NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) – ‘Finding Dory’ might be a good movie but marine experts warn Dory does not make a good pet.
Your little guppies at home may want to find Dory, but experts are asking you not to keep her. That’s because history can repeat itself
Back in 2003, pet stores saw a huge wave of Clownfish sales after ‘Finding Nemo.’ So many people found, paid for, and kept Nemo. The population got so low researchers in Australia even started the Saving Nemo Conservation Fund.
So they’re worried this will happen with the type of fish Dory is. She is a Royal Blue Tang. Both fish require a lot of maintenance once you bring them into the home. Tanks can take months to properly prepare.
But there’s one BIG difference between the two fish. Clownfish are easy to breed in captivity. But Blue Tang are not. That means if someone has one in their home, it’s taken from coral reefs in places like the Philippines and then shipped to stores.
“So in this point in time, they all come from the wild and people should be very, very careful about just doing it inspirational,” said John Lenzycki, Maritime Aquarium, Curator of Animals.
So if your kids are clamoring to see a Dory after the movie, don’t buy one. You can check them out at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. Along with Clownfish too. Or if they want to have one at home, just buy a stuffed animal. Plus that’s a lot cheaper too. So you can keep Dory, save some cash, and preserve the coral reefs.
