Do you agree or disagree?

[Fat Homer]

This is one of those questions thats a double edged sword, on one hand i feel very large fish should not be stocked regularly but rather kept on special order...

At the same time though, a lot of people just browse a store to see if its worth their time and could turn away when they only see your run of the mill small fish coz they were looking for something more unique...

Obviously there is more to it than just that, but as some have said before on these boards, once you start banning fish based on size alone, where does it end and how do people decide whats too big considering your average keeper probably has tanks smaller than 40-50G

 

[Nick Park]

I would disagree with banning, but surely there is some scope for animal welfare legislation to apply in the kind of cases where a fish can hardly even turn around in a tank?
Of course, fish are usually subject to a much laxer set of criteria than mammals in legal and ethical terms. For example, few people would allow puppies to be eaten by bigger dogs in the way that we let fry get eaten, and if we let pet cats kill each other in the way that my jewel fish have shredded each other then everyone would be outraged.
But when I see a large fish in a small tank, effectively in a glass straitjacket, then it's hard to see it as anything other than pointless animal cruelty.
I have a foot long black shark catfish (Labeo chrysophekadion) that came with my second hand 450 litre tank, and he seems happy enough - has a rock cave that he hides in during the day and then has the run of the tank at night - but I think both he and I are going to feel more uncomfortable if he gets much bigger.

 

[dan518]

Education of hobbiest and lfs is the only way. If you start banning fish on size alone then who and how do they decide what is too big, the average tank size is about 50 gal, wouldn't be that hard for them to justify anything over 10 inch is to big.

 

[AquaAlex1993]

Money makes the world go round. People buy fish they can't possibly house for long often knowing the potential sizes. This is not likely to change, suppliers and retailers will stock these species because they sell. The majority of people either don't realise how hard it can be to rehome large specimens, "'ll upgrade my tank in the future", "it will be fine for long time" or simply don't care. Banning these species would seriously ruin the hobby for those who can and do care for them correctly.

That is very true. As long as they sell, the more the stores get them.

I mean, a warning would help sometimes! ID sharks are usually sold really small, so people see them as cute and buy them. I was one of those people at a time! Through MFK, I learned the monsters these fish become. Arapaima? 8-foot plus? People could get sold on juveniles without knowing the leviathans they become! (If I got one, I'd name it Leviathan). I was interested in arapaima once, just for the sake of being able to say I owned one, even though I'd have it for less than a year. With that in mind, selling monster fish without the poster warning is fine. LFS workers, however, should warn customers about their size and leave fish like pacu and ID sharks to the experts with the right-size tanks, and, of course, the right amount of money.

The experts with the big tanks are awesome. I always dream to have an aquarium that big. Arapaima do NOT belong in the hobby. I saw some vendors offering them and I was like what the ****... cmon now be real. your gonna sell a fish that grows to 8 feet just for profit?

This comes down to personal responsibilty. The only problem with large fish like this is people are not responsible enough to look into it before they purchase. A lot of people buy an aquarium and never know what the nitrogen cycle is. You'd be disgusted if you knew how many people have children and don't have a clue what is involved with raising a child. So the short answer is no you should not limit the sale or availability. It won't do anything other than make stupid people do stupid somewhere else. at least if they buy the fish they support your local fish store. Which helps keep the doors open for the rest of us.

Supporting local fish stores is always a good thing because it keeps them open, your right.

This is one of those questions thats a double edged sword, on one hand i feel very large fish should not be stocked regularly but rather kept on special order...

At the same time though, a lot of people just browse a store to see if its worth their time and could turn away when they only see your run of the mill small fish coz they were looking for something more unique...

Obviously there is more to it than just that, but as some have said before on these boards, once you start banning fish based on size alone, where does it end and how do people decide whats too big considering your average keeper probably has tanks smaller than 40-50G

Yea, it's a controversial topic, one that I've been debating for a few years.

Education of hobbiest and lfs is the only way. If you start banning fish on size alone then who and how do they decide what is too big, the average tank size is about 50 gal, wouldn't be that hard for them to justify anything over 10 inch is to big.

You are very correct about that. Maybe the LFS should add signs on the tanks of monster fish WARNING so and so fish will get 3' and need HUGE tank. That alone should deter some people.

 

[RD.]

I think idiots should be banned, from everything .....

 

[Steve_C]

I disagree with banning fish species based on things like size. You could put all sorts of warnings on things and some people still would not care nor pay attention, that's what makes them irresponsible in the first place. There's always going to be irresponsible people in everything in life. Why should responsible people be penalized for those that are irresponsible.

 

[millerkid519]

I think idiots should be banned, from everything .....

I agree with this if you don't know better you shouldn't do it. There are fish I want and can get but I don't have the means or climate to keep them long term so I leave them where they are. In the pet shop for someone else to buy and kill, or keep by having am indoor pool

 

[millerkid519]

I disagree with banning fish species based on things like size. You could put all sorts of warnings on things and some people still would not care nor pay attention, that's what makes them irresponsible in the first place. There's always going to be irresponsible people in everything in life. Why should responsible people be penalized for those that are irresponsible.

I agree with this. The fish that was pushed on me was an arapaima which was special ordered and licenced to come into canada. I have no friggen place for it but wanted to buy it. Against my "wants" I left it there because a good fish keeper will not do that to a fish.

 

[millerkid519]

I know why you are getting at keep and release right? Or is just the fact that people dream big and kill fish?

 

[robham777]

The stores just need to hang a price estimate for a 10'x4'x3' setup next to these $10 fish.