Most fish keepers feel a certain amount of responsibility towards their fish. Obviously some more than others. Some, flush live fish down the toilets. Some build 10,000g tanks just for their fish. (See JohnPtc) I understand this is a hobby, but even for those who are emotionally unattached (I somewhat include myself in this category) a certain amount of care is dedicated to your fish.
So my question comes upon a situation like this: You've purchased two oscars. You've provided adequate room for them in the form of a 125g tank. This is your only aquarium, and the oscars are your only fish. You have no room, or money for that matter for another tank. After 6 months of water labor and nutritional feedings, your oscars have decided that they cannot be housed together. They are constantly at each other lip locking, biting one another, splashing water out of the tank, etc. You decide something needs to be done before one of the two gets hurt. What do you do?
Do you return your pet to the pet store? Or do you euthanize your pet?
Perhaps this is going to be a touchy subject so I want to emphasize courtesy and civil words.
Now some of you may wonder - Why in the world would you euthanize him instead of returning him to the pet store? Well the answer is simple. The fish may endure less suffering. It's my belief that the percentage of responsible caring educated fish keepers out there is a very low one. What are the odds that your fish returning to the pet store is adopted by one? Low as well. In that case the most likely scenario is that your former fish suffers a shortened crippled life likely in a small tank, with very poor water quality. Maybe he never gets adopted and lives out the rest of his life in a small pet store tank where he acquires ich, is fed rosy reds, and is kept with aggressive cichlids that eventually bully him to death. These scenarios are all very real and not even close to the worst case... I've seen much much worse, as I'm sure many of us have. So instead of submitting him to these terrible things, you euthanize. Peacefully send him on his way without pain or suffering.
Or you take a chance. There is that small percentage of cichlids who are returned to the pet store who are picked up by an MFKer. Perhaps he is in excellent condition with good colors and good vigor, and attracts a keen eye, one with experience and knowledge. And he lives for another 7-8 happy years.... In a pond with other peaceful cichlids, or in a 180g tank all to himself (See Finnis55).
What would you do? Now I know there are other options out there... call up a fellow fish keeper ask him to take your fish, call a local aquarium, etc, etc... but I want you to choose between these options. Which route would you go with? Why? What are your thoughts and opinions on the matter? Debate.
So my question comes upon a situation like this: You've purchased two oscars. You've provided adequate room for them in the form of a 125g tank. This is your only aquarium, and the oscars are your only fish. You have no room, or money for that matter for another tank. After 6 months of water labor and nutritional feedings, your oscars have decided that they cannot be housed together. They are constantly at each other lip locking, biting one another, splashing water out of the tank, etc. You decide something needs to be done before one of the two gets hurt. What do you do?
Do you return your pet to the pet store? Or do you euthanize your pet?
Perhaps this is going to be a touchy subject so I want to emphasize courtesy and civil words.
Now some of you may wonder - Why in the world would you euthanize him instead of returning him to the pet store? Well the answer is simple. The fish may endure less suffering. It's my belief that the percentage of responsible caring educated fish keepers out there is a very low one. What are the odds that your fish returning to the pet store is adopted by one? Low as well. In that case the most likely scenario is that your former fish suffers a shortened crippled life likely in a small tank, with very poor water quality. Maybe he never gets adopted and lives out the rest of his life in a small pet store tank where he acquires ich, is fed rosy reds, and is kept with aggressive cichlids that eventually bully him to death. These scenarios are all very real and not even close to the worst case... I've seen much much worse, as I'm sure many of us have. So instead of submitting him to these terrible things, you euthanize. Peacefully send him on his way without pain or suffering.
Or you take a chance. There is that small percentage of cichlids who are returned to the pet store who are picked up by an MFKer. Perhaps he is in excellent condition with good colors and good vigor, and attracts a keen eye, one with experience and knowledge. And he lives for another 7-8 happy years.... In a pond with other peaceful cichlids, or in a 180g tank all to himself (See Finnis55).
What would you do? Now I know there are other options out there... call up a fellow fish keeper ask him to take your fish, call a local aquarium, etc, etc... but I want you to choose between these options. Which route would you go with? Why? What are your thoughts and opinions on the matter? Debate.
