NEVER release an aquarium fish into the wild.

[BenJammin369]

I agree, we are going to eat my sons trout when the day comes. Not looking forward to that day

 

[phikhanh]

HI THERE

 

[cnel124]

Donating them to any pet shop, would be best.

Do that all the time

 

[BK1]

This time of year if there is no wind, you can see most of the fish in the canals and local waterways down to a depth of a few feet. This last week or so, in the canal by my job I've seen Midas Cichlids including a huge, bright orange one caught by a kid, fishing. Mayan cichlids. (the most common fish now) A 10 inch pacu. A few oscars. Dull red colors. A giant gourami. Several tilapia,both silver/ white and white with orange specks. A couple of peacock bass. Many giant plecos, and some small convicts. I've only seen a handfull of largemouth bass and no native pan fish have been spotted at all. There are nests all over the banks that were previously guarded by mayans that have moved off now. These large patches of light colored sand make for great viewing spots when any fish swims over them. In south Florida, it's WAY TOO LATE.

Yep you guys are already stuffed. Hope you can get to like eating carp, its really the only option. There is only so much cat food in demand.

Unfortunately the ecosystems of many of your rivers and lakes has already been seriously damaged. Some say beyond repair.

In Aus, we are ridiculously restricted with what we can own and what we can't. We have a bit of a problem in some rivers with electric yellows colonizing. And there are the odd story here and there of largish aquarium fish being caught in rivers, but on the whole our restrictions mean I as a fishkeeping enthusiast cannot own the fish that I want. On the other hand it idiotproofs our freshwater ecosystems.

We are similarly restricted in gun ownership, and guess what, very few gun related fatalities.

Do you think your national fixation with ultimate freedom for all has something to do with this?

ie, a little restriction is probably not a bad thing, as for the most part, ppl are idiots............

 

[MN_Rebel]

This time of year if there is no wind, you can see most of the fish in the canals and local waterways down to a depth of a few feet. This last week or so, in the canal by my job I've seen Midas Cichlids including a huge, bright orange one caught by a kid, fishing. Mayan cichlids. (the most common fish now) A 10 inch pacu. A few oscars. Dull red colors. A giant gourami. Several tilapia,both silver/ white and white with orange specks. A couple of peacock bass. Many giant plecos, and some small convicts. I've only seen a handfull of largemouth bass and no native pan fish have been spotted at all. There are nests all over the banks that were previously guarded by mayans that have moved off now. These large patches of light colored sand make for great viewing spots when any fish swims over them. In south Florida, it's WAY TOO LATE.

If I am not mistaken but these canals are manmade so that is why you don't see many natives.
Of course South Florida ecosystem is too late to be fixed. It has more than 20-40 species that isn't native to Florida and that is only fish species!

 

[Roberts1]

Just recently had a problem with this with a mate of mine. Apparently he felt that it would be the ‘humane’ thing to do. I just really stared at him for a solid few seconds as though he was going to crack up from his joke…turns out he was serious.

 

[jimenez]

I know people who have done this

 

[OBlitzO]

The same goes for aquatic plants ... exotic aquatic plants have potential to have equal or much worse environmental consequences. This is how invasive species come to be.

 

[cichlidcave]

If you can't keep a fish, euthanizing it is a bunch of BS!! There will always be somebody out there looking to buy a particular fish & even more people willing to take it for free, even bringing it to a lfs, sorry but euthanizing is BS unless the fish has a bad illness and there is no improvement seen after treatment to end his/her suffering.

 

[MN_Rebel]

If you can't keep a fish, euthanizing it is a bunch of BS!! There will always be somebody out there looking to buy a particular fish & even more people willing to take it for free, even bringing it to a lfs, sorry but euthanizing is BS unless the fish has a bad illness and there is no improvement seen after treatment to end his/her suffering.

I'd rather euthanizing fish than release fish in the wild. And find homes for tank busters are very difficult. What you think why pacu, mega cats, goldfish, pleco and Oscars ended up in the lakes/rivers? Because nobody will take them in and most pet stores won't take them in either because they are already full with large fishes just waiting for someone to buy them for years. Heck you will have trouble to give away them for free. Many zoos and public aquariums stopped take them in because they are full. Put them down is better option than let that fish suffering farther when the owner stopped care about the fish. Sometimes you need to be responsible fish keepers to do what it is best for both you and your fish's welfare.