I have a dilemma

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Padiwan cichlidiot

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 16, 2009
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O'ahu
At a pet store near by, there are two fish (relatively new), crammed into a tank too small for them. When I observed them, one just layed at the bottom, and the other crashed into the side with a bust of speed with every small move I made.

I could house one of these fish for some time (3-5 years), but eventually, they will outgrow my capacities. Should I buy one, and later ensure that it gets a good home, or should I just leave them and hope that someone with proper knowledge and housing will pick them up? If I get one, It will have to move in a few years, will it be ok with the stress of that?

The way it looks right now, they won't last too long in the pet store.
 
What fish is it? Most will say don't even bother, but I say go for it. As soon as you get it though start thinking of an idea for it's home in the future. Either find someone who will take it, or a zoo. Make a pond, anything. This all depends on the fish though, noone will take a Pacu or a Oscar if the fish is one of these kind. People will take aro's, knifes, bichirs, but not the plain old Oscar or other dirt cheap fish.

Will it have stress when moved? Of course all fish do, but so many of these larger fish out there are traded so many times it's ridiculous their not dead from stress yet. But like I said, it all depends on the fish.
 
Unfortunately, "saving" fish from pet stores does nothing good for the fish that come after it. To the pet store, they've made a sale, and they'll just replace the fish you take with more, because they're obviously selling, and stores like to make money.

What kind of fish are they? It is true that with many fish, such as Pacu, Oscar, and RTC, it can be very difficult to find homes for them once they're grown.
 
justonemoretank;3585414; said:
Unfortunately, "saving" fish from pet stores does nothing good for the fish that come after it. To the pet store, they've made a sale, and they'll just replace the fish you take with more, because they're obviously selling, and stores like to make money.
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I have to disagree. IME, big fish in undersized tanks at lfs are almost always fish that owners have brought in because they couldn't take care of them anymore. Not a happy way to live if you're a fish, but it's better than the owner burying them in the backyard because the lfs wouldn't take it. I doubt many stores order full grown oscars, pacus, etc. from their supplier.
 
I wouldn't buy them, that would just motivate the store to order more to replenish the ones you bought.
 
bob965 is quite correct, big fish are (unless something really expensive) almost always brought in by customers. Shipping on a box of fish is 100-200 bucks...not worth it for a big fish you'll sell for 50...
 
what kind of shovelnoses? Lima, tsn, or tigrnius?
Lima will be ok if you can supply at least a 75.
 
I would take it... how big is your tank?
 
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