The Lightning Project - Matt Pedersen (Appointed Breeder)

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The Lightning Project - Matt Pedersen (Appointed breeder)


The Lightning Maroon Project aka The ongoing saga of the PNG Lightning Maroon Clownfish Breeding Project of Matt Pedersen appears to be a huge let down for both conservation and the SEASMART Program. He also appears to have failed Blue Zoo, and the marine aquarist world at large.

As Matt continues to fail at pairing the Lightning, he fails conservation as a
whole since, instead of reducing depletion of nature's stocks through captive breeding, his failure does the opposite by leading to greater attempts at natural collection, because of the rarity of the Lightning Maroon Clownfish.

It is not hard to imagine how disappointed the good folks at Blue Zoo must be with Matt?s failure, even if they have been too kind to tell him to his face.

The marine aquarists have been let down big time. It has been close to 1 year perhaps more since Matt received the fish. Yet he is still unsuccessful at pairing the Lightning Maroon. What are the chances of ever seeing a Matt Pedesen-bred Lightning Maroon Clownfish? If his pairing skills are anything to go by, it will not be before the moon turns blue.

So after nearly a year, the Lightning Maroon Project of Matt Pedersen amounts to:
"A lot of talk and drama. Zero Success."

Why?

It could be because Matt displays all the hallmarks of a person who is distracted. Is he wearing too many hats? Is he too busy to bother about breeding this super rare Clownfish? Take a look at what he has said, and draw your own conclusions.

Quote: Matt, " After 7 years in the Orchid hobby I've rapidly gone from a single Oncidium and Phalenopsis to over 600 plants in my ever-changing personal collection.

For several years in the past, I managed a tropical fish wholesaler/hatchery and I continue to work full-time in the Web-Design / CD-ROM production business and teach part-time as a college professor as well. But if I could, I'd probably give it all up to spend my life with the orchids! "

He wants to give it all up, as he said, "But if I could, I'd probably give it all up to spend my life with orchids". Now we know why the Lightning Maroon Project is such a saga.

He sounds unfocused. Or did he simply "screw" everyone who counted on his string of awards to be the best person to successfully breed this rare clown fish.

Matt Pedersen will be a "Star" speaker at the coming MBI workshop, his topic - Breeding Room and Configuration. Can he really be effective and objective;

a) He's a breeder. Will he share valuable or usable "secrets" or will he be marketing his Orchid business or other peripheral businesses
b) Can a person that has so much difficulties paring a Maroon really teach you more than you already know?

The award winning aquarist seems to know little or nothing about pairing maroon Clownfish.

I wonder, how difficult is it to pair Clownfish, and more specifically maroons. Are there true experts out there who can help this Lightning Maroon Project. Clearly, Matt Pedersen needs your help.

There's got to be many of you out there who have successfully paired maroons. Please reach out and help the poor man. Don't worry, you cannot do worse than what he has done, awards or no awards.

I say to hell with offending him. Frankly its a bloody joke my 16 year old nephew has a pair of gold stripe maroons he paired 6 weeks ago. I said to him "Kevin, very nice. So why the sad face?" His reply, "I'm probably not going to get my CB lightning Maroon by my 18th birthday" I replied " yes you are he's an award winning breeder" Kevin replied " mine is paired his is screwed"

There is no doubt, Matt Pedersen is award winning. (Matt Pedersen is credited with starting MOFIB (Marine Ornamental Fish & Invertebrate Breeder?s Association) and writing for multiple publications including Coral, Koralle, Practical Fish Keeping, Reef Hobbyist Magazine and Reef Builders. Matt has spoken at numerous aquarium clubs and events from coast to coast. He currently sits on the MBI (Marine Breeding Initiative) Council, a project dedicated to bringing the concept of a unified Marine Breeder?s Award Program to hobbyist organizations across the country and around the globe. In 2009, Matt was awarded ?Aquarist of the Year? honors by both IMAC West and MASNA in recognition of his accomplishments and contributions to the marine aquarium hobby. Last updated October, 2010. Information source, Habitat Marine)

Well done! Matt. Now please, go and show us that you are worth the awards. Don?t rest on your laurels. Unless you want to surrender this fish over to someone else who can actually get the job done? Someone who is not prancing around the seminar circuit to get his ego inflated.

Word on the ground is that a breeder named Linda Close can get the pairing done. She seems to have a track record of spawning pairs and has given advice on The Hudson Valley Reef Keeper with over 3000 post and also sits on the board...of MASNA.(Vendor Relations)

Aquarists, your comments, advice, and personal experience in pairing Maroon clowns will be appreciated. Help Matt Pedersen pair the Lightning Maroon.

Post your comments, share you experience and most of all be, Open. Matt Pedersen won't bite you. He needs all the help he can get.

