As a serious aquatic hobbyist, I've decided to talk about a subject that is very serious to me. This is what compels me to breed fish and do my small part to help preserve endangered species of fish.
Several environmental problems could effect the future of this lake: development, sewage, deforestation and an explosion of water hyacinth cutting off both oxygen and sunlight to the water below. Without oxygen and sunlight, the fish die. All of the above problems are of major proportion but there is still one that is bigger, and that is the introduction of the Nile Perch to the lake back in the late 1950's.
Upon looking at all the species that once lived in lake Victoria (numbering at one time close to 500), and looking now at what is still living in the lake, there are only about 100 species left. Over the years, 200 species have become extinct and 200 are on the endangered species list.
The Nile Perch was introduced in the 1950's as a food fish to help feed the people in the area. This fish grows to a large size of close to 8 feet. The Nile Perch lays up to 1000 eggs at a time and the parents protect the babies until they are ready to fend for themselves. These hungry fish eat anything and are successful in fighting off predators. In comparison, most native species of fish to Lake Victoria have about 20 to 60 fry at a time which are mouth brooded. The mothers then let the babies go to fend for themselves with no protection.
Today the Nile Perch helps feed the people of the area and harvesting the fish produces an income for these people of close to 150 million US dollars a year. Despite the fact that the Nile Perch fulfills the needs of the population, it has helped destroy the native fish of Lake Victoria.
No thought has been given to the survival of the native species of fish, which are all much smaller size than the Nile Perch but their beauty is incomparable. Lake Victoria fish are some of the most exquisite in the world.
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