is being used to assess the impact of the marine aquarium
trade on natural reef populations. The results of the individual
respondents will remain strictly confidential.  We will not sell, trade,
or distribute any email addresses, names or personal identifying
information. You may choose to leave out any identifying information
when you complete the survey. The results of the information gathered
here will also be available to any interested parties following the
conference. Please make any efforts in distributing this survey to
others including internet/email distribution, marine aquarium societies,
retail facilities, fellow aquarists, etc.)

Directions:

Please answer as carefully and honestly as possible.  If you are unsure
of the answer to a question, please type the letters, "n/a." Please copy
and paste this into email and send back to CRISurvey at aol.com or to
request a copy via email, send your request to Chrysaora at aol.com
. If you would like to print this, or have received this survey on
paper, please complete it and mail to: CRI, Education Services, 8405
Bardwell Ave. Panorama City,. CA 91402


















Marine/Reef Aquarium Owners Survey
Reply to CRISurvey at aol.com
Copy and paste this form into email.
All responses will be kept confidential.


Name (optional)		Email address (optional)		
Country of residence		State/territory of residence		


Section 1: General Information

1.  How long have you been keeping marine aquaria?
____less than 1 year     ____1 - 2 years    ____ 2 - 3 years    ____4 -
5 years     ____ 5+ years
2.  How many marine aquariums do you currently have setup with animals?
____ 1     ____ 2 - 3     ____ 4 - 5     ____ 6 - 9     ____ 10 +
3.	What is the average size of your aquarium(s)?     
 ____________________
4.   Which "method" best describes your basic aquarium keeping style?
_____mechanical (wet/dry, undergravel, canister, chemical filtration,
mechanical 	filtration, sterilization, ozone, etc.)
_____Berlin (protein skimming as primary filtration)
_____ Jaubert (unskimmed)
_____ ATS (algae scrubbing)
_____other/combination
5.  Have your "methods" changed since you began keeping marine aquaria 
_____YES     _____NO
6.  Would you say your "methods" have improved, resulting in a higher
survival rate of organisms in your care?     
_____YES     _____NO

7. What is your primary source of information regarding aquarium
husbandry?
_____Books
_____Magazines
_____Pet Stores
_____Internet
_____Fellow Aquarists
_____Other_____________________________________________

8. How many aquarium related books do you own?
____ 0 to 1	____ 2 to 3	____ 4 to 6	____ 7 to 9	____ 10+
9. Are you a member of an aquarium club? 
____ YES  ____  NO
10.  Have you attended a regional or national conference? (WMC, MACNA)

_____YES     _____ NO
11. Do you belong to any ocean/reef conservation groups? 
_____YES     _____NO
12.  Have you skin/SCUBA dived on coral reefs?
_____YES     _____NO 
13.  Do you belong to or participate in any of the following internet
aquarium resources?
 ____ FISHNET-Compuseve 		____ Fish and Marinelife-
America Online
 ____ Reef-list 	____ #Reefs/Reefs.org	 ____ Aqualink,
____ Reefkeepers
_____Others______________________________________________________
14. In terms of your aquarium husbandry abilities, do you consider
yourself: 
____Novice      ____ Intermediate     ____ Advanced  
15.  What is the highest level of education you have completed?
____ high school       ____ college       ____ graduate 
16.  What is your sex? 
____ Male	____ Female
17.  What is your age?  
____10 - 15 ____16 - 21 ____22 - 30 ____31-40 ____41-50
____51-60_____60+
18.  What is your household income level? 
______ less than 10,000  _____ 10,000 - 25,000    _____ 25,000 - 50,000 
______  50,000 - 75,000  _____75,000 - 100,000  _____more than 100,000
19.  On average, how much do you spend each month on your marine
aquariums (food, electricity, salt, water, new livestock, etc.) 
_______________________________


Section 2: Livestock
1.  How many different species of living organisms do you keep (not
including those  unintentionally found or part of a reef  microcosm,
such as small worms, amphipods, etc.)?
____ 1 -10     ____11 - 20     ____ 21 -30     ____ 31 - 40     ____ 41
- 50     
____ 50+
2.  How many different species of fish do you currently keep?
____ 0 - 1	____ 2 - 3	____ 4 - 6	____ 7 - 9	____ 10+
How many different species of fish have you kept in total, including
those which, for one reason or another, are no longer in your care
(mortality, returned, etc.)
_____0 -1     _____2 - 5     _____5 - 10    _____10 - 20    _____20 +
3.  On average, how long do your fish live?
____ weeks to 1 month ____ less than 6 months ____ 6 months - 1 year
____ 1 - 2 years
 ____ 2 - 3 years ____ 3 - 4 years ____ 4 - 5 years ____ 5+ years 
4.	How old is your oldest fish? 
____ less than 6 months ____ 6 months - 1 year ____ 1 - 2 years ____ 2 -
3 years 
____ 3 - 4 years ____ 4 - 5 years ____ 5+ years   
	What kind?  __________________________________
5.  Of the following general groups of fish, how many of each have you
kept (living or dead) since you began in the aquarium hobby:

Pufferfish and Boxfish		Lionfish and Scorpionfish
Wrasse		
Angelfish- Large/Dwarf		Butterflyfish		Triggerfish and
Filefish		
Blennies		Damselfish And Chromis		Tangs		
Seahorses and Pipefish		Eels		Sharks  and Rays

Hawkfish		Snappers and Groupers		Dragonets

Gobies		Dottybacks  and Grammas		Anthias		
Cardinalfish		Clownfish		Others		

6.  How many different species of invertebrates (excluding corals) do
you currently keep?
____ 0 - 1	____ 2 - 3	____ 4 - 6	____ 7 - 9	____ 10+
7.  How many different species of invertebrates have you kept in total,
including those which, for one reason or another, are no longer in your
care (mortality, returned, etc.)
_____0 -1     _____2 - 5     _____5 - 10    _____10 - 20    _____20 +
8.  On average, how long do your invertebrates live?
____ weeks to 1 month ____ less than 6 months ____ 6 months - 1 year
____ 1 - 2 years 
____ 2 - 3 years ____ 3 - 4 years ____ 4 - 5 years ____ 5+ years
9.	How old is your oldest invertebrate?
____ less than 6 months ____ 6 months - 1 year ____ 1 - 2 years ____ 2 -
3 years 
____ 3 - 4 years ____ 4 - 5 years ____ 5+ years  
	What kind?__________________________________
10. Of the following general groups of invertebrates, how many of each
have you kept (living or dead) since you began in the aquarium hobby:

Anemones		Tridacna (giant) clams		Other bivalves
(scallops, clams, oysters, mussels, etc.)	
Gastropods (Algae snails, cowries, etc.)		Echinoderms (sea
stars, brittle stars, urchins, etc.)		Polychaetes (feather
duster worms, etc.)	
Shrimps		Sponges		Cephalopods (cuttlefish, squid, octopii)

Crabs		Lobsters		Holothuroids (Sea cucumbers, sea
apples, etc.)	

11.  How many different species of corals do you currently keep?
____ 0 to 1	____ 2 - 3	____ 4 - 6	____ 7 - 9	____ 10+
12.  How many different species of corals have you kept in total,
including those which, for one reason or another, are no longer in your
care (mortality, returned, etc.)
_____0 -1     _____2 - 5     _____5 - 10    _____10 - 20    _____20 +
13. On average, how long do your corals live?
____ weeks to 1 month ____ less than 6 months ____ 6 months - 1 year
____ 1 - 2 years 
____ 2 - 3 years ____ 3 - 4 years ____ 4 - 5 years ____ 5+ years 
14.  How old is your oldest coral? 
____ less than 6 months ____ 6 months - 1 year ____ 1 - 2 years ____ 2 -
3 years
 ____ 3 - 4 years ____ 4 - 5 years ____ 5+ years  
	What kind?__________________________________
15. Of the following general groups of corals, have many of each have
you kept since you began in the hobby:

Asymbiotic stony corals   (Tubastraea) (Sun), etc.)		Faviids
and Mussids  (Moon,Pineapple Closed Brain, etc.)
Pocilloporids  (Pocillopora) (Cauliflower), (Seriatopora) (Bird's nest)
(Stylophora etc.)		
Caryophyllids  (Elegance, Hammer, Frogspawn, Bubble, Fox, etc.)
Poritids   (Porites, Goniopora (Flowerpot), etc.)
Trachyphyllia   (Open brain)		
Dendrophyllids   (Turbinaria) Cup, Pagoda,)		Fungiids
(Fungia) plate, mushroom, etc.)		Agariciids   (Pavona)  (cactus,
etc.)		
Acroporids   (Acropora, Montipora, etc.)		Oculiniids
(Galaxea, etc.)		 Others  (Merulina, Pectinia, etc.)		
Asymbiotic Octocorals   (Dendronepthya) (Carnation), Gorgonians
(Pacifics, Red Trees, etc.)		Symbiotic Neptheids   (Tree
Corals, Finger Soft corals, etc. (Nepthea, Litophyton, Capnella, etc.)
Stoloniferans   (Star polyps, etc.)  (Clavularia, Pachyclavularia )

Corallimorphs   (mushrooms)		Alcyonaceans   (Leather corals)
(Sinularia, Sarcophyton, Lobophytum, etc)		Symbiotic
gorgonians   (Sea whips, sea fans, sea plumes etc.)		
 Xeniids   (Xenia, Anthelia, etc.) (pulse, waving hand corals, etc.)
Zoanthids  (Zoanthus, Palythoa, etc.) (button polyps, sea mats, yellow
polyps, etc. )		Others		