 

[NYreefNoob]

well it isnt like with humans and you say hey wanna mate . personally my clowns have been together a year and a half and still have not bred, yes they are m\f. I know linda as well, and i doubt ever pair she put's together breeds.

 

[lfsmarineguy]

Sounds a little excessive to me. It sounds like they are just trying to bash the guy but it's not like they aren't breeding because he had other things on his mind. They are animals and subject to free will, just like the rest of us. Maybe he just got two clowns with impossibly high standards that neither one can live up to and they just spend their time belittling each other for being inferior.

I also had a pair of clowns, pink skunks, for over 3 years and I never once saw them breed. Female was huge and the male was always about half her size.

 

[masterswimmer]

That 'quote' (which by the way, should have had the person who actually wrote it 'credited' for it) seems like a boatload of hidden agenda. Anybody in their right mind would know that you can lead a horse to water but can't make it drink.

Ignorant blogger IMO

Russ (yes, you can use my name attached to my quote )

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

It is amazing that the OP has posts, one asking about Rods clownfish iif they are for sale and the other Bashing someone that is having trouble breeding clowns. It is amazing how coincidental things can be.

I agree with Russ, the person who wrote that diatribe is an ignorant blogger.

 

[qy7400]

Odd that that post was only found on one other site that has already pulled it down, this post and Google cache are the only remnants.

Matt's a well respected breeder as the 'article' states so to me this sounds like a grudge and nothing more so I'll add good links...

SeaSmart who caught the fish, http://seasmart.ecoez.com/spotlight.html
Matts own page on the breeding project, http://www.lightning-maroon-clownfish.com/

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

Lightening Project

There are some parts to the OP that are true in regards to pairing this fish.

If you followed the blog he kept choosing clowns that were very large or midsize, he was intent of beleiving the lightening clown was a male. Which i suspect its an assumption.

Matt is an accomplished breeders and as everyone said you cant force anything they are fish. In my case i would have paired it with the smallest maroon clown i could find. Ensuring it was female and not subject the fsh to be forced into submission especially when its a rare wild caught clown.

If you read through the blog also Matt has alot going on and people need to realize its a Hobby, He doesnt do this as a job its hobby.

He used my QT method after badgering him, about QT wild caught clowns with anemones not medication.

Now in regards to the who the OP was i can assume this was one of the people considered for owning this clowns and lost out to Matt. SORE LOSER.

Especially since they are bring BLUE ZOO AQUATICS into this and I know Mark wouldnt support this.

Everybody has their own methods to do things in this hobby and not everyone spends as much time at it as we all would like too
Also What board wasthis posted to becase it also talks about marine breeders.

 

[Pallobi]

what an awful post, and pathetic blog... obviously some hidden agenda's somewhere... i would like to know what the original writer of all that nonsense has done for the hobby themselves... i am guessing a whole lot of jack squat... this hobby is full of people who cant back up their claims... why would anyone publicly put some one's name out there like that? and shame on the OP for actually putting this up, as you are doin matt no justice either... pathetic

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

If the OP has successfully pairing two lightning maroons before, then he can criticize others and even worthy of boasting about his own success but I don't think any being has done that so far except Mother Nature. Therefore, the post is quite retarded in a way.

 

[masterswimmer]

I'm going to take this in another direction.....

- The original poster had an obvious agenda (seems all have agreed).
- The fact that all other bulletin boards have deleted his rant due to his self serving intent means to me that any posts to this thread, be it pro or con, only adds to his support and furthers his goal, whatever that may be.
- The longer this thread remains visible and accessible to the masses means he will have his agenda furthered.

Conclusion, close the thread. Ideally I think the admin should delete the thread so that any further searches for the OP's agenda is not traceable.

Obviously this is JMO

Russ

 

[mpedersen]

Thanks for all the support guys. FWIW, I've never been one to back down from a call-out, let alone I'm not a proponent of censorship. Someone wants to try to libel me on a web forum, let 'em try. The fact that so much of what is posted is based in fiction only furthers what you guys all sussed out on your own. But if you like a good shreddin', then this Lightning Maroon Blog is for you

http://www.lightning-maroon-clownfish.com/?p=1024

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

Wingo,

Some of the concerns about the pairing of the fish are valid but its done in such a crass manor and it wreaks of soreness.

If you have a single clown fish of such rarity and such beauty, to save it from the forced submission of a larger female clown you let it become the female and save it the beating.

I would love to know who wrote the post because its got to be someone who didnt get the lightening clown.

 

[Josh]

This thread is such crap that it would be shut down had Matt not chimed in.

