Why are these being sold????

[ReApEr666]

This is MFK... quit being female dogs... we are regulated enough as it is. GET OVER IT! Keeping arapima is no different than keeping a betta... a fish in a box is a fish in a box... u cant keep fish 1 way... and condone others for keeping them another way. its all the same. There will be no hobby left if everyone is butt hurt about keeping certain fish. Laws are bad enough already...zoos are getting shut down and there coming after the general public now for keeping certain fish. All you nay sayers are 100% the problem and root of it all. Grow up and get over it.... Most of the larger fish available in the trade are destined for peoples dinner tables. were doing them a favor by letting them live for any period of time. If you keep fish yourself... take a look in the mirror... your no different than anyone else

 

[BIG-G]

This is MFK... quit being female dogs... we are regulated enough as it is. GET OVER IT! Keeping arapima is no different than keeping a betta... a fish in a box is a fish in a box... u cant keep fish 1 way... and condone others for keeping them another way. its all the same. There will be no hobby left if everyone is butt hurt about keeping certain fish. Laws are bad enough already...zoos are getting shut down and there coming after the general public now for keeping certain fish. All you nay sayers are 100% the problem and root of it all. Grow up and get over it.... Most of the larger fish available in the trade are destined for peoples dinner tables. were doing them a favor by letting them live for any period of time. If you keep fish yourself... take a look in the mirror... your no different than anyone else

I gotta disagree with you. I don’t think anyone should get a fish that they can’t take care of.
Why should we look at these animals any different than we would any other?
You want to say because they were going to be someone’s food it’s okay to get them and make them suffer till they eventually die anyway.
That makes no sense.
Any animal a person takes on as a pet deserves proper care. If you can’t provide it you should just keep walking!

 

[Seedy J]

Some people actually have the space and gear to house these fish properly. I've also seen people (possibly even on MFK) get arapaima and say they'll just eat them when they start to outgrow their tank, apparently they taste pretty good.

Most aquarists probably don't even have the space to keep an oscar properly, doesn't mean that oscars shouldn't be available to people who do. I do agree that stores selling these fish should let their customers know what they're getting into and, ideally, only sell them to people who will be able to house them properly.

 

[Backfromthedead]

This is MFK... quit being female dogs... we are regulated enough as it is. GET OVER IT! Keeping arapima is no different than keeping a betta... a fish in a box is a fish in a box... u cant keep fish 1 way... and condone others for keeping them another way. its all the same. There will be no hobby left if everyone is butt hurt about keeping certain fish. Laws are bad enough already...zoos are getting shut down and there coming after the general public now for keeping certain fish. All you nay sayers are 100% the problem and root of it all. Grow up and get over it.... Most of the larger fish available in the trade are destined for peoples dinner tables. were doing them a favor by letting them live for any period of time. If you keep fish yourself... take a look in the mirror... your no different than anyone else

There is definitely a difference between the betta and arapaima and definitely a difference between just having fish and properly caring for them. Most of the members of the forum adhere to the latter.

I do agree with you that you should always be able to do what you want. Just don't expect people that really appreciate their pets and respect the intricacies of the hobby to jump on board with keeping an arapaima in a betta bowl.

 

[ReApEr666]

I gotta disagree with you. I don’t think anyone should get a fish that they can’t take care of.
Why should we look at these animals any different than we would any other?
You want to say because they were going to be someone’s food it’s okay to get them and make them suffer till they eventually die anyway.
That makes no sense.
Any animal a person takes on as a pet deserves proper care. If you can’t provide it you should just keep walking!

Do you keep fish yourself? than ur no different from someone trying to keep large fish. None of it is "humane"... i myself love animals and provide the best care i can. they are not people tho. Im trying to fore warn anyone who supports the banning of any said species... when does it stop? It does'nt... Ive been in the hobby close to 20yrs now... its on a steady decline and things like this do not help the cause. The government/state should not have the right to take away ur "freedom" to do what u wish with whatever animal u desire to keep. The main point is size or scale of an animal does not change the practice. Alot more people would understand/relate if cichlids were banned for example... same difference. It will get there too one day im sure. Not trying to start a fight or rant... just putting it out there that feelings like this may come back to haunt u one day when it becomes you fighting for the right to keep what u love/enjoy. Ive been there and its a terrible situation to be a part of. The government does not care about you or your pets how ever large or small they may be. Fish do not have "rights"... they are not viewed the same way as a dog even tho we know they are intellegent beings.

 

[ReApEr666]

There is definitely a difference between the betta and arapaima and definitely a difference between just having fish and properly caring for them. Most of the members of the forum adhere to the latter.

I do agree with you that you should always be able to do what you want. Just don't expect people that really appreciate their pets and respect the intricacies of the hobby to jump on board with keeping an arapaima in a betta bowl.

its not about size/scale is the point im trying to get across... they start with the larger animals and work their way down.

 

[Belly up]

Some people miss the point. If the government can say no to my fish they can also say no to your fish! Believe me there are those is politics and government that would love to deny us all the right to keep anything they do not approve of.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

You can't learn everything from books and internet and from hearsay. That'd be a mighty pathetic life. That's my answer to the OP. Your passion can be viewed as one-sided and narrow-minded.

[1] I agree with those saying we must minimize or better eliminate pet suffering.

[2] I agree with those who say we must not let our own government place us in a golden cage and give us dry wafels and water through the bars and change our diaper every now and then ... and only let us see an arapaima on National Geo and a pitbull on Home and Garden TV or The Best in Show...

[3] The answer is most clearly in the golden middle and is up to everyone's conscience.

 

[BIG-G]

Do you keep fish yourself? than ur no different from someone trying to keep large fish. None of it is "humane"... i myself love animals and provide the best care i can. they are not people tho. Im trying to fore warn anyone who supports the banning of any said species... when does it stop? It does'nt... Ive been in the hobby close to 20yrs now... its on a steady decline and things like this do not help the cause. The government/state should not have the right to take away ur "freedom" to do what u wish with whatever animal u desire to keep. The main point is size or scale of an animal does not change the practice. Alot more people would understand/relate if cichlids were banned for example... same difference. It will get there too one day im sure. Not trying to start a fight or rant... just putting it out there that feelings like this may come back to haunt u one day when it becomes you fighting for the right to keep what u love/enjoy. Ive been there and its a terrible situation to be a part of. The government does not care about you or your pets how ever large or small they may be. Fish do not have "rights"... they are not viewed the same way as a dog even tho we know they are intellegent beings.

Who said ban? I didn’t! I said if you can’t give them proper care don’t buy move on to something you can.
Yes I keep fish,
Let me tell there’s a big difference between keeping a fish that gets 12 inch vs one that get 8 feet.
Even if you don’t think there is! Not many can give that fish what it needs.
Yeah I’m sure if you want to make the comparison to the wild no one can give their animals that. Unless you count a pond.
I’m not ranting either but you just can’t say I’m scared of the government so little Johnny gets to keep an arapaima in a 20 long.
If you can’t provide for any animal you shouldn’t own it. Not ban! not men in black showing up at your door! You should have the common sense to say I can’t have a 4 acre pond so I shouldn’t get an arapaima.

 

[jaws7777]

A monster fish is no different than any pet really. Pet stores dont ask how big a yard you have if your buying a dog.

Plenty of labs are kept in apartments. Is it great ? No but whos to say whether the buyer can purchase one or not. No different than a fish. We cant expect lfs to question people about the aquarium size they plan on keeping a fish in. How do they know they would get a truthful answer ?

Clerk at walgreens doesnt inform me not to eat the whole bottle of tylenol. Its on me to take the time and read the directions