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As I sat down to write this first editorial for the Advanced Aquarist’s
Online Magazine my mind turned to the first editorial I wrote for the launching of Aquarium
Frontiers. Not surprisingly, the goal is still the same. I wrote in the Fall of 1993
-- Welcome to a new concept in journals for aquarium enthusiasts and naturalists:
AQUARIUM FRONTIERS. It is the goal of this quarterly to provide both the professional
and serious aquarist with a major source for the newest information about the
establishment of successful public and private aquaria. AQUARIUM FRONTIERS'
editorial reach will embrace visiting (both in the wild and in captivity), collecting,
shipping, maintaining, and ultimately propagating the beautiful animals and plants
displayed in private and public aquariums. We plan to concern ourselves with all of our
planet's aquatic biotopes: from the pristine, sea water habitat of stony corals to the
brown watery home of the Discus fish. |
Aquarium Frontiers then and the Advanced Aquarist’s
Online Magazine now will always emphasize protection and understanding of the natural
environment. Serious aquarists working with scientists can help to save the fauna and
flora of our planet from commercial exploitation. Perhaps the struggle has always been
between short term commercial goals and long term quality of life issues. I speak not only
of quality of life issues for us, but also for the exotic creatures we collect or breed
for captivity in our aquaria. This may very well be the most important struggle of our
time.
| As was true of Aquarium Frontiers, it is a central goal of this new publication
to promote exchange between the scientific community and amateur aquarists, for the
benefit of both disciplines and the environment. To achieve our combined goals of greater
understanding of the natural world and honing our husbandry skills we will rely heavily on
science and scientists. Science is the systematic knowledge of the natural world gained
through observation and experimentation, and it is the disinterested pursuit of the truth
about the natural world. The key word here is "disinterested." It doesn’t
mean that scientists are disinterested, rather that science as a discipline seeks to
eliminate the experimenter from the experiment. In other words, the scientist’s
personal goals, hopes, wishes, etc are not relevant to what experimentation ultimately
reveals. As aquarists, we need to see the experimental data that demonstrates what an Acropora
sp requires to flourish. It is science that will ultimately distinguish between a
necessary element and snake oil. |
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The author's 19 year old Amphiprion
frenatus. Photo: Terry Siegel |
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Toward this goal the Advanced Aquarist’s Online Magazine has
the good fortune of having Craig Bingman Ph.D. as our Science Editor. Not only will he
read all our columns for accuracy, he will also establish an advisory group to peer review
all Features. It is our pledge to our readers that we will provide accurate and honest
information, and that is the bottom line.
Copyright 2002 Advanced Aquarist's Online
Magazine |
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