YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!!! WORMS NOW?!?!

[USMCSS]

Again, this fish did not come from a true ecosystem. It came from a cement canal that runs through the city of Phoenix where it was not supposed to be in the first place. There is no law governing the fish there minus a specific carp that was intentionally placed in the canals to control vegetation growth. You don't even have to have a fishing license to fish the canals but it if you turned around and dropped your line in one of the many ponds close by without a license then you're in trouble but that'd be if a game warden was even around and they are NEVER found around these ponds.

 

[skjl47]

this fish did not come from a true ecosystem

Hello; Your explaination is understood. However the body of water will at some point be connected to other bodies of water. Even if it is a remote chance of some issue being introduced into the local waters, there may be such a chance.

The point about the fish being infected/infested when caught is also understood. Your assessment of the aditional risk being close to nill may also be right on.

A part of this issue are the practices we fish keepers operate by. Among the cardinal rules and near the top of the list is "do not release fish into the wild". It is not just a question of being able to get away with it. This applies to the native fish as well as the imported and tank raised exotics. This may seem silly for the native caught fish going back into the same body of water. It is the generally accepted "good practice".

 

[USMCSS]

Hello; Your explaination is understood. However the body of water will at some point be connected to other bodies of water. Even if it is a remote chance of some issue being introduced into the local waters, there may be such a chance.

The point about the fish being infected/infested when caught is also understood. Your assessment of the aditional risk being close to nill may also be right on.

A part of this issue are the practices we fish keepers operate by. Among the cardinal rules and near the top of the list is "do not release fish into the wild". It is not just a question of being able to get away with it. This applies to the native fish as well as the imported and tank raised exotics. This may seem silly for the native caught fish going back into the same body of water. It is the generally accepted "good practice".

No I totally understand and get it. Had this been caught in a pond or lake, I wouldn't even consider releasing it back. But I know how our canal systems work and I know that they are in no way going to end up into another wateway. The canal is what we use for power here and I've been to the plant and there's not a chance in hell a fish could survive through that. Not to mention I only fish on the far eastside of the city before the canal even truly gets into the city and where he will be released, he'll have to go through one hell of trip before he made it back out of the city. Different locks, trash skimmers, etc. I fully respect what your saying but please take my word on this as I'm a pretty intelligent guy and well educated and know what I'm talking about. Again, I'm a HUGE animal/creature lover, 100% disabled combat veteran who donates his spare time to rescuing raptors, clearly cares for fish as well, and would not want to risk anything. This is fish is better released back where he came from just a few weeks ago.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; I get it. Go with your best judgment.

100% disabled combat veteran

I take it you are a Marine. My father was a Marine. He served in the 4th Marine Division during WWII. Tinnian, Sipan and Iwo Jima. Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Good to converse with you.

 

[USMCSS]

You took right. Ya man I served 98-06 Afghanistan and Iraq, 2 Purple Hearts and now a little monthly check that seems to be going all to my rekindled hobby. You'd think I would have learn the first time but I'm your typical stubborn Marine who is glutton for punishment. Very nice to chat with you as well my friend and your advice is very much appreciated and your views are very much respected.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

who donates his spare time to rescuing raptors,

....are you Chris Pratt???? (Yes, bad joke, yes I know you most likely mean birds of prey, yes I have the mentality of a child on occasion)

 

[xraycer]

Sometimes wild caught fish are plagued with parasitesQUOTE]Fact is, nearly all wild creatures are carriers of some form of parasites.

The concern isn't that fish will forget how to hunt/survive, even captive-bred fish can do that. The concern is the release of pathogens. If the fish in question has been around fish from other parts of the world, especially fish from the aquarium trade, it may be infected with pathogens that aren't native to the area. Most fish have at least some resistance to their native pathogens, but North American fish have no built-in resistance to pathogens carried by, say, African cichlids.
Do NOT put the fish back. Besides the above, in most places it is illegal to release fish from other areas. You have no way of proving that the fish originally came from where you intend to release it.
Your entire tank is probably infected, so you may as well treat for parasites. Any anti-parasite med should probably work, worms like that are exposed and easy to kill. Alternately, you can put anything with scales into a bath of saltwater for a few minutes, that'll kill any external nasties. Pretty sure it's a bad idea with catfish, though.