16. What percentage of your livestock purchases are done through RETAIL
stores? 
__________
17. What percentage of your livestock purchases are done through MAIL
ORDER stores? _________
18. What percentage of your livestock purchases are done through CAPTIVE
SOURCES? _________
19. What percentage of your livestock purchases are done through OTHER
means? 
_________  What? ______________________
20. Do you have any aqua-cultured or captive raised fish? 
____ YES   ____ NO 
21. Have you ever provided others with captive raised fish  from your
own livestock?     _____YES     _____NO  
	How many times?  _____1 - 2     _____2 - 3     _____3 - 5
_____5 - 10     	_____10 +
20. Do you have any aqua-cultured or captive raised invertebrates? 
____ YES   ____ NO 
21. Have you ever  provided others with captive raised invertebrates
from your own livestock?    
 _____YES     _____NO  
	How many times? _____1 - 2     _____2 - 3     _____3 - 5
_____5 - 10     	_____10 +
20. Do you have any aqua-cultured or captive raised corals? 
____ YES   ____ NO 
21. Have you ever  provided others with captive raised corals from your
own livestock?     _____YES     _____NO  
	How many times? _____1 - 2     _____2 - 3     _____3 - 5
_____5 - 10     	_____10 +
22. Would you choose captive bred fish/invertebrates/corals over wild
caught fish if the price was the same? ____ YES   ____ NO
23. Would you choose captive bred fish/invertebrates/corals over wild
caught fish if the price was higher? ____  YES   ____ NO  

Section 3: Substrate
1.	Do you use 'live rock' in any of your aquariums? 
_____ YES    _____ NO
2.  How many pounds of live rock have you purchased since you started in
the hobby? ________  
4.	Is any of your live rock aquacultured?  
_____YES     _____NO
5.	If so, how much? 
_________
6.	Do you use 'live sand' in any of your aquariums? 
_____ YES    _____ NO
7.  How many pounds of live sand have you purchased since you started in
the hobby? ________
8.  Do you use "dead sand" in your aquariums (Carib Sea, oolite, etc.)?
_____YES     _____NO
9.  How many pounds of "dead sand" have you purchased wince you started
in the hobby?     ___________
10.  Do you own/have you ever purchased dead/decorative coral skeletons
for use in your marine aquaria?    
_____YES     _____NO
11.  If so, how many pieces have you purchased?   
 __________


Section 4: Impressions

1.  Regarding the quality/health/survivability of organisms which you
purchase today compared to when you began keeping marine aquaria, do you
feel they are:
___much better     ____better     ____the same     _____worse
____much worse

2.  Regarding the diversity of organisms which you purchase today
compared to when you began keeping marine aquaria, do you feel there
are:
___much more     ____more     ____the same     _____fewer    ____much
fewer

3.  Regarding the total number of organisms which you purchase today
compared to when you began keeping marine aquaria, do you feel they are:
 ___much more     ____more     ____the same     _____fewer    ____much
fewer

4.  On average, have the prices you pay for livestock since you began
keeping marine aquaria:  
_____increased substantially	____increased somewhat
_____stayed about the same	 _____decreased somewhat
_____decreased substantially

5.  Overall, would you say that the survival of organisms in your care
has:
____ increased substantially	____increased somewhat	_____stayed
about the same ____decreased somewhat	_____decreased substantially

6.  Would you pay more for animals if a part of the proceeds went to
reef conservation? 
____  YES  ____ NO

7.  What is the most money you have spent for any 1 living organisms in
your aquarium? 
_____________________

8.  What is the major reason why you keep marine/reef aquaria?
_____relaxing
_____challenging
_____decorative/beautiful
_____learning/research
_____financial 
_____other_________________________________________

9.  In general, how much do you personally know about an organism before
you purchase it for use in your marine/reef aquarium?
_____thoroughly investigate/very familiar
_____investigate some/somewhat familiar
_____trust the source/store/others and do not investigate further
_____purchase upon sight, discovery or impulse/unfamiliar
_____don't care

10.  How much impact do you think the marine/reef aquarium hobby has on
natural reefs?
_____highly significant 
_____somewhat significant
_____somewhat insignificant
_____highly insignificant
_____not sure

11.  How much effort do you think the marine/reef aquarium hobby/trade
expends on sustainable harvest/proper collection of organisms, including
their care in ensuring organism survival?
______great effort
______some effort
______little effort
______very little effort

12.  Where do you feel that the most loss of life of marine organisms
for the marine/reef aquarium trade happens?
_____collection level
_____ wholesale level
_____retail level
_____consumer/hobbyist level
_____shipping/transport

13.  What do you feel is the primary reason for organism mortality in
other's care?
_____ financial
_____educational 
_____methodological/equipment
_____attitude/effort to keep alive
_____other_________________________________________________________ 

14.  What do you feel is the primary reason for organism mortality in
your care?
_____ financial
_____educational 
_____methodological/equipment
_____attitude/effort to keep alive
_____other_________________________________________________________ 

Thank you very much for your time in completing this form.  If you have
any questions or comments, please feel free to address them to the
addresses above.






Jonathan Lowrie
Aquarist Supervisor
California Science Center
Tel: 213 744-2612
Fax: 213 744-2547



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