Have you ever?

[Jhncf]

Have you ever bought a fish knowing it'll outgrow your tank eventually? I've just bought a 2" TSN knowing that it'll outgrow my 7x3x2 tank but I also know it would've ended up in a tiny tank if I hadn't taken it. My LFS had brought in a shipment of them and all they asked me was if I had any small fish like neon tetras as it would eat them!

My point is that here (in Scotland), large tanks, even 6x2x2 tanks, are few and far between, in fact I don't know anyone with a tank as big as mine and it's considered average on here! So, knowing these monsters are doomed to a tiny tank, isn't it better I house it in my tank and upgrade down the line? Largest I'll go will be 8x4x2.5 which still isn't big enough, I know, but surely this is a better life than where it would end up?

 

[Hendre]

I have done that, my pink tail chalceus in a 4ft tank. It's 11cm now and already starting to feel like I'm cramping the darty thing so I'm selling it this weekend

 

[Drstrangelove]

So, knowing these monsters are doomed to a tiny tank, isn't it better I house it in my tank and upgrade down the line? Largest I'll go will be 8x4x2.5 which still isn't big enough, I know, but surely this is a better life than where it would end up?

As a long time businessman, I see it differently: customers purchasing fish supports demand for the fish that are brought to the stores. Every time someone buys a fish (even out of good intentions), it creates just more incentive for the stores to import more of the same fish.

Buying the fish is no different than signing a petition asking for more fish to be brought to the store. The effect is to tell suppliers that even more of that fish should be brought to stores.

If only people who would properly house the fish would buy them, then most of these fish would not be "doomed" because suppliers would know not to supply nearly as many.


And to answer your question: no. I have never brought home a fish, a dog, a cat, etc. that I had no intention of properly caring for.

 

[Jhncf]

As a long time businessman, I see it differently: customers purchasing fish supports demand for the fish that are brought to the stores. Every time someone buys a fish (even out of good intentions), it creates just more incentive for the stores to import more of the same fish.

Buying the fish is no different than signing a petition asking for more fish to be brought to the store. The effect is to tell suppliers that even more of that fish should be brought to stores.

If only people who would properly house the fish would buy them, then most of these fish would not be "doomed" because suppliers would know not to supply nearly as many.


And to answer your question: no. I have never brought home a fish, a dog, a cat, etc. that I had no intention of properly caring for.

I agree that if everyone stopped buying them then they would stop being stocked but they won't, there'll always be someone who'll buy them so the only solution would be to ban the sale of them outright or for aquarists to require a license to be able to buy/keep them. It's easy for people to say "don't buy the fish and the shop won't stock them" but we all know someone will buy them at some point, so my point is, isn't it better that they be bought by someone with a tank far larger than where they would otherwise end up and give the fish a good life for a couple of years rather than a couple of months?

At the end of the day, almost every single TSN, RTC, paroon shark, alligator gar sold in a LFS is doomed to a short life in a tiny tank and that'll always be the case unless laws are changed. I'd rather see one of them live for years rather than months.

 

[Drstrangelove]

I agree that if everyone stopped buying them then they would stop being stocked but they won't....

I don't think you read my post. I don't buy fish I can't house. And I would guess hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people refuse to purchase fish they know they can't house as well.

 

[Jhncf]

I read your post just fine and I'll say it again, the fish will be sold whether you or I buy them or not, so I believe it is better for the fish to live for years rather than months. Every monster fish that is imported by an LFS is sold eventually so clearly hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people ARE buying fish they cannot house forever.

 

[Freshwater4Life]

His point is your feeding into the problem even though your intentions are good Not that what your doing is wrong but I tend to agree with him. A better way would maybe be to take in adopted fish from people who bought them not knowing their potential size and upkeep and educating people instead of putting money into the pockets of those who are creating the problem and that only encourages them to keep the cycle going My 2 cents.

 

[duanes]

I agree with Drstrangelove, every time you, or anyone buys something they can't keep, it tells a business to import more.
If your LFS had it sitting in the tank for a year, feeding it everyday and changing lots of water, they might think twice about ordering more. Even 1 sale can make a difference.
And I'd rather have economics determine availability of what I can keep, other than some random law be enacted.
Most people who enact rules could not tell the difference between a TSN and a dwarf Synodontus, and laws usually are all encompassing, meaning if they ban 1 catfish, they'd probably end up banning them all.
And even though you have a considerably larger tank than most in Scotland, what will you do in a year when it outgrows your tank?
There will probably be no one who could take it.
The zoo where I lived had people bringing in large catfish, and pacus every week, they couldn't take.
Your only recourse may be to eat it, to put it out of its misery, so prepare yourself for that eventuality.

 

[fishnatics]

I admit I did it a few times and now I know that if I can't house it for life then I won't buy it. As much as I want a juruense cat, tsn, arrowana, pbass my tank is never gonna be big enough for them. So I just enjoy mfk'ers pics of theirs

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I think the red tail catfish is the biggest example of this problem that I know of. They are constantly imported at sizes of 2-5" and are probably one of the least suitable fish to ever keep in an aquarium, that we regularly see in pet stores. Yet, they sell nearly every single one I've ever seen. Because of this they'll import 100 more next month, sell them all and order more the following month, and so on and so fourth. This fish grows to 5' in the wild! It's a beautiful catfish, which is probably why it sells so well, despite it growing to such a large size, and in such a short timeframe.

OP, I'm not trying to harp on you too much here, but it sounds like you are using this reason of, "if I don't take it then it will be worse off with someone else", to justify buying a fish that you really want, but know you can't provide properly for.

If possible, I would try to take it back and get a refund, if I were you.