^^^^^THIS^^^^
.......plus, it is illegal to release fish collected from bodies of water once they've been kept in home aquaria.......I believe in every state (US)

@rd @mnrebel you guys want to chime in on this one?

 

[predatorkeeper87]

No I totally understand and get it. Had this been caught in a pond or lake, I wouldn't even consider releasing it back. But I know how our canal systems work and I know that they are in no way going to end up into another wateway. The canal is what we use for power here and I've been to the plant and there's not a chance in hell a fish could survive through that. Not to mention I only fish on the far eastside of the city before the canal even truly gets into the city and where he will be released, he'll have to go through one hell of trip before he made it back out of the city. Different locks, trash skimmers, etc. I fully respect what your saying but please take my word on this as I'm a pretty intelligent guy and well educated and know what I'm talking about. Again, I'm a HUGE animal/creature lover, 100% disabled combat veteran who donates his spare time to rescuing raptors, clearly cares for fish as well, and would not want to risk anything. This is fish is better released back where he came from just a few weeks ago.

I'm not here to bash, flame, etc etc but I have to agree with these guys...please don't release the fish regardless if its going into a manmade waterway or not...viruses and bacteria know no bounds when it comes to spreading to new locations. Google VHS virus in the great lakes and you can see the possible damage coming from doing these well-intentioned releases. If the fish seems to be going downhill as you said it would be better to euthanize him instead, I know its not the nicest option but this is also a responsibility we as fishkeepers (and especially native NA fish keepers like you and myself) need to be diligent in. I've put down native fish before that I could have easily put into the local gameland ponds beside my house but they were exposed to possible diseases/parasites that the entire pond ecosystem could have been decimated by with having no immunity to them.

P.S. this isn't an insult to your intelligence by any means. I have respect for you both as a fellow servicemember and fish keeper, I can see you are no novice when it comes to doing whats right.

 

[xraycer]

Sometimes wild caught fish are plagued with parasites and can only be dealt with through quarantine. When I used to catch wild crayfish, sometimes they would be so covered I almost felt I had to deworm them before even thinking about putting them back. Such is life my friend.
If that is the only visible external parasite, and you just removed it, that fish is good to go....it's a good looking fish, healthy... (besides the hitchhiker)...maybe one tank at a time?

Fact is, nearly all wild creatures are carriers of some form of parasites.

The concern isn't that fish will forget how to hunt/survive, even captive-bred fish can do that. The concern is the release of pathogens. If the fish in question has been around fish from other parts of the world, especially fish from the aquarium trade, it may be infected with pathogens that aren't native to the area. Most fish have at least some resistance to their native pathogens, but North American fish have no built-in resistance to pathogens carried by, say, African cichlids.
Do NOT put the fish back. Besides the above, in most places it is illegal to release fish from other areas. You have no way of proving that the fish originally came from where you intend to release it.
Your entire tank is probably infected, so you may as well treat for parasites. Any anti-parasite med should probably work, worms like that are exposed and easy to kill. Alternately, you can put anything with scales into a bath of saltwater for a few minutes, that'll kill any external nasties. Pretty sure it's a bad idea with catfish, though.

^^^^^THIS^^^^
.......plus, it is illegal to release fish collected from bodies of water once they've been kept in home aquaria.......I believe in every state (US)

RD. MN_Rebel should chime in on this one

 

[USMCSS]

Fact is, nearly all wild creatures are carriers of some form of parasites.



^^^^^THIS^^^^
.......plus, it is illegal to release fish collected from bodies of water once they've been kept in home aquaria.......I believe in every state (US)

RD. MN_Rebel should chime in on this one

The canals here are not considered bodies of water. They're not even owned by the city. They're owned by the largest electrical company we have called SRP. The ONLY thing you are not allowed to mess with is they're one specific breed of carp. Other than that, you can do whatever.