Baby sea turtles at my lfs!?!?!

[HammerLover]

Until now I can't imagine that some of our LFS had really dark secrets... I wish the poor turtle will be rescued or something.. I don't know even what kind of sea turtle is that.


I was browsing awhile ago at my LFS and Ive reserved some fishes that I'll be picking up 2 weeks from now since my tank is undergoing a mini cycle.
The store was bustling, and the store had lots of sea creatures. It had lionfishes both long finned and stout-ish. On a 100 gal tank there were small sharks, random lionfishes and large fishes that who knows. There were rays on a 50 gal with puffers, morays and other large fishes that I don't know. 30 gallon tanks overcrowded with firefishes, damsels and clowns. Over the back large 80 gal tanks dumped with different large anemones. I can also see some elegance and long tentacle plates as well. And further more lots of overcrowded tanks with various damsels, wrasses , angels and butterfly fishes. I think I've even see some triggers and parrotfishes.

So I went in the very back part. The store is very busy so most of the crew were talking to customers they can fool. Ive seen a small tank with jellyfishes. Most are dying and struggling. Just then I notice a small tank with a black lid. Thinking that's where they his their beautiful frogspawns I slowly opened it.

And there in that small tank, 2 baby sea turtles are swimming. I got to leave immediately since the crew saw me at the very back.

The whole store was bad just bad. The fishes were overcrowded and some were dead or dying. They just plopped things and sell them to people. Someone bought 5 large maroon clownfishes, a very bad thing. They also sell crinoids and other stuff thats best left in the sea.

I'm not just concerned about the turtles. I'm concerned to the health of all their livestock. Too bad they had some really good corals for sale. I don't know what to do and isn't it illegal to sell any baby sea turtle?

[Dkuhlmann]

If you wish to do something about it contact your wildlife fish and game enforcement and see what they have to say. I doubt that sea turtles (leatherbacks) are legal to sell anywhere.

[water is wet]

I'm guessing since he/she is from the Phillipines they probably don't have the same laws we do. Sad

[chilli_reef]

There are five species that are protected in the Philippines.
Green, olive, hawksbill, leather back, and logger head.

If you do see them in your LFS for sale do not approach the owner, thier workers or local police. You chances that they are crooked are extremely high and you could be threatening your own life. (No joke! You live there I am sure you know what I'm talking about)

Contact ocean adventure in subic bay Philippines. # +63 (47) 252-9000

[chilli_reef]

Originally Posted by water is wet

I'm guessing since he/she is from the Phillipines they probably don't have the same laws we do. Sad

Ooohh no.
Its serious business there and seriously illegal.
Non threatened species are allowed to be harvested for food and used for other purposes. But the five I listed are protected. They have the world famous turtle island a couple hours from manila. Whole island is protected and the turtles on it. Foreign poachers are constantly in the waters and beaches trying to snag them.
Its a big deal. If this is real, and that information safely makes its way to the correct eyes and ears...... Those dudes are frucked. Hardcore like.... As if they owed a Cuban cartel a load of coke and were stuck in a Cuban prison like....

[dragonsong]

Originally Posted by chilli_reef

Ooohh no.
Its serious business there and seriously illegal.
Non threatened species are allowed to be harvested for food and used for other purposes. But the five I listed are protected. They have the world famous turtle island a couple hours from manila. Whole island is protected and the turtles on it. Foreign poachers are constantly in the waters and beaches trying to snag them.
Its a big deal. If this is real, and that information safely makes its way to the correct eyes and ears...... Those dudes are frucked. Hardcore like.... As if they owed a Cuban cartel a load of coke and were stuck in a Cuban prison like....

Reminds me of the documentary that just came out called "Racing Extinction"(lots of ocean critters are affected) ..... Illegal wildlife trade is serious and scary stuff especially over there :x

[A.Astore]

Glad you were smart enough to leave once you realized what they were rather than ask questions. Hopefully there are more like you that can help get these people taken care of.

Do you have other options for stocking your rebuilt in terms of store?

[HammerLover]

Hi guys I wanted to do something but it seems that ye police and the poachers are somewhat working with each other and keeping secrets. Im only 17 and I don't know what to do. I've asked my parents they said just leave it. I think the crew at the LFS got fishy at me because whenever I'll pass at the store they are somehow eyeing on me.

[A.Astore]

I suggest for your own safety you don't do anything major to alert people considering your age. Considering it does deal with sea turtles though it is hard to look the other way. The Ocean Adventure place does do turtle rescues and rehab but is also a major presence it looks like. I would think you would be able to contact them and submit information to them for them to pass along anonymously. While they may not be able to do anything themselves, they should know exactly who they need to contact with the tip.

I would also stay away from the store that this happened at, not only because of their lack of understanding what their dealings are doing but also your well being. We don't need one of the few people there being badly injured that is attempting to sustain the things we all admire.

[HammerLover]

The turtles were already gone at the LFS

I got lucky since the only crew last time is a girl and she seemed to be new so she doesn't know me. I've asked her a few questions asking where they got most of their livestock and she honestly replied. Plus its Sunday so she seems to be doing a part time job in handling the store, and the regular crews are on day off.

Some were deliberately caught from reefs which are the random fishes all over. I think 99.9% of their live stock is from the wild the 0.1% could be the zoas and mushrooms which they get from one supplier. So I went again at the back part with the jellyfishes and asked her what do they eat. She said "lumot" (algae) and I just nodded. I went to the further back and she said I can't find anything else in there. As I opened the lid of the small aquarium where the turtles were before, its empty.

I asked her if there are any turtles there for sale and she said there aren't any. I think they kept it somewhere or hid it or maybe someone bought it?
I haven't taken a pic of it since its kinda dark plus I left immediately. Given my crappy phone if I ever had a pic it would just be pixels in the dark. I wish the turtles will be fine


There are already lots of raids in this place where illegal animal trade is common. Last time they arrested someone for selling endangered parrots and birds that were collected from Palawan. But it seems this poaching will just never end

[TimeConsumer]

Yeah, it's sad you have to see the dark side of our hobby. But out in Manila I'm sure you see things like this more often than most. I know the ivory trade out there is massive.

[peasofme]

follow the advice in this thread and don't do anything dangerous.