On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 13:52:00 -0400, Derek Broughton
wrote:


Huge numbers of the tropical fish that are sold in N. America have been
raised in ponds in SE Asia.

When you visit the street markets over there (somewhat comparable to
our "flea" markets), you find literally hundreds of vendors selling
tropical fish, aquariums, and supplies. You can buy individual fish,
selected from tanks; however the "economy paks" are bags of one or two
dozen or so, of the same species, inflated with oxygen I assume, and
sealed. I counted well over a hundred different varieties of fish in
such bags at one vendor's stand. A bagful is maybe $2-3, depending on
the species.