The post contains no facts, seems designed just to insult and accuse Matt of something beyond his control, and the poster clearly has no understanding of how difficult it is to get certain fish to breed (let alone crossbreed or breed with others in the same species with significant mutations).

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

And a word from the Man himself. GO get um

Matt did you talk to Mark and let him know the person was using them.

Its also weird how it came out right after seasmart stuff got put out about them not doing good.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Wingo,

Some of the concerns about the pairing of the fish are valid but its done in such a crass manor and it wreaks of soreness.

If you have a single clown fish of such rarity and such beauty, to save it from the forced submission of a larger female clown you let it become the female and save it the beating.

I would love to know who wrote the post because its got to be someone who didnt get the lightening clown.

I agreed to your point about the way of pairing clownfish may need to be adjusted as both you and I have some experienced in this field. And, clearly you and I are thinking of the the same way of do it after the initial reports are out.

However, as you should see, my point is rather on that particular post has issue not other concerns that are mentioned elsewhere.

 

[mpedersen]

Some of the concerns about the pairing of the fish are valid but its done in such a crass manor and it wreaks of soreness.

Certainly curious to know which concerns were valid in your opinion?

If you have a single clown fish of such rarity and such beauty, to save it from the forced submission of a larger female clown you let it become the female and save it the beating.

Quite true, but there's a flipside. If you have a single clown that is possibly or likely male, keeping it male doubles your chances of later pairing it with any second clown that could come along in the future. In other words, if the Lightning Maroon was male and could be kept male, then if or when any new Lightning Maroon was found and offered to me, I could pair it with the new fish whether that new fish was an inch long juvenile, a 2 inch active male, or a 5 inch monster female.

The strategy I employed for the first year was to keep the Lightning Maroon a male in such hopes, although a few people felt I was wasting time because they were convinced the fish was already a female. But those people had nothing to go on other than the size of the fish. All the behavioral interactions I've filmed and observed to date suggest that the Lightning was indeed a male. Once the possibility of more PNG fish was off the table, the strategy was switched because in theory it would take less time to push the Lightning female than to grow up the one PNG Maroon I've been pushing in the female direction for the last 12 months.

Everyone has their own opinions about what they would've done and how they would've gone about it, but many people don't share the strict breeding guidelines I've put in place. Sure, there are faster ways to get the fish spawning or paired, but those ways sacrifice some other project goal along the way. It's really a lot of tough decisions based on weighing all the options and requirements (i.e. that the first choice mate will be another Maroon from Fisherman's Island) - not everyone believes or shares in those goals, and thus, they'll come to different conclusions or opinions.

Matt did you talk to Mark and let him know the person was using them.

Naw, Mark is a BUSY guy. I did however let Linda Close know...

Its also weird how it came out right after seasmart stuff got put out about them not doing good.

Perhaps, but I think the commentary was driven specifically by the June 1st post (http://www.lightning-maroon-clownfish.com/?p=1009) and my call for opinions among my Facebook friends - while I have my FB locked down pretty much to people I know personally, when other people comment on something, well, it becomes accessible to friends of friends and the like. Given the calling out of Linda, which actually happened on FB by our mutual friend Scott Tomko, it's fair to postulate that the detractor could be someone quite close to me, i.e. perhaps a friend of Linda's or anyone else who replied there. Or still a total stranger. But makes me want to lock down my FB profile that much more - sorry, that's a semi-exclusive club and that's the way I like it The fact that the person who wrote this is even aware that Scott suggested Linda should chime in suggests that conversations that I wish to have more privately aren't as private as I'd like them to be. Not that it bothers me so much...I'm a pretty open book, but on principal, I don't accept casual connections on FB, and information like Linda Close's name being taken out of context is annoying. Of course, virtually the entire criticism is based on nothing being in context, let alone factually accurate, to being with.

 

[ed4]

It breaks my heart how screwed up in the head some people are in this world. The newphew story is most likely made up and contextually contrived.

It's inconceivable to me how someone can write such twisted and perversely screwed up things about someone who's trying hard to do good things. I strongly feel that this person has a very selfish agenda as Matt's competition or as a slighted buyer.

 

[Mattl22]

Hey matt can u post some pics of the lightning clown ?


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[lfsmarineguy]

On the bright side, not one person read that post and thought there was anything of value in it. Whoever the OP is they clearly have one more thing to add to the list of things they are terrible at.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

On the bright side, not one person read that post and thought there was anything of value in it. Whoever the OP is they clearly have one more thing to add to the list of things they are terrible at.

+1

Then again how can anybody with a few grains of common sense choose to believe and rely on info in a post that each group supposedly involved are all talked about in 3rd party terms? As well as the fact that it was a wanna be bashfest from word 1.

It's just a shame the way the world is going that everyone feels they have to slander